Avon Loses Its Appeal of $51M Mesothelioma Verdict
Legislation & Litigation
Written by Travis Rodgers | Edited by Amy Edel
A California appeals court refused to throw out a $51 million mesothelioma verdict against cosmetics giant Avon Products Inc. The California 2nd District Court of Appeals rejected the company’s arguments against expert testimony and trial court rulings, keeping the full judgment intact.
A jury had found Avon 90% responsible for Rita-Ann Chapman’s mesothelioma in 2022. It assigned 10% of the blame to Hyster-Yale Group Inc., a forklift manufacturer where her husband worked. The combined verdict for her talc lawsuit totaled $52.1 million: $40.8 million in compensatory damages and $11.3 million in punitive damages.
Trial evidence showed Avon recognized the risk of asbestos in its talc as early as the 1970s and participated in industry testing. Despite that knowledge, the company never warned consumers about potential dangers.
The jury set Avon’s punitive damages at $10.3 million after learning the company continued selling 4 talc products with known high levels of asbestos for 103 days to clear its remaining inventory. Chapman died in March 2025, roughly 2 years after the jury ruled in her favor.
How Avon Talc Products Exposed Chapman to Asbestos
Chapman was exposed to asbestos through Avon’s talc-based body and face powders. Talc deposits can become contaminated with asbestos when mined from the earth. Asbestos-contaminated talc in cosmetic and personal hygiene products has been linked to mesothelioma, lung cancer and ovarian cancer.
The plaintiff started using these contaminated products at age 8. Chapman continued using them for most of her life, breathing in asbestos fibers over time when she applied the powder. Avon marketed these products worldwide, primarily to women and children.
In addition to Chapman’s primary asbestos exposure from Avon’s products, she also experienced secondary exposure. Her husband worked at Hyster-Yale Group Inc., where he regularly handled brakes, clutches and gaskets containing asbestos. She washed his work clothes for years that were contaminated with asbestos fibers unknowingly brought home on those clothes.
What the Avon Ruling Means for Asbestos-Talc Lawsuits
The appellate ruling reinforces accountability for companies that sold asbestos-contaminated talc without warning consumers. The court’s decision to uphold the verdict and reject Avon’s challenges to expert testimony strengthens the legal path for other families pursuing similar claims.
Mounting legal pressure has taken a financial toll on Avon. In August 2024, Avon Products Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while facing roughly 200 talc-related lawsuits. Other major cosmetics companies, including Chanel, Revlon, L’Oréal and Justice, also face lawsuits involving contaminated talc. Johnson & Johnson faces tens of thousands of lawsuits involving mesothelioma, lung cancer and a significant number of ovarian cancer cases.
Rulings like this one are important for people diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases after using talc-based cosmetic products. Our Patient Advocates have experience assisting people exposed to asbestos-contaminated talc. They can match you with top attorneys specializing in talc cases and help you find additional resources.
