The Talc Settlement So Far: Inside J&J’s Legal Journey
J&J’s settlements were driven by litigation math, jury psychology, and systemic risk, not a concession that its talc contained asbestos.
Johnson & Johnson’s trusted baby powder became the center of controversy after women claimed it caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. Tests allegedly found traces of asbestos in talc – something J&J denies. What followed was a wave of lawsuits, billion-dollar verdicts, and failed settlement attempts. The company insists its products are safe, while thousands of plaintiffs continue to seek justice through the courts.
Despite internal testing presented at trial showing asbestos fibers in some talc samples and juries finding liability in cases like the Fox family’s $72 million verdict, Johnson & Johnson has never legally admitted that its baby powder contained asbestos.
The settlement journey of Johnson & Johnson’s talc litigation unfolds as follows:
J&J Talc Settlement Timeline
| Year | Event | Key Details | ||
| 2013 – 2016 | Lawsuits Begin | Women file claims linking baby powder to ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. | ||
| 2018 | Landmark Verdict | Missouri jury awards $4.69 B (later reduced to $2.1 B) to 22 women. | ||
| 2020 | First Settlement | J&J pays $100 M to settle about 1,000 lawsuits. | ||
| 2021 | 1st Bankruptcy Attempt | Creates LTL Management LLC; case later dismissed. | ||
| 2023 | Bankruptcy Rejected | Court rules J&J can’t use bankruptcy – it’s too solvent. | ||
| 2024 | $8.9 B Settlement Plan | Filed through Red River Talc LLC to resolve all claims. | ||
| Mar 2025 | Plan Rejected Again | Judge blocks $8.9 B deal; J&J returns to civil courts. | ||
| Oct 2025 | $966 M Verdict – CA | Jury awards record mesothelioma payout; J&J appeals. | ||
| Dec 2025 | $40 M Verdict – LA | Jury awards two women with ovarian cancer; J&J appeals. | ||
| Dec 2025 | $1.5 B Verdict – Baltimore | Largest single-plaintiff award; J&J vows to appeal. | ||
| 2026 | Current Status | 67,580+ cases still active in MDL No. 2738 (New Jersey). No global settlement yet. |
Litigation documents allege that J&J sometimes used testing methods they knew were less sensitive which wouldn’t detect low levels of asbestos and then reported those negative results….. Meanwhile, more sensitive techniques did find asbestos fibers, raising questions about how results were selected for public reporting and regulator submissions.
As of now, over 67,000 lawsuits remain active under MDL No. 2738, with no global settlement reached and Johnson & Johnson continuing to appeal major verdicts while maintaining its products are safe.