Casaretto v. Johnson & Johnson

Summary

In this talc, mesothelioma litigation, plaintiffs, the family of a Florida physician who died from mesothelioma after using talc-based products for decades, claim cosmetic talc product manufacturer Johnson & Johnson is liable. Plaintiffs contend asbestos present in the talc caused the man's cancer.

J&J claims that its talc is safe and does not cause mesothelioma. The company contends that studies showing asbestos in talc are fundamentally flawed.

Outcome

Verdict for plaintiff.

Total damages: $20 million.

Blog Posts

$20M Verdict Hits J&J in Talc Trial Over Florida Doctor's Death
Oct 30, 2025

Trial Opens Against J&J Over Claims Asbestos in Its Talc Products Caused Florida Doctor's Death
Sep 26, 2025

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: Casaretto, Alberto
Defense: Johnson & Johnson
Verdict: $20,000,000

Judge: Martin Bidwill
Jurisdiction: 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida
Court: Judicial Complex

Case Number: CACE18028502
Industry: Accounting
Practice Area: Asbestos, Products Liability

Plaintiff

Casaretto, Alberto

Represented By:
Tisi, Christopher (Ashcraft & Gerel LLP)
Uustal, John (Kelley | Uustal)

Defense

Johnson & Johnson

Sessions

Attorney
Witness
Witness Expertise
Type
Description

AM Session

Other

8 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:02:23	Break
		00:28:22	General Case Activities
		00:36:28	Break
		00:46:00	General Case Activities
		01:08:33	Break
		01:12:35	General Case Activities
		01:49:46	End of Session

PM Session

Openings

6 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

11 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

14 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

10 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

10 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Alexander , Dr. Dominik Ph.D., M.S.P.H.	Epidemiology	In Person
01:14:50	Break
01:34:23	General Case Activities
01:43:50	Witness Cross Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Alexander , Dr. Dominik Ph.D., M.S.P.H.	Epidemiology	In Person
02:03:54	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Brown, Michael	Alexander , Dr. Dominik Ph.D., M.S.P.H.	Epidemiology	In Person
02:06:04	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Alexander , Dr. Dominik Ph.D., M.S.P.H.	Epidemiology	In Person
02:16:11	General Case Activities
02:40:25	End of Session

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

4 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

3 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

8 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

5 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

8 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

4 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

13 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

4 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

2 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

14 Chapters

PM Session

Closings

11 Chapters

OCT

PM Session

Verdict

4 Chapters

OCT

Recording Disclaimer: This proceeding was recorded in full.

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:32:06	Witness Direct Examination		McKeegan, John	Video Recording
00:53:45	General Case Activities	Uustal, John
00:55:20	Witness Direct Examination		Hopkins, John	Video Recording
01:56:04	Break
02:13:32	General Case Activities
02:17:50	Witness Direct Examination		Hopkins, John	Video Recording
03:18:43	General Case Activities
03:49:54	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:01:43	Break
00:13:13	Witness Direct Examination	Pierson, Cristina	Martinez, Margarita	Video Conference
00:33:30	Break
00:50:39	General Case Activities
00:53:45	Witness Cross Examination	Richmond, Scott	Martinez, Margarita	Video Conference
01:53:14	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Pierson, Cristina	Martinez, Margarita	Video Conference
01:57:17	End of Session

	Description	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:18:52	Break
00:34:16	General Case Activities
00:39:28	Witness Direct Examination	Altier, Dr. Mary Beth	Video Recording
00:56:46	General Case Activities
01:04:24	Break
01:13:00	General Case Activities
01:23:32	Witness Direct Examination	Altier, Dr. Mary Beth	Video Recording
01:35:51	General Case Activities
02:18:47	End of Session

Casaretto v. Johnson & Johnson

Summary

Outcome

Blog Posts

Sessions

Suggest a Trial

CVN Essentials

Video Library

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:09:24	Opening Statement	Tisi, Christopher
01:33:32	Break
02:06:16	Opening Statement	Brown, Michael
02:57:46	General Case Activities
03:00:25	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:29:42	Break
00:36:10	Witness Direct Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Castleman, Dr. Barry ScD	Pharmacy & Toxicology	In Person
01:21:14	General Case Activities
01:23:23	Break
01:34:02	General Case Activities
01:39:11	Witness Direct Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Castleman, Dr. Barry ScD	Pharmacy & Toxicology	In Person
01:53:48	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:05:11	Witness Cross Examination	Quintana, Kayla	Castleman, Dr. Barry ScD	Pharmacy & Toxicology	In Person
00:31:24	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Castleman, Dr. Barry ScD	Pharmacy & Toxicology	In Person
00:35:41	General Case Activities
00:44:38	Break
00:50:55	General Case Activities
00:55:42	Break
00:59:21	General Case Activities
01:08:59	Witness Direct Examination		Koberna, Fredrick		Video Recording
01:13:33	General Case Activities
01:26:16	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:31:25	Break
00:40:16	General Case Activities
00:50:19	Witness Direct Examination	Uustal, John	Lopes, Dr. Gilberto	In Person
02:10:20	General Case Activities
02:23:53	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:10:12	Witness Direct Examination	Uustal, John	Lopes, Dr. Gilberto	In Person
00:24:26	Witness Cross Examination	Quintana, Kayla	Lopes, Dr. Gilberto	In Person
00:56:59	General Case Activities
01:03:28	Break
01:16:49	General Case Activities
01:25:18	Witness Cross Examination	Quintana, Kayla	Lopes, Dr. Gilberto	In Person
02:00:02	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Uustal, John	Lopes, Dr. Gilberto	In Person
02:41:42	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Quintana, Kayla	Lopes, Dr. Gilberto	In Person
02:42:01	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Uustal, John	Lopes, Dr. Gilberto	In Person
02:46:03	General Case Activities
02:48:40	Witness Direct Examination		Kohern, Fred	Video Recording
03:18:58	General Case Activities
03:24:33	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:31:07	Witness Direct Examination		Kohern, Fred	Video Recording
01:21:39	General Case Activities	Uustal, John
01:24:16	Witness Direct Examination		McKeegan, John	Video Recording
02:25:48	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:30:01	Break
00:43:49	Witness Direct Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Mackin, Dr. David	In Person
02:16:59	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:03:27	Witness Direct Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Mackin, Dr. David	In Person
00:47:30	Witness Cross Examination	Brown, Michael	Mackin, Dr. David	In Person
00:57:12	Break
01:18:25	Witness Cross Examination	Brown, Michael	Mackin, Dr. David	In Person
01:45:36	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Mackin, Dr. David	In Person
01:50:51	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Brown, Michael	Mackin, Dr. David	In Person
01:56:34	Witness Direct Examination		Hopkins, John	Video Recording
03:16:46	General Case Activities
03:34:25	End of Session

	Description	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:14:08	Break
00:29:31	General Case Activities
00:30:04	Witness Direct Examination	Hopkins, John	Video Recording
01:34:13	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:36:42	General Case Activities
00:43:01	Witness Direct Examination	Pierson, Cristina	Casaretto, Elina	In Person
01:59:08	Break
02:26:24	General Case Activities
02:29:24	Witness Cross Examination	Quintana, Kayla	Casaretto, Elina	In Person
03:40:08	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Pierson, Cristina	Casaretto, Elina	In Person
03:44:10	General Case Activities
04:01:40	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:12:37	Witness Direct Examination	Uustal, John	Casaretto, Dr. Alberto	In Person
00:44:26	Witness Cross Examination	Brown, Michael	Casaretto, Dr. Alberto	In Person
00:53:38	Break
01:17:06	General Case Activities
01:35:22	Witness Direct Examination		Mann, Mr. Steven	Video Recording
02:42:48	General Case Activities
03:05:05	End of Session

	Description	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:23:10	Break
00:40:54	General Case Activities
00:41:15	Witness Direct Examination	Mann, Mr. Steven	Video Recording
02:10:15	General Case Activities
02:21:00	End of Session

	Description	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:02:48	Witness Direct Examination	Mann, Mr. Steven	Video Recording
00:57:35	General Case Activities
01:11:13	Break
01:23:37	General Case Activities
02:39:58	End of Session

	Description	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:16:40	Break
00:33:18	General Case Activities
00:39:38	Witness Direct Examination	Hicks, Dr. Donald	Video Recording
01:52:31	General Case Activities
02:03:32	End of Session

	Description	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:18:41	Witness Direct Examination	Hicks, Dr. Donald	Video Recording
01:40:08	Break
02:00:04	General Case Activities
03:27:58	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:20:03	Witness Direct Examination		Casaretto, Dr. Alberto	Transcript Reading
00:36:45	Witness Direct Examination		Casaretto, Dr. Alberto	Video Recording
01:27:35	General Case Activities
01:29:27	Break
01:44:33	General Case Activities
01:48:58	General Case Activities	Uustal, John
01:51:33	General Case Activities
02:48:39	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:04:56	Break
00:08:48	General Case Activities
00:13:28	Break
00:20:07	General Case Activities
00:23:04	Witness Direct Examination	Brown, Michael	Alexander , Dr. Dominik Ph.D., M.S.P.H.	Epidemiology	In Person
01:59:13	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:25:53	Witness Direct Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Longo, Dr. William Ph.D.	Materials Science	In Person
01:50:52	General Case Activities
02:11:01	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:07:11	Witness Direct Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Longo, Dr. William Ph.D.	Materials Science	In Person
01:24:04	Break
01:50:09	General Case Activities
01:58:19	Witness Direct Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Longo, Dr. William Ph.D.	Materials Science	In Person
03:00:45	General Case Activities
03:17:43	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:40:51	Break
00:54:18	General Case Activities
01:00:32	Witness Direct Examination	Brown, Michael	Damico, Dr. Rachel	Pulmonology	In Person
02:02:11	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:29:50	Witness Direct Examination	Brown, Michael	Damico, Dr. Rachel	Pulmonology	In Person
01:30:05	Break
01:42:24	General Case Activities
01:50:16	Witness Cross Examination	Uustal, John	Damico, Dr. Rachel	Pulmonology	In Person
02:07:24	General Case Activities
02:19:14	Witness Cross Examination	Uustal, John	Damico, Dr. Rachel	Pulmonology	In Person
03:54:01	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:10:55	Witness Direct Examination	Richmond, Scott	Sanchez, Dr. Matthew Ph.D.	Other	In Person
01:24:50	General Case Activities
01:25:53	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:07:41	Witness Direct Examination	Richmond, Scott	Sanchez, Dr. Matthew Ph.D.	Other	In Person
00:47:26	Break
01:09:37	General Case Activities
01:14:14	Witness Cross Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Sanchez, Dr. Matthew Ph.D.	Other	In Person
02:26:12	Break
02:45:11	General Case Activities
02:52:12	Witness Cross Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Sanchez, Dr. Matthew Ph.D.	Other	In Person
03:36:48	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Richmond, Scott	Sanchez, Dr. Matthew Ph.D.	Other	In Person
03:44:52	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Tisi, Christopher	Sanchez, Dr. Matthew Ph.D.	Other	In Person
03:47:56	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Richmond, Scott	Sanchez, Dr. Matthew Ph.D.	Other	In Person
03:51:34	General Case Activities
04:22:00	End of Session

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:04:18	Break
		00:12:14	General Case Activities
		01:05:29	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:17:27	Break
00:35:55	General Case Activities
00:41:21	Witness Cross Examination	Uustal, John	Damico, Dr. Rachel	Pulmonology	In Person
00:47:03	Break
00:57:34	Witness Cross Examination	Uustal, John	Damico, Dr. Rachel	Pulmonology	In Person
01:22:12	General Case Activities
01:24:27	Break
01:41:50	General Case Activities
01:45:23	Witness Cross Examination	Uustal, John	Damico, Dr. Rachel	Pulmonology	In Person
01:58:31	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Brown, Michael	Damico, Dr. Rachel	Pulmonology	In Person
02:07:17	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Uustal, John	Damico, Dr. Rachel	Pulmonology	In Person
02:23:23	General Case Activities
02:48:10	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:07:17	Closing Statement	Uustal, John
01:43:22	Break
02:02:03	General Case Activities
02:07:47	Closing Statement	Richmond, Scott
02:55:57	Closing Statement	Brown, Michael
03:46:47	Break
03:53:25	General Case Activities
04:00:58	Closing Statement	Uustal, John
04:10:35	General Case Activities
04:17:15	End of Session

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Witness Expertise	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:00:37	Reading of the Verdict
		00:02:05	General Case Activities
		00:09:07	End of Session