J&J announced it is earmarking $4 billion to cover the anticipated cost of talcum powder lawsuits
1-800-LAW-FIRM is reviewing potential lawsuits involving baby powder manufacturers who allegedly knew that their talcum powder was contaminated by asbestos and could cause cancer but did nothing to warn consumers. More than 22,200 women receive an ovarian cancer diagnosis each year, based on statistics provided by the American Cancer Society. On Oct. 5, 2020, Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay about $100 million to settle more than 1,000 cases, according to Bloomberg. In February 2021, Johnson & Johnson filed a statement with the SEC, which disclosed that the company has set aside a staggering $3.9 billion to cover the anticipated cost of settling talcum powder lawsuits.
If you or a loved one
used a cosmetic or commercial talcum powder product and later developed ovarian cancer, you
may be eligible to file a talcum powder lawsuit
for your injuries. Schedule a no-obligation, free claim review with a member of our team by filling out the following form.
Schedule a Free Claim Review
WHAT IS TALCUM POWDER?
Talcum powder is a powdered form of talc, magnesium silicate, which is mined from naturally-occurring deposits in some regions of the U.S. and worldwide. It is often found near asbestos deposits, and talcum powder products may contain asbestos. Talc itself is known to be irritating and has contributed to respiratory problems like asthma and other lung conditions. Once a link between asbestos and cancer was clearly established, manufacturers began refining their talcum powder products to ensure they were “asbestos-free.”
Is there a link between Talcum Powder and Ovarian Cancer?
For decades, families trusted talcum powder for various daily hygiene needs without knowing the high risk of cancer it was exposing them to. As women apply talcum powder products around their perineal or genital area, specks of talc can travel into the ovaries from the fallopian tubes. It is alleged that talc can remain trapped in a woman’s ovaries for years, leading to the growth of ovarian cancer cells.
The first study linking talcum powder to ovarian cancer was conducted in 1971 when researchers found that ovarian cancer tumors contained talc particles. Unfortunately, the link of ovarian cancer to the traces of asbestos found in talc products has led to devastating health issues and tragic losses.
WHO QUALIFIES TO FILE A TALCUM POWDER LAWSUIT?
1-800-LAW-FIRM is currently accepting new talcum powder claims from anyone who meets the following initial criteria:
- You used a Johnson & Johnson talcum powder product (Baby Powder or Shower-to-Shower) regularly for at least one year; and
- You have been diagnosed with Fallopian Tube Cancer, Peritoneal Cancer or any type of ovarian cancer (including Endometrioid Carcinoma, Epithelial Carcinoma, Clear Cell Carcinoma, Mucinous Borderline Carcinoma, Mucinous Carcinoma, Low-Grade Serous Carcinoma, or High-Grade Serous Carcinoma), after 2013.
HAS TALCUM POWDER BEEN RECALLED?
In May 2020, Johnson & Johnson announced that it was discontinuing its baby powder that contained talc in both the United States and Canada. The company did not issue a recall, instead discontinuing the product because of declining sales. Johnson & Johnson stood by the safety of its product, stating that changes in consumer purchasing habits caused by misinformation about the product’s links to cancer were to blame. The company continued to deny the allegations that the product was linked to cancer.
The year before, however, Johnson & Johnson had to recall 33,000 bottles of baby powder containing talc because they were found to have asbestos, a known carcinogen. However, the company later said they had retested their talc-based baby powder and found no traces of asbestos.
WHY IS THE MANUFACTURER LIABLE?
The lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson, filed by women who had developed ovarian cancer after using talcum powder, claim that the company knew about the risks and failed to warn consumers. During a trial against the company, an attorney for Johnson & Johnson admitted that the company had known about the risk of ovarian cancer but had decided against putting a warning label on the packaging because the company had deemed the risk insignificant. Internal documents examined by Reuters after the trial show that the company's talcum powder was sometimes tainted with carcinogenic asbestos and that J&J kept that information from regulators and the public.
DID JOHNSON & JOHNSON FILE BANKRUPTCY TO AVOID LAWSUITS?
Yes, in January 2022, Johnson & Johnson sought approval of a plan known as a “Texas two-step,” which seeks to resolve 38,000 pending talcum powder claims by transferring liability for those claims into a spin-off entity with only $2 billion in assets and having that entity file for bankruptcy.
On January 30, 2023, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals rejected their controversial attempt to spin off thousands of talcum powder claims into bankruptcy. The appellate court dismissed the chapter 11 bankruptcy filed by the subsidiary entity J&J created to assume the mounting talcum powder lawsuit liabilities.
WHAT ARE THE EXPECTED SETTLEMENT AMOUNTS FOR A TALCUM POWDER LAWSUIT?
It is too early to predict a talcum powder lawsuit's average settlement payouts accurately. Johnson & Johnson did payout $100,000,000 to settle a group of 1,000 cases, this works out to an average of about $100,000 per case. The value of a mass tort case rarely goes down with subsequent settlements. So the likely average talcum powder settlement amount for the remaining talc cancer lawsuits may be higher.
IS IT TOO LATE TO FILE A TALCUM POWDER LAWSUIT?
It is not too late to file your talcum powder lawsuit. If you regularly used talcum powder products for one year or longer and you have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer within the last three years (or the statute of limitations in your state), you may have a valid talcum powder lawsuit. If you have been holding off on filing a talcum powder cancer lawsuit, you must act now because the statute of limitations may expire soon. There are no upfront costs to file a lawsuit, and if you do not receive compensation for your claim, you don't pay anything! 1-800-LAW-FIRM is handling talcum powder cases for ladies with ovarian cancer from talcum powder all over the country.