VIDEO: $29.4 Million Verdict Reached in Johnson & Johnson Case
GoLocalProv Business Team
VIDEO: $29.4 Million Verdict Reached in Johnson & Johnson Case
A California jury has ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $29 million in compensatory damages to Teresa Leavitt and her spouse.
Leavitt was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2017 and claimed her use of J&J talcum powder in the 1960s and 1970s was to blame.
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The trial began on January 7 and lasted for nine weeks, ending in a two-day deliberation by the jury.
The jury ruled that Leavitt’s exposure to J&J products was a “substantial contributing factor” to her illness, as the talcum-powder was contaminated with asbestos.
It found J&J at fault for failing to disclose the existence of asbestos, as it is known to cause cancer and mesothelioma.
J&J maintained that their products are asbestos free and plan to appeal the verdict. Johnson & Johnson, via statement More than 13,000 talcum-related lawsuits currently exist against the American pharmaceutical company.
A GoLocal investigation in 2017 into the agreements between the Raimondo Administration with Wexford and Johnson & Johnson unveils that Rhode Island taxpayers will pay $1 million to build out space for Johnson & Johnson and the company will leave the space in just two years.
Johnson and Johnson will be moving into the new Wexford campus and will be leaving the recently custom converted space at Ship Street, which was funded with monies from the I-195 Commission. The new Wexford campus also receives substantial state subsidies — in excess of $40 million.
No company has received a more lucrative package of Rhode Island taxpayer-funded subsidies per job than Johnson and Johnson. The $80 billion company was awarded a financial package totaling $6 million for bringing just 75 jobs to Rhode Island.
The state of Rhode Island spent $1 million for space for Johnson & Johnson, but the company will only be located at the space on Ship Street for approximately two years and then will move to Wexford.
Under the agreement:
Johnson & Johnson will commit to maintaining the new jobs in Rhode Island for at least the 12 years required.
The total credits are anticipated to be approximately $4.4 million based on the projected hiring of 75 employees.
The company is eligible for a $250,000 grant from the First Wave Closing Fund. This grant can fund student loan debt relief to support Johnson & Johnson’s talent attraction efforts for the Providence office.
An allocation of up to $1 million from the I-195 Redevelopment Commission was approved in December 2016 and will support the leasehold improvements for J&J’s new office at One Ship Street in Providence.