Talcum Powder, Ovarian Cancer, and Your Right to Sue

TALCUM POWDER, OVARIAN CANCER, AND YOUR RIGHT TO SUE

By: Daniel L. Kaufman

Two juries recently decided that two women who used baby powder and other talcum powder products developed ovarian cancer as a result of this use and were entitled to money damages. 

Jackie Fox died in 2015 from ovarian cancer as a result of using baby powder and other similar talcum products made by Johnson & Johnson.  A court awarded her family $72 million for compensatory and punitive damages.^[1]   Gloria Ristesund, who was also diagnosed with ovarian cancer as a result of using Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder and other talcum powder products, was awarded $55 million in her lawsuit against the company.^[2]

The American Cancer Society has compiled extensive research on the issue of talcum powder and cancer.  If you would like more information to decide if you should continue using talcum powder products, please visit the American Cancer Society’s article on Talcum Powder and Cancer.^[3]

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with or died from ovarian cancer and has used talcum powder products, call Asnis, Srebnick, and Kaufman to discuss your rights.  You must act quickly as there is a statute of limitations, which once expired, bars a person from bringing a case.  Contact us immediately at 954-838-8300 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

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[1] Wang, Yanan. "Johnson & Johnson Ordered to Pay $72 Million in Suit Linking Talcum Powder to Ovarian Cancer." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2016. Accessed at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/02/24/johnson-johnson-ordered-to-pay-72m-in-suit-linking-talcum-powder-to-ovarian-cancer/ on May 4, 2016.

[2] Bowerman, Mary. "Johnson & Johnson to Pay $55M in Second Talc-powder Cancer Lawsuit." USA Today. Gannett, 03 May 2016. Accessed at:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2016/05/03/johnson-johnson-baby-powder-talc-ovarian-cancer-case-55-million/83865636/ on May 4, 2016.

[3] "Talcum Powder and Cancer." Talcum Powder and Cancer. American Cancer Society, n.d. Accessed at: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/talcum-powder-and-cancer on May 4, 2016.

Uninsured Motorist Insurance - To Carry or Not to Carry???

Florida’s Uninsured Motorist Epidemic: How to Protect Yourself

By: Daniel L. Kaufman

Jane Doe was driving to work one morning when her life changed forever.  John Smith drove through a red light and T-boned Jane’s car, causing her to need multiple surgeries to fix her back, leg, and ribs.  Her doctors’ bills were piling up and seemed to have no end.  To make matters worse, John only carried Florida’s minimum car insurance requirement, Personal Injury Protection and Property Damage.  John’s insurance company paid $10,000.00 in Personal Injury Protection only towards John’s own medical bills and other resulting expenses and did not cover any of Jane’s injuries or Jane’s bills. 

Additionally, Jane’s insurance company paid the first $10,000.00 of Jane’s medical bills with her no-fault coverage, also known as Personal Injury Protection.  However, Jane’s coverage had exhausted after $10,000.00, and the other driver, John, did not carry Bodily Injury coverage to cover injuries caused to other people, such as Jane.  What about the other $90,000.00 of medical bills that Jane was accumulating?  What about all of the future care Jane would need as a result of this accident?  What about Jane’s pain and suffering?  Luckily, Jane elected to carry Uninsured Motorist Protection, an optional source of insurance coverage.   Jane’s Uninsured Motorist Protection compensated her for what John should have with his own Bodily Injury coverage, which he legally chose not to carry.

Getting car insurance isn’t fun.  It can be costly, complicated, and time consuming.  Do you know what kind of coverage you need? Do you understand the different kinds of coverage?  Do you know how much to get?  Do you know what you’re signing?  Florida requires motor vehicle drivers to carry an insurance policy with only Personal Injury Protection and Property Damage.  If you do not have Uninsured Motorist Protection and the at-fault driver has no Bodily Injury coverage, there is no money available to cover your remaining bills, future bills, and pain and suffering. 

Florida is notorious for drivers who don’t carry insurance.  A 2012 study conducted by the Insurance Information Institute showed that Florida ranks #2 in the country for uninsured motorists at an estimated 23% of drivers.[1]  This statistic does not include drivers that only have Florida’s required minimal no-fault coverage.  As a result, it is important that you add Uninsured Motorist Protection to your car insurance policy.  Uninsured Motorist Protection is not only triggered by accidents with uninsured drivers, it can also cover you should the at-fault driver have low Bodily Injury coverage. While it will cost extra to add this coverage to your policy, it is very much worth it.  This coverage can protect you and your family in the future from financial and emotional hardship should you ever find yourself in Jane Doe’s position.  Add Uninsured Motorist Protection to your policy today.

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[1] Insurance Information Institute, Inc. "Compulsory Auto/Uninsured Motorists." III. Insurance Information Institute, Inc., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2015. http://www.iii.org/issue-update/compulsory-auto-uninsured-motorists