Avon Appeal Denied in $51 Million California Mesothelioma Case

February 17, 2026

The California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District has upheld a $51 million verdict against Avon Products, Inc. in a mesothelioma case involving asbestos-contaminated talc products. The decision leaves in place a Los Angeles jury’s finding that Avon was responsible for causing the mesothelioma diagnosis that led to the death of Rita-Ann Chapman.

ELSM Law initially retained Mrs. Chapman after her mesothelioma diagnosis to pursue legal action. After reviewing the case, ELSM partnered with trusted co-counsel Dean Omar Branham Shirley (DOBS) to help try the case. ELSM works with DOBS on select mesothelioma cases to maximize results for their clients at trial. Together, the legal team guided the matter to a jury verdict that was later affirmed on appeal in Gary Chapman et al. v. Avon Products, Inc. et al., Case No. JCCP 4674, Court of Appeal of the State of California, Division Eight of the Second Appellate District.

Mrs. Chapman and her husband, Gary Chapman, filed the lawsuit after she was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare and often fatal cancer caused by asbestos exposure. The couple grew up in Los Angeles and later retired to Arizona. Evidence presented at trial revealed that Mrs. Chapman began using Avon talc powder products at eight years old and continued using body and face powders for decades.

Attorneys argued that the talc products contained asbestos and that long-term use was a major contributing factor in the development of her mesothelioma. Trial testimony also indicated that Avon had been aware of asbestos contamination concerns in cosmetic talc dating back to the 1970s, but did not warn consumers. The company’s talc products were marketed primarily to women and children and sold both nationally and internationally.

A Los Angeles jury returned a $51 million verdict in favor of Mrs. Chapman. She passed away in March 2025, a little over two years after the mesothelioma lawsuit verdict was awarded.

Avon appealed the decision, challenging several trial court rulings, including the admission of expert testimony. The appellate court rejected those arguments and affirmed the judgment in full, allowing the $51 million award to stand.

The ruling preserves one of the larger mesothelioma verdicts in California talc litigation that has been fully upheld on appeal and underscores the accountability of companies when asbestos exposure leads to fatal illness. For families facing mesothelioma, the case highlights the importance of experienced legal representation capable of preparing complex scientific evidence for trial and defending verdicts on appeal.