FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A jury today awarded $20 million to the family of Dr. Alberto A. Casaretto, finding that Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based products caused his fatal mesothelioma. The lawsuit, brought by his son, Alberto Casaretto Jr., alleged that the company’s talc was contaminated with asbestos and that Johnson & Johnson failed to warn consumers. The verdict delivers long-awaited justice to the Casaretto family and reinforces corporate accountability for unsafe consumer products.

Dr. Casaretto allegedly used Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based products for decades, trusted their marketing as “pure” and “safe.” However, evidence at trial showed the company knew its talc could contain asbestos but continued to market it as pure and risk-free. The jury’s verdict holds Johnson & Johnson responsible for the harm caused by that deception.

Key Facts & Background

• Dr. Casaretto practiced as a physician for decades in Florida and passed away in 2022 from malignant pleural mesothelioma.
• Evidence introduced at trial showed routine, lifelong use of talc-based Johnson & Johnson products and expert testimony linking that use to asbestos exposure and disease.
• Internal company documents and expert testimony established that Johnson & Johnson knew of asbestos risk in talc, selected testing protocols unlikely to detect asbestos reliably, and elected not to replace talc with safer alternatives such as cornstarch.
• The verdict award of $20,000,000 reflects compensatory damages awarded by the jury to the Casaretto Estate.
• This outcome reaffirms the ongoing accountability of manufacturers for decades-old products that have long-term health ramifications for consumers.
  
  

Plaintiff Counsel Comments

Levin Papantonio attorneys Chris Tisi, Cameron Stephenson, and Sara Papantonio tried this case with John Uustal and Cristina Pierson from Kelley Uustal. 

Chris Tisi, lead trial counsel for the plaintiff, issued this statement:

“This verdict is for the families who never knew the dangers hidden in Johnson’s Baby Powder. For too long, Johnson & Johnson has ignored the pain of the people harmed by its product. Today, this family was finally heard.”

Cameron Stephenson added:

“This verdict goes beyond one family’s tragedy. It’s about decades of corporate concealment finally meeting accountability. The evidence made clear that Johnson & Johnson chose profits over safety, and the jury’s decision reflects a demand for truth.”

Sara Papantonio commented:

“Today’s verdict provides meaningful justice to the Casaretto family and sends a clear message to all manufacturers: when you market a product as pure and safe, you must ensure it is so, and you must warn of known dangers. Our firm remains committed to assisting victims and families holding corporations accountable for their negligence and misconduct.”

About Levin Papantonio
The Levin Papantonio law firm has been representing injured people across the globe since 1955. The national trial law firm specializes in mass torts, products liability, environmental contamination, drug injuries, and complex personal injury.

Levin Papantonio has gained national recognition as one of the most successful personal injury firms in the world and has been featured on CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox, as well as in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time Magazine, Forbes, and the National Law Journal.

LP attorneys handle lawsuits throughout the country and have helped obtain more than $80 billion in jury verdicts and settlements, litigating against some of the largest corporations in the world.

About Kelley | Uustal

Founded in 2008 by trial attorneys Robert Kelley and John Uustal, Kelley | Uustal specializes in catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and complex commercial litigation. Based in Fort Lauderdale, the firm is home to more than a dozen award-winning attorneys who have secured more than $1 billion in life-changing verdicts and settlements for clients nationwide.

Contact
Media inquiries:
Sara Stephens, Director of Content & Communications
Levin Papantonio
Phone: (281) 744-6560
Email: sstephens@levinlaw.com
Website: www.levinlaw.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0e60c2ac-d058-4e76-bf53-7cb7ee650dcf