J&J, Colgate Ordered to Pay Nearly $10 Million in Cancer Case

A jury in California Wednesday ordered Johnson & Johnson and Colgate-Palmolive Co. to pay almost $10 million to Patricia Schmitz, who claims she got cancer from their products.

Schmitz, who testified that she used J&J's Baby Powder and Colgate's Cashmere Bouquet for most of her life, was awarded $4.8 million in damages from each company. Although the jury awarded Schmitz compensatory damages, it declined to award punitive damages, a decision her attorney said he would challenge in post-trial motions.

The jury found each company 40% liable and assigned the other 20% of liability to Avon Products Inc., who was not part of the trial.

Both companies said they plan to appeal the verdict, believing there were procedural and evidentiary errors during the proceeding.

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