US talc litigation has important lessons for UK insurers

Last month, Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay $4.7bn (£3.6bn) in damages to 22 women who alleged that its talc products, such as its widely used baby powder, caused them to develop ovarian cancer because the products contained asbestos. A jury in the US state of Missouri awarded the claimants $550m in compensation and $4.14bn in punitive damages. Johnson & Johnson has stated that it will appeal the decision. This follows its success in overturning earlier jury awards on appeal.