justice scales in a court room

It has been a busy few weeks for some of the largest dangerous product lawsuits in the country. From a key Supreme Court hearing that could affect tens of thousands of lawsuits to a critical baby formula trial result, here are some of the biggest updates for May 2026.

Fate of Roundup Lawsuit Hinges on Supreme Court Hearing

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon weigh in on an issue that affects tens of thousands of Roundup lawsuits. Last month, the court held a hearing involving a Roundup case on federal preemption.

The argument that Bayer has leaned on claims that the Roundup lawsuits should not move forward because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the pesticide’s label without a cancer warning, preempting any state-specific labeling requirements.

Roundup lawsuits generally rely on state-based failure to warn claims, arguing that the company behind the popular weed killer failed to warn its customers about a potential risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The Trump Administration has sided with Bayer on this issue and has encouraged the Supreme Court to rule in the agricultural giant’s favor.

But in what could be a positive development for people who have filed lawsuits, the court appeared notably divided during the hearing. Multiple justices were reportedly openly skeptical of Bayer’s arguments.

According to the New Lede, both Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Neil Gorsuch expressed reservations about the impact a ruling in favor of Bayer would have on pesticide labeling and litigation.

Abbott Ordered to Pay $70 Million in Baby Formula Trial

A key trial win last month bolsters cases for people who claim certain baby formulas are linked to a severe intestinal condition in premature infants.

Abbott Laboratories, the maker of Similac, was ordered to pay $70 million to four families who claimed their infants developed necrotizing enterocolitis after being fed cow’s milk formula for preemies.

This has been a relatively unusual product litigation given how much it has diverged in federal and state courts. At the federal level, these cases have struggled to get to trial. The judge overseeing nearly 800 baby formula lawsuits granted summary judgment to Abbott in three straight trial cases, preventing any of them from going before a jury.

But at the state level, people filing lawsuits have seen major wins. In addition to the $70 million loss, Abbott also recently lost its appeal on a staggering $495 million verdict from a similar case in 2024.

With more trials expected in 2026, this could be a litigation to keep an eye on as more cases are filed and Abbott’s losses mount.

A New Johnson & Johnson Talc Ovarian Cancer Trial Begins

Another trial over claims that Johnson & Johnson’s once-popular talcum powder is now underway in California. This is a key look at the strength of a litigation involving tens of thousands of talc lawsuits.

It also comes at a critical time as J&J has suffered a couple of key defeats in recent trials. In February, the company was ordered to pay $250,000 to the family of a woman who died from ovarian cancer.

That came on the heels of a separate trial in December that ended with J&J on the hook for a $40 million verdict in favor of two different women who developed ovarian cancer.

J&J has remained adamant that it will not settle these cases after its last settlement attempt fell through in early 2025.

But more trial losses could put increasing pressure on the company.