Minnesota Jury Awards $10.2 Million in Mesothelioma Talc Verdict

Simon Greenstone Panatier PC secures major plaintiff victory against Vi-Jon LLC

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A Minnesota jury has awarded $10.2 million to Daniel Heyer and his wife, Nicole Heyer, in a mesothelioma lawsuit against St. Louis-based Vi-Jon LLC and other major body powder companies involving allegations that asbestos-contaminated cosmetic talc products caused Mr. Heyer’s cancer.

This is believed to be the second highest mesothelioma-related personal injury award in Minnesota history.

“This family is going through pain almost no one can understand and that did not need to happen. The jury in this case recognized that and acted accordingly,” said Shaina Weissman, shareholder at Simon Greenstone Panatier PC, who tried the case with Simon Greenstone colleague Holly Peterson and co-counsel Chad Alexander of Sieben Alexander, P.A.

Vi-Jon manufactured store-brand baby powders, body powders and foot powders using talc for years. The trial highlighted several store-brand powders, including Walmart’s “Equate,” Target’s “Up & Up” and Walgreens’ talcum powders. Despite receiving repeated warnings about asbestos in talc, the evidence showed that Vi-Jon did not investigate or test its products and even assured customers to continue selling it after Vi-Jon had stopped manufacturing and destroyed its remaining inventory.

According to evidence presented at trial, Mr. Heyer was exposed over decades to baby powder, body powder and foot powder, including store-brand talc products sold by Target, Walmart and Walgreens. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma in late 2024 at age 43 and given a year to live. He testified in the trial, but he is on oxygen and confined to a wheelchair, and his health is rapidly declining.

The jury found that Vi-Jon and several other major companies, including Gold Bond, Merck (Dr. Scholl’s), Johnson & Johnson and Perrigo Co. of Tennessee, manufactured talc powder products in a defective and unreasonably dangerous condition and failed to provide adequate warnings regarding the risks associated with the products, concluding that those defects directly caused Mr. Heyer’s mesothelioma.

“We are happy that the jury heard the evidence and found justice for the Heyers. This is an important statement in Minnesota against companies that take our neighbors’ health lightly,” said Mr. Alexander.

Simon Greenstone Panatier is a pioneering trial firm leading the way in nationwide litigation against cosmetic talc companies such as Vi-Jon that have endangered the public for decades without being held accountable.

The case is Daniel J. Heyer and Nicole Heyer v. Vi-Jon, LLC, case number: 62-CV-25-5182 in the Second Judicial District Court of Ramsay County, Minnesota.

About Simon Greenstone Panatier
With offices in Dallas, Houston, New York City and Long Beach, Calif., Simon Greenstone Panatier, PC is a nationally renowned trial law firm with a reputation for creative and aggressive representation of clients in a wide variety of catastrophic personal injury matters nationwide. To learn more, visit www.sgptrial.com.