Talcum Powder Cancer Lawsuit
A March 2023 court decision lifted a previously imposed Johnson & Johnson bankruptcy stay, allowing talcum powder cancer lawsuits to proceed against the company. If you’ve been diagnosed with ovarian cancer or mesothelioma from exposure to talc-based products, the product liability attorneys at NST Law can help you recover damages related to your injuries. Call today for a free consultation.
Using asbestos-containing talc in personal care products has raised concerns in the scientific community for decades. Thousands of women diagnosed with ovarian, fallopian tube, and other reproductive cancers have claimed that Johnson & Johnson products, including Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, caused their illnesses.
Victims allege that Johnson & Johnson was aware of the danger and continued to market these products to consumers anyway. If you’ve used talc-based products and been diagnosed with ovarian cancer or mesothelioma, you may be eligible for compensation by filing a talcum powder cancer lawsuit.
The personal injury lawyers at NST Law have already recovered more than $2 billion in compensation for personal injury clients nationwide. For more information about talcum powder lawsuits and your legal options for compensation, call the product liability attorneys at NST Law today at 800-529-4004.
Table Of Contents
- What is the relationship between talcum powder and ovarian cancer?
- Talcum Powder Cancer Lawsuits Recent Developments
- Who is eligible to file a talcum powder cancer lawsuit?
- What is the statute of limitations in a talcum powder cancer lawsuit?
- Talcum Powder Lawsuit Settlements
- What companies have been named in talcum powder cancer lawsuits?
- How NST Law Can Help
What is the relationship between talcum powder and ovarian cancer?
Talcum powder is a product made from the mineral talc. It was used for decades in personal care products like cosmetics and baby powder to absorb moisture and reduce friction. Talc is mined from areas containing asbestos, a known carcinogen, when inhaled or ingested. The potential for traces of asbestos to find their way into talcum powder products is high.
Some women who routinely used talcum powder in their underwear or on sanitary napkins later developed ovarian cancer. Studies have tied the presence of asbestos in the products they reported using to an increased risk for reproductive and other types of cancer, including mesothelioma.
Studies Linking Talcum Powder to Ovarian Cancer
- Researchers first suggested a link between talc products that contained asbestos and ovarian cancer in the 1960s.
- A 1971 study found evidence of talc particles in human ovarian and uterine cancer tissue.
- A case-control study in 1982 linked talc-based products to ovarian cancer.
- In 2006, the International Agency for Research on Cancer released a statement saying that talc used on the genitals was “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
- A 2016 study found an association between the use of talc on the genitals and the development of ovarian cancer.
In response to these findings, manufacturers of other products stopped using talc, but Johnson & Johnson did not. Instead, the company avoided action by claiming the amount of asbestos in its talcum powder was lower than federal standards and marketing talc-based products made after 1976 as “asbestos free.”
Talcum Powder Cancer Lawsuits Recent Developments
Women who used Johnson & Johnson’s products for years and were later diagnosed with ovarian cancer filed lawsuits alleging that the company failed to warn them about the risk of ovarian cancer from exposure to asbestos found in talc powder. In 2020—after courts began awarding consumers billions of dollars in damages against the company—Johnson & Johnson finally agreed to pull Baby Powder, Shower to Shower, and other talc-based products off shelves.
Johnson & Johnson Bankruptcy Stay
Facing more than 37,000 lawsuits, Johnson & Johnson launched a controversial legal strategy in October 2021 that involved spinning off a company, LTL Management, to bear the liability for the lawsuit while declaring bankruptcy. An automatic stay went into effect, protecting Johnson & Johnson from additional lawsuits while LTL Management’s bankruptcy case was pending. Meanwhile, the stay barred new plaintiffs from seeking justice.
Talcum Powder Lawsuit Update 2023
A March 2023 decision from the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Johnson & Johnson’s attempt to avoid liability in these cases by ending the bankruptcy stay that prevented victims from filing new lawsuits. For the first time in more than 14 months, new plaintiffs have joined the class action lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson. The courts have cleared the way for you and other consumers to seek relief through large settlements.
Who is eligible to file a talcum powder cancer lawsuit?
If you meet the following criteria, you may be eligible to file a talcum powder cancer lawsuit:
- You used Baby Powder, Shower To Shower, or other talc-based products for at least four years
- You’ve been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, or endometrioid carcinoma of the ovary
What is the statute of limitations in a talcum powder cancer lawsuit?
How long you have to file a lawsuit depends on where you live. Most states have a two-year statute of limitations for product liability cases that begins to toll when you learn of your injury or illness. However, some states have filing deadlines as short as a year, while others have as long as 10 years. Any delay could mean that you miss out on receiving the compensation you’re owed.
To find out if you qualify to join the thousands of consumers who have filed suit against Johnson & Johnson, contact the product liability lawyers at NST Law today.
Talcum Powder Lawsuit Settlements
Our attorneys have the experience you need with product liability verdicts and settlements. Some talcum powder cancer lawsuit settlements have amounted to millions of dollars in awarded damages. For example, juries in Missouri decided in favor of talcum powder plaintiffs, including:
- $72 million to the family of a woman who died of ovarian cancer
- $55 million to a woman living with ovarian cancer
- $70 million to another woman suffering from ovarian cancer
In 2020, Johnson & Johnson settled over 1,000 claims against the company for $100 million, and a court awarded 22 additional women more than $4 billion in damages.
Available Compensation
Before the bankruptcy stay, Johnson & Johnson set aside $3.9 billion in a trust fund to pay current and future plaintiffs of talcum powder cancer lawsuits. According to a report by Forbes, if all 38,000 existing cases ended in settlements comparable to those already awarded, Johnson & Johnson could be looking at $5.5 billion in liability.
What companies have been named in talcum powder cancer lawsuits?
Johnson & Johnson isn’t the only company to face litigation over asbestos exposure from talcum powder. Other manufacturers, distributors, and even retailers of talcum products have been named in lawsuits, including:
- Colgate-Palmolive
- Gold Bond
- Imerys Talc of North America
- Whittaker, Clark & Daniels
- Vanderbilt Minerals
- Target
- Walmart
- CVS
- Walgreens
How NST Law Can Help
Guiding you through a product liability lawsuit requires experience and compassion. The nationally known personal injury attorneys at NST Law provide our clients with the understanding and care they deserve. We fight for the dignity of all people and are dedicated to giving back to the community through charitable contributions and volunteerism.
With more than 30 years of combined experience, our lawyers will review the circumstances of your case, explain the next steps in the process, and stay in regular communication so you never have to wonder where your case stands. We offer a no-obligation free consultation and no-up front costs for representation. Call today to get started.
