Johnson & Johnson has increased their talc settlement proposal to approximately $8 Billion in an effort to resolve thousands of claims linked to asbestos in their baby powder and talc products.
The latest J&J talc settlement offer and the company’s third attempt at bankruptcy would be paid out over 25 years to current and future victims of asbestos ovarian cancer. However, the settlement still needs to pass through the courts.
If it’s accepted, plaintiffs won’t be able to opt out and file an individual claim instead. The company’s previous attempts to settle their talcum powder lawsuits through bankruptcy with the Texas “two-step” strategy were blocked by judges.
The "two-step" strategy involves:
- J&J creating a subsidiary called Red River Talc LLC that takes on the company's talc-related lawsuits
- The subsidiary filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and forcing a settlement on claimants
This way, J&J is shielded from future talc ovarian cancer lawsuits and avoids filing for bankruptcy themselves. However, many talc powder attorneys feel the settlement offer isn't nearly enough for current and future victims.
There’s still time to pursue talcum powder compensation. Find out more about the latest J&J settlement proposal and if our talc powder lawyers can fight for you.
Understanding the Latest J&J Talc Settlements
Over 62,000 talc-related lawsuits have been filed against Johnson & Johnson, with around 99% of these claims involving ovarian cancer.
In May 2024, J&J proposed a multibillion dollar talc settlement for lawsuits claiming the company's baby powder and talc products caused ovarian cancer. The pharmaceutical giant gave victims 3 months to vote on this offer.
J&J has set aside over $10 Billion for asbestos talc payouts, which includes the:
- $8 Billion settlement for current and future victims of ovarian cancer
- $45 Million for the family of Theresa Garcia who passed away from mesothelioma
- $2.12 Billion awarded to 22 women who claim asbestos talc products caused their ovarian cancer
- Several additional past results that were resolved outside of bankruptcy proceedings
Since 75% of plaintiffs voted to accept the proposed J&J talc settlement, the company may be able to move forward with their bid for asbestos bankruptcy trusts and wash their hands of any future talc payouts.
Yet even with this level of support from plaintiffs, Johnson & Johnson still faces the challenge of securing court approval for their bankruptcy plan. The company raised their original offer from $6.48 Billion to $8 Billion in an effort to avoid another rejection by the courts.
In July 2023, J&J previously attempted to declare bankruptcy and offered nearly $9 Billion to resolve 40,000 lawsuits. The company was forced to re-evaluate this offer after it was rejected by the court for being too low.
Many families and attorneys question if the latest J&J settlement proposal will stand the test of time or be struck down in the courts like similar bankruptcy attempts by other pharmaceutical giants.
"No matter what tally is announced, I expect it will be challenged and eventually rejected so that juries can decide what to do about J&J’s egregious conduct," explained one talc powder cancer attorney.
Now, victims may once again face uncertainty, forced to wait and see what will happen with the talc settlement money they need and deserve.
Asbestos in Talcum Powder: Is Talc Safe?
For decades, consumers were told talcum-based baby powder was safe for use. The mineral talc is effective in absorbing moisture, making it a popular addition to cosmetic and personal hygiene routines.
However, talc is often contaminated with asbestos because the minerals naturally form in close proximity. Even with safe mining practices, it’s often unknown whether the talc has been contaminated until much later.
Any talc that contains asbestos is also considered carcinogenic, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
As some frequent talcum powder users developed serious illnesses, many families began to take legal action over this household staple.
Johnson & Johnson talc lawsuits claim the powder caused various cancers, including:
- Mesothelioma
- Ovarian cancer
- Lung cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Uterine cancer
The company has offered mesothelioma settlements in around 95% of cases involving this asbestos cancer and their talc products. Settlements for mesothelioma award $1 Million to $1.4 Million on average.
While J&J continues to argue that talcum powder is safe, the company discontinued its talc-based powders and switched to corn starch alternatives in 2023.
A Long History of J&J Dodging Accountability
The latest Johnson & Johnson talcum powder lawsuit settlements come after years of the company avoiding accountability for their dangerous products.
Unfortunately, Johnson & Johnson executives knew of the potential risks linked to their talc products but hid this information from the public and halted internal safety studies.
For years, the company silently settled thousands of talc lawsuits while refusing to admit wrongdoing:
- October 2019: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) detected asbestos in J&J’s baby powder. Despite efforts to dispute the FDA findings, the company recalled thousands of baby powder bottles from shelves.
- February 2021: J&J set aside $3.9 Billion for victims of their dangerous talcum powder. However, as the number of lawsuits against them continued to grow, the company put victims and their families through multiple legal hurdles in an effort to avoid liability.
- July 2021: Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay $2.12 Billion to 22 women who claimed their ovarian cancer diagnoses were linked to asbestos in the company’s baby powder and talc products.
- October 2021: J&J attempted to avoid the lawsuits against them by pushing 38,000 talc lawsuits to bankruptcy court, a process known as the Texas two-step. This process was blocked by an appeals court, which claimed J&J and their subsidiaries had plenty of money to cover the claims against them.
- April 2023: The company offered to pay nearly $9 Billion to settle talcum powder lawsuits filed by victims who developed cancer from the company's talc products. This settlement offer was rejected by the courts for being too low.
- June 2024: Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay $260 Million to an Oregon woman with mesothelioma who claimed the company’s talc products caused her condition. However, this verdict was later appealed and overturned in September, with a new trial pending.
- July 2024: A federal supreme court blocked J&J's second attempt at bankruptcy to shed the thousands of talc ovarian cancer claims against the company, affirming an earlier loss.
- August 2024: J&J has allegedly received the 75% of votes needed for their bankruptcy proposal. However, attorneys believe this won’t stand up in court.
- September 2024: Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary has filed for bankruptcy for a third time. The company increased their talc ovarian cancer settlement offer to $8 Billion in hopes of addressing concerns that previous offers were insufficient and securing court approval.
Despite this legal history and J&J’s settlement offer, the company still states their products don’t cause cancer, claiming the links between talc and cancer “lack scientific merit.”
Evidence tying ovarian cancer to asbestos in talcum powder was presented to the court, which the company pushed back against. J&J’s subsidiary LTL Management attempted to discredit Dr. Jacqueline Moline’s research on asbestos in talc, but the case was recently dismissed.
They failed to prove her findings were factually incorrect, further fueling concerns over the safety of J&J’s talcum powder products.
Stay up to date on all the latest talcum powder settlements and lawsuit updates.
Get Help Filing a Talc Cancer Lawsuit
If you or a loved one used talc-based baby powder and was diagnosed with cancer, now is the time to act. You may be eligible for compensation from a Johnson & Johnson talcum powder lawsuit.
For over 45 years, Sokolove Law has fought to hold powerful corporations like Johnson & Johnson accountable for the harm they’ve caused. We’ve already secured over $9.6 Billion total for clients nationwide.
Our talcum powder cancer lawyers can help you get the compensation you deserve — at no out-of-pocket cost to you.
Call (800) 647-3434 now or fill out our contact form to get started with a free legal case review.
