Talcum Powder Lawsuits

Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary, LTL Management LLC, refiled for bankruptcy in April 2023 as part of ongoing efforts to seek Chapter 11 protection. If successful, the reorganization will allow the company to fund an $8.9 billion bankruptcy trust to settle more than 38,000 current claims and future claims arising from talc lawsuits.

As of September 2023, J&J faced 47,346 talcum powder lawsuits in multidistrict litigation in New Jersey.

Some lawyers representing some of the estimated 70,000 talc lawsuit plaintiffs are in favor of J&J’s proposed $8.9 billion deal. However, lawyers who have been involved in MDL leadership are not in favor of the settlement amount.

In 2019, Johnson & Johnson issued a recall of 33,000 bottles of Johnson’s Baby Powder after samples were found to contain asbestos. While J&J denies any liability and insists it did not sell cancer-causing products, it halted the sale of talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder in North America in May 2020. In 2023, it switched to a cornstarch-based alternative and discontinued worldwide sales of talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder.

Tens of thousands of people who developed mesothelioma or ovarian cancer after using talc-based products have filed product liability lawsuits against potentially liable manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and other parties.

To compensate for pain and suffering, many of them sought punitive and compensatory damages through the courts. A number of these cases were compiled into state and federal multidistrict litigations, known as MDLs. Major brands and manufacturers have faced class-action lawsuits alleging possible cancer risk from asbestos-contaminated talc products.

Exposure to asbestos in talc-based consumer products such as baby powder, or industrial solutions like adhesives and chalk, caused health problems for plaintiffs, according to product liability claims. Families who lost a loved one because of the hazardous talc exposure have filed wrongful death claims.

Brands and Companies Named in Lawsuits

Previous and ongoing talcum powder lawsuits named major brands within the talc supply chain, from manufacturers such as Johnson & Johnson to suppliers.

Besides manufacturers and suppliers, plaintiffs have sued retailers for selling them products that contained asbestos. Some plaintiffs named Target, Walmart, Walgreens and CVS in their talcum powder lawsuits.

Since the first talcum powder lawsuit against J&J and other companies, courts have awarded billions of dollars in damages to claimants. The compensation has provided some financial relief to people with talc-related cancer.

J&J and other talc-related companies face nearly 40,000 lawsuits. Many claims were filed by people who say they developed cancer from exposure to asbestos-tainted consumer products, such as cosmetic talc products, and industrial products.

Punitive Damages in Talc Verdicts

In many talcum powder cases, courts issued high-dollar verdicts in favor of those diagnosed with cancer or their families. Punitive damages hold defendants accountable for products they knew contained toxic asbestos that they failed to caution regulators and consumers about.

Internal memos analyzed by Reuters and available to plaintiffs lawyers show that J&J researched and uncovered asbestos contamination in its talc products.

While manufacturers vowed to defend their brands against talc lawsuits, companies like Imerys Talc and Colgate-Palmolive resolved disputes privately before they reached a courtroom.

If J&J’s proposed $8.9 billion bankruptcy deal is approved, it won’t be the first time the company settled a large talc-related claim. In October 2020, it offered an estimated $100 million to settle more than 1,000 claims, according to Bloomberg.

Consult an attorney if you have ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after regularly using or working with talc-based products. You may be eligible whether your asbestos-contaminated talc exposure was from industrial use or consumer use. You may also be eligible to file a talc claim if you lost a loved one to cancer after asbestos exposure.

To make a strong case and maximize potential compensation, plaintiffs should enlist an attorney. It takes legal expertise and relevant case experience to document asbestos exposure and consequential harm properly and to identify all potentially liable parties, including talc brands, suppliers and employers.

Eligibility to file a talc lawsuit also depends on your state’s statute of limitations. The average statute of limitations for a wrongful death talc lawsuit is about two years from the cancer patient’s date of death. It usually takes 20 to 60 years from the time of asbestos exposure to develop detectable cancer symptoms.

Working with top talcum powder lawyers is essential because defendants will deny liability and often have adequate resources to contest all claims, no matter how long it takes. Before choosing a law firm to represent you, consider their experience in personal injury litigation against major corporations.

Ask whether they have nationwide resources and the value of talc lawsuit settlements and verdicts they’ve secured for clients over the years. If you’re in the hospital or too sick to travel, you may need a lawyer with virtual consultation options and the flexibility to come to you.

Top talcum powder law firms to consider include Weitz & Luxenberg and Simmons Hanly Conroy. Weitz & Luxenberg recently secured $27.4 million in compensation for a plaintiff with mesothelioma who had used J&J’s baby powder. Simmons Hanly Conroy secured a $3.8 million verdict for a plaintiff who died of mesothelioma from workplace asbestos exposure.