Judge Increases Asbestos Verdict Against Johnson & Johnson to $25 Million

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — A Connecticut judge has awarded an additional $10 million in punitive damages in asbestos-related lawsuit Evan Plotkin et al. v. Johnson & Johnson et al., bringing the total verdict to $25 million.

In October 2024, attorneys with Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP (DOBS) secured a $15 million jury verdict against Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries, holding the company responsible for Plotkin’s asbestos exposure from decades of using its talc-based baby powder, which led to his mesothelioma diagnosis.

“This opinion is a result of an objective judge looking at the evidence and determining that the evidence against Johnson & Johnson is reprehensible. The Plotkin family is grateful for the court’s careful attention and thoughtful writing,” DOBS attorney Ben Braly said. “We sincerely hope that Johnson & Johnson will take this opinion to heart and consider the damage they caused to people like Evan Plotkin across the country.”

Plotkin, an artist, father of three, and longtime community leader, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2021. The trial revealed how his decades-long personal use of Johnson & Johnson’s talc powder, and exposure through his children’s use, caused his illness.