Disabled Woman’s Mesothelioma Claim Settled Two Days into Hearing

A mesothelioma lawsuit accusing consumer giant Johnson & Johnson of negligence was settled out of court just two days after the trial’s start.  The victim in the case was a 36-year-old woman with mental disabilities. Gail Koretoff’s mother had just provided testimony that the young woman’s suffering was amplified by her lack of understanding of either her diagnosis or the aggressive medical procedures that she needed to endure.

California Jury Heard Details of Mesothelioma Ordeal

Johnson & Johnson and other manufacturers of talc-based products have been defending against mesothelioma lawsuits for several years. In this particular case Johnson and Johnson’s attorney denied that the company’s baby powder was dangerous, but the jury heard accusations that the product was dangerous, as well as testimony about the young woman’s battle against the disease.

The mesothelioma victim’s mother, Anneilla Koretoff, described the stomachache that her daughter had complained of, followed by the diagnosis of her cancer, the major surgery to remove her tumors, and the rounds of chemotherapy she’d had to endure. Mrs. Koretoff explained that her daughter is intellectually disabled and had never gained understanding beyond that of a child.  

Settlement Terms with Mesothelioma Victim Remain Undisclosed

Johnson & Johnson’s rarely settles mesothelioma claims out of court, choosing instead to defend itself and to file multiple appeals in those cases that they have lost and been ordered to pay victims compensation. No details or explanation were provided by either the company’s representatives or Ms. Koretoff’s family. 

In recent days Johnson & Johnson has pursued a complicated and controversial bankruptcy aimed at evading future mesothelioma litigation. There are currently approximately 38,000 claims pending against the company. They have been filed by mesothelioma victims as well as by women diagnosed with ovarian cancer who blame asbestos contamination in the company’s talc-based products for their illnesses.