Stock image.

Sponsored content: From time to time CVN publishes content sponsored by partners who offer services we believe are of interest to our subscribers.  

In September 2019, a New Jersey jury returned a $37.2 million verdict for four plaintiffs claiming they developed mesothelioma from asbestos supposedly present in Johnson & Johnson's cosmetic talc products. The following January, a new jury convened to consider claims for punitive damages in a second trial that included in-person testimony from J&J CEO Alex Gorsky for the first time at a cosmetic talc trial.

A colorful analogy can better connect jurors with terms and issues they’re not naturally familiar with, and serve as a memorable hook to a key element of a case. In closings of a 2019 talc trial against Johnson & Johnson, Chris Panatier used an ice cream shop analogy to argue his point on asbestos test terminology and help set up a blockbuster verdict.