Avon Ordered to Pay Mesothelioma Victim $52.1 Million

A California jury has ordered the iconic cosmetic company Avon and another defendant to pay $52.1 million in damages to a 76-year-old woman and her husband as compensation for causing her malignant mesothelioma. The woman had claimed that Avon’s talc-based products were contaminated with asbestos, and after weighing the testimony in the case, the jury agreed.

76-Year-Old Mesothelioma Victim Awarded Significant Jury Award

Rita-Ann Chapman and her husband Gary filed their mesothelioma lawsuit against both Avon and Mr. Chapman’s former employer, Hyster-Yale Group after she was diagnosed with the terminal disease. Her claim against Avon detailed her lifelong use of the company’s products, while Hyster-Yale Group was blamed for having negligently allowed Mr. Chapman to carry asbestos home on his work clothes, which further exposed Mrs. Chapman to asbestos when she did the laundry.

The jury in the mesothelioma case heard convincing evidence presented against both companies. Mr. Chapman’s employer was a forklift manufacturer, and the jury was shown that they were informed of asbestos’ dangers but continued selling asbestos-contaminated parts. The company’s actions were described as being egregious, with documentation of asbestos’ dangers being purposely destroyed once they began being named in personal injury claims. Parts that were labeled with warnings about asbestos had those warnings removed before being provided to consumers. Similarly, Avon continued selling asbestos-contaminated products months after learning that they could harm people.

$52.1 in Mesothelioma Damages Sends a Powerful Message

After the jury awarded the mesothelioma victim monetary damages of $40 million, her attorneys asked that the amount of punitive damages be set high enough that it would send a powerful message to the multi-million dollar companies. In response, the jury added $10.3 million to the amount that the company has to pay. Avon is responsible for 90% of the total $52.1 million, and the remaining 10% will be paid by Hyland.