A Decade of Talc Litigation Leads to Historic $5.5 Billion Settlement with Johnson & Johnson

Uncapped agreement resolves claims for approximately 70,000 women and families who alleged Johnson & Johnson knew for decades that its talc products could cause cancer.

Levin Papantonio and its attorneys are proud to announce that they have achieved a landmark settlement agreement with Johnson & Johnson over its tainted talc products. J&J’s talc products, including its flagship Johnson’s Baby Powder, have contained asbestos, which is capable of causing cancers including ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.

The Plaintiffs’ Negotiation Committee in the Johnson & Johnson talcum powder multidistrict litigation has announced an uncapped settlement expected to provide at least $5.5 billion to approximately 70,000 plaintiffs in MDL No. 2738 and related state court proceedings.

The agreement resolves claims alleging that Johnson’s Baby Powder and other Johnson & Johnson talc products caused ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, and other serious illnesses. Compensation will be determined through a transparent, tiered grid based on objective claim criteria. Because the settlement is uncapped, compensation is not limited to a fixed fund divided among all participants. The agreement remains subject to certain conditions, including participation requirements and enrollment deadlines.

Our firm played a key role in building this settlement after years of litigation and we encourage plaintiffs to take advantage of the chance to finally end this sprawling litigation. We are pleased that this resolution will help compensate women and families harmed by Johnson & Johnson’s talc products.

Levin Papantonio clients can expect to hear from the firm immediately, and our attorneys will be available to discuss the road ahead. This announcement is only the first step, and the firm will continue to advocate for its clients until every case is closed.

“We have been battling Johnson & Johnson in and out of court for years. We have watched countless clients suffer grievously from J&J’s deception. I am proud to say that this settlement will provide resolution to the lawsuits. Nothing can restore the health or the lives of those who have died from asbestos cancers.”

Shareholder Christopher Tisi served on the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee in MDL No. 2738 (D.N.J.), helping guide the litigation that led to this resolution.

The firm also represented plaintiffs at trial, securing a $20 million verdict in Florida in October 2025 on behalf of the family of Dr. Alberto A. Casaretto. Shareholder Christopher Tisi, Shareholder Cameron Stephenson, and Associate Sara Papantonio were members of the trial team that obtained the verdict, one of several significant milestones that helped move the litigation toward resolution.

“Representing the Casaretto family was the honor of a lifetime,” said Mr. Stephenson.

Levin Papantonio is pleased that years of work by plaintiffs’ leadership have resulted in a resolution that provides a meaningful path to compensation for thousands of women and families while avoiding the uncertainty of continued litigation.

Background

The settlement follows more than a decade of litigation involving allegations that Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based products caused ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, and other serious illnesses. Throughout the litigation, plaintiffs alleged that Johnson & Johnson knew its talc products could contain asbestos and failed to warn consumers. Johnson & Johnson denied those allegations and maintained that its talc products were safe.

Below is a look at the key milestones.

Timeline of the Talc Litigation

2016: The federal talcum powder multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 2738) was established in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey to coordinate thousands of lawsuits involving Johnson & Johnson’s talc products.

2020: Johnson & Johnson discontinued sales of talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder in the United States and Canada.

2021 to 2025: Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries made three separate attempts to resolve the litigation through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. Each effort was rejected by the courts, allowing plaintiffs’ claims to continue through the traditional civil justice system.

2022: The company announced it would discontinue talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder worldwide and transition to a cornstarch-based formulation.

March 2025: A bankruptcy court rejected the company’s third proposed bankruptcy plan. Johnson & Johnson later announced it would not appeal, clearing the way for cases in the federal MDL and state courts to continue.

October 2025: A Florida jury awarded $20 million to the family of Dr. Alberto A. Casaretto in a talc mesothelioma case. Levin Papantonio attorneys Chris Tisi, Cameron Stephenson, and Sara Papantonio were members of the trial team that secured the verdict.

January 2026: A Special Master ruled that plaintiffs could present expert testimony supporting general causation in ovarian cancer cases.

2025 and 2026: Courts continued preparing cases for trial as the litigation grew to more than 67,000 pending cases in the federal MDL, with thousands more pending in state courts.

July 2026: Plaintiffs’ leadership announced an uncapped settlement expected to provide at least $5.5 billion to resolve current and pending claims in the federal MDL and related state court proceedings.

Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee

The Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee unanimously supports the announced settlement. In addition to Tisi, the committee includes Co-Lead Counsel Michelle Parfitt of Ashcraft & Gerel LLP; Liaison Counsel Christopher Placitella of Placitella, Cohen & Roth; Richard Golomb of Golomb Legal, P.C.; Carmen Scott and Dan Lapinski of Motley Rice LLC; and Warren Burns of Burns Charest LLP.

Source: Reuters