Why Johnson & Johnson May Not Have to Pay Its $4.7 Billion Court Verdict
While a $4.7 billion jury verdict in a talc case against Johnson & Johnson in July was eye-popping — the sixth-largest ever in a product-defect case — J&J may pay far less, or nothing, reports Bloomberg. No verdict of that size has survived appeal.
“Indeed, of the 25 largest U.S. jury awards, 23 were reversed, drastically cut or against defendants with few or no assets who couldn’t pay, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The remaining two, including the one against J&J, are being appealed. Most such revisions are by judges overruling angry jurors or enforcing court-imposed limits on punitive damages,” writes Bloomberg’s Margaret Cronin Fisk.
But even if the award is cut or reversed, a large verdict can draw other cases.