Sidley Secures Defense Verdict in First-of-Its-Kind Product Liability Trial

Sidley secured a significant trial victory for Merck & Co. in a product liability case in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois involving allegations that a consumer talcum powder product contained asbestos and caused mesothelioma.

In a key mid-trial ruling, the court dismissed the plaintiff’s punitive damages claim for lack of evidence—the first time the company’s conduct had been tested in this context.

Following a three-week trial, the jury returned a unanimous defense verdict in less than an hour, rejecting all claims.

The Sidley team was led by Michelle Ramirez, and included Tacy Flint, Paul Boehm, Amanda Blau, Madeleine Joseph, Amanda Crawford-Steger, Camille Sanches, Regan Hawkins, Josh Asabor, and Sabrina Palacios. The Sidley team also partnered with Peter Moir of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, John Cosmich of Cosmich, Simmons & Brown, and Kasia Nowak of Foley Mansfield.