Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson is the subject of two class-action lawsuits filed in 2014, claiming the company is responsible for giving women ovarian cancer through the use of its talcum powder products, Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower. The suits came one year after South Dakota resident Deane Berg, diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2006, won her legal claim that the company was negligent in not warning users of the greater risk of developing that type of cancer. Earlier this year, a St. Louis jury awarded a $72 million verdict to the family of Jackie Fox, who passed away at the age of 62 after decades of using the products for daily genital dusting. In addition to those verdicts and more than 1,000 legal claims against the company, over 20 studies (some dating as far back as 1971) have also shown potential links between the ingredients used in both of Johnson & Johnson’s powder products and ovarian cancer. Yet, the company adamantly – and dangerously – continues to deny any link between the products in question and ovarian cancer, and has refused to…Read More
If you have suffered the loss of a family member, the word “probate” is probably among the myriad details that you are facing at this difficult time in your life. Simply stated, probate is the legal process ensuring the proper compilation of the decedent’s assets, notification of creditors, payment of liabilities, and distribution of the remaining assets to rightful heirs. While certain items, such as jointly held property and non-taxable gifts made not exceeding $11,000 during the deceased’s lifetime, are not subject to probate, probate largely applies in most cases. While many think that a decedent’s estate can only go through probate if there is no will in place, the estate may go through the process whether or not a will exists – if the estate is large enough and a valid plan is not in place for avoiding probate. The probate process typically encompasses numerous steps and can range from the simplest matters to protracted court battles involving significant amounts of time – from 6 to 18 months – and considerable money, but not all probate proceedings are alike. Florida probate law recognizes several…Read More
