A Litigation Landscape Shifted by Bankruptcy Failures
The Los Angeles trial is part of a broader legal saga that has stretched across years and jurisdictions:
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In 2017, an L.A. jury issued a $417 million verdict, later overturned.
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In 2021–2024, J&J launched multiple attempts at a “Texas two-step” bankruptcy, seeking to resolve all talc claims.
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Courts ultimately rejected the strategy, including a Texas judge’s rejection in March, which scrapped a proposed $9 billion settlement.
With bankruptcy off the table, J&J returned to the courtroom — and recent outcomes have been severe, including a $966 million verdict last month for an 88-year-old mesothelioma victim.
The Human Story Behind the Science
Daniel S. Robinson of Robinson Calcagnie, counsel for the Schultz plaintiffs, described Deborah Schultz’s seven-year battle with ovarian cancer. He told jurors she had no genetic markers or environmental risks but used Johnson’s Baby Powder for decades.
Robinson emphasized studies linking talc exposure and ovarian cancer, noting the “striking consistency” across research spanning decades.
The plaintiffs will call expert William Longo, who they say has identified asbestos in J&J powders. Birchfield also noted the FDA’s proposed rule last year establishing new testing methods for asbestos in cosmetic talc.
