Talcum Powder Settlements & Baby Powder Ovarian Cancer Claims

A recent $100 million settlement doesn’t spell the end of talc cancer lawsuits filed against baby powder manufacturer Johnson & Johnson. In fact, the recent 1,000 plaintiffs that reached talcum powder settlements represent only a small percentage of pending cases—Johnson & Johnson is reportedly facing nearly 20,000 lawsuits from women alleging the company’s talcum powder caused ovarian cancer.

J&J has meanwhile been successful in at least delaying legal action and potential billions in payouts. The first talcum powder cancer lawsuit trial was held back in 2013. Seven years later, the majority of the cases are still unresolved.

It is important to note that until October 2020, J&J had only settled individual cases, taking several to trial and winning at least a few favorable verdicts. But when the trials were unfavorable, juries hit the company with giant verdicts—a Missouri jury, for example, awarded 22 plaintiffs nearly $4.7 billion (later reduced to $2.1 billion) in 2018.

Johnson & Johnson has reached these talcum powder settlements without an admission of guilt, and despite removing some talc products from the shelves, continues to claim that their talc products are safe, and do not cause cancer.

Johnson & Johnson issued a baby powder recall after the Food & Drug Administration detected asbestos in a product sample in October 2019. In May 2020, the company announced that it would stop selling talc-based baby powders in the U.S.

Talcum Powder Settlements

For women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, lung cancer, or mesothelioma, it is not too late to file a claim. You may be eligible to pursue a talcum powder lawsuit if you used J&J talcum powder as a personal hygiene product on a regular basis for many years and later developed cancer.

Talc cancer attorneys are still accepting claims. Despite recent trial delays, this litigation is moving forward. There are talc trials scheduled in the coming months in St. Louis, New Jersey, and Georgia.

Legal experts have said outstanding talc cancer cases could cost J&J as much as $10 billion. As much as the company battles against large-scale settlements, the recent talc settlement appears indicative of a larger strategy: to resolve claims in due time, but to delay the process for as long as possible. The company has stated that it has money set aside for talcum powder settlements without disclosing how much that may be.

Joe Lyon is an Ohio product liability attorney, experienced in a wide variety of toxic exposure, asbestos and cancer cases. The Lyon Firm has filed hundreds of toxic exposure and defective product cases on behalf of plaintiffs nationwide.