Many people are unaware that asbestos has been used in thousands of consumer products, until they witness the side effects first-hand. A California jury recently awarded $13 million to a woman who was diagnosed with mesothelioma due to exposure to asbestos found within talcum powder.
The jury found Colgate-Palmolive Co. 95 percent responsible for Judith Winkel’s mesothelioma diagnosis. Mesothelioma, an incurable form of cancer, is caused by exposure to asbestos and can take years or decades after exposure before symptoms appear. The workers who mined talc have witnessed illness amongst themselves, and now the users of talcum products are starting to feel the deadly effects.
While Colgate-Palmolive Co. still denies that their asbestos-containing product had anything to do with Winkel’s illness, they reached a confidential settlement before punitive damages could be assessed in court.
Users of talcum powder, as well as cosmetic products containing talc, have reason to fear exposure to asbestos. Since both talc and asbestos are naturally occurring minerals found within our earth, it was not uncommon for talc to become contaminated with asbestos during the mining of the substance.
Have you been exposed to asbestos through the use of talcum powder? If you used talc products in the past and are experiencing respiratory distress, you may want to alert your doctor to the possibility of asbestos exposure. This will allow them to assess your health more accurately.
Sources:12 News Now | Braytonlaw.com | Asbestos Network
Photo: Mattman723 / Wikipedia
