Talcum Powder – Johnson & Johnson tries to avoid liability in talcum powder lawsuits

Johnson & Johnson has created a new corporation, LTL Management, to shift liability for talcum powder lawsuits.

Why is talcum powder dangerous?

For many decades, baby powder was marketed as a wonderful product for women to use around their genital region. Particles from the baby powder naturally would travel into the vagina, then the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. Baby powder consists almost entirely of talc. Unbeknownst to tens of thousands of women, the way talc was mined and processed, it contained the carcinogen asbestos. Talc, and specifically asbestos, could have remained in ovaries. Talc litigation lawsuits claim the talc remains trapped in a woman’s ovaries and causes ovarian cancer.

5 Billion in talcum powder lawsuits

Since 2016, juries have punished Johnson & Johnson with large verdicts that include punitive damages. Total litigation losses and costs have surpassed $5 billion. Many lawsuits are still pending.

The talc lawsuits claim Johnson & Johnson was aware that their talcum powder contained a cancer-causing agent and failed to warn users of its product about the risks. The relationship between talcum powder and ovarian cancer was known since the 1970s. In fact, the talc provider warned Johnson & Johnson about the potential for ovarian cancer, but Johnson & Johnson did not pass this warning on to customers.

Lawsuits were filed against Johnson & Johnson and the talc mining companies. The mining company, Imerys Talc America, Inc., filed bankruptcy to limit its liability for talc-related lawsuits.

Declare bankruptcy to avoid payout

Johnson & Johnson saw the value of Imerys’s tactic and one-upped them. On October 14, 2021, Johnson & Johnson created a new corporation, LTL Management, and shifted all of their talc liabilities into the new corporation. LTL Management then filed for bankruptcy protection. Johnson & Johnson wants to limit the financial impact of its misdeeds. This maneuver has put the talcum powder lawsuits on hold and moved the litigation to the bankruptcy court.

Originally, a bankruptcy judge put the talc claims on hold for 60 days. The lawyers for the injury victims are fighting to hold Johnson & Johnson accountable by arguing that Johnson & Johnson should not be able to benefit from bankruptcy protection. In January 2022, a bankruptcy judge extended the pause on the talcum powder claims. This will give another federal judge time to decide which judge would oversee a lawsuit filed by LTL Management LLC to block asbestos litigation against Johnson & Johnson. What has already been a long and complicated process has gotten even more prolonged and complicated.

What can I do if I was hurt by talcum powder?

Do not be discouraged if you or a loved one were injured by Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder. Elite personal injury lawyers, like those at Gage Mathers, will ensure your legal rights are protected and aggressively fight to help you receive the compensation you deserve.