Product Liability Law

Judge reluctantly tosses second bankruptcy attempt by baby powder maker Johnson & Johnson

A federal bankruptcy judge has reluctantly thwarted Johnson & Johnson’s second attempt to protect itself from claims related to its baby powder through the bankruptcy of a subsidiary created to hold Johnson & Johnson liabilities.

Jul 31, 2023 3:37 PM CDT

‘The gloves are off’: Baby powder maker J&J sues doctors who linked talc products to cancer

Johnson & Johnson has filed two lawsuits against four doctors who published studies claiming a link between talcum powder and mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer. “When a litigant starts suing opposing experts, that’s very aggressive,” an expert says.

Jul 14, 2023 2:00 PM CDT

Weekly Briefs: $10.3B ‘forever chemicals’ deal announced; data-breach suit against Cadwalader dropped

3M agrees to settle ‘forever chemicals’ cases for $10.3B 3M, a multinational conglomerate corporation and a maker of chemicals, has agreed to pay $10.3 billion to settle claims by municipalities that its “forever chemicals” contaminated drinking water. The chemicals, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are used in products that include firefighting…

Jun 23, 2023 3:15 PM CDT

Johnson & Johnson tries once again to settle talc claims through ‘Texas two-step’ bankruptcy

A Johnson & Johnson unit is back in bankruptcy court again, after its first attempt to settle looming talcum powder cases failed because it wasn’t in financial distress.

Apr 7, 2023 11:06 AM CDT

ChatGPT falsely accuses law prof of sexual harassment; is libel suit possible?

A law professor was surprised to hear that he had been accused of sexual harassment during a class trip to Alaska sponsored by his law school, the Georgetown University Law Center.

Apr 6, 2023 10:42 AM CDT

Restaurant had no liability for death of patron who was overserved, challenged to drive in bet, state supreme court says

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has ruled that a restaurant in Weatherford, Oklahoma, was not liable for the death of a patron in a lawsuit claiming that he was served 12 beers and five tequila shots before getting behind the wheel of his car in an attempt to collect on a bet.

Feb 21, 2023 9:16 AM CST

3rd Circuit tosses talc defendant’s ‘Texas two-step’ bankruptcy

A federal appeals court has dismissed a petition for Chapter 11 bankruptcy filed by a new unit of Johnson & Johnson that was formed to assume liabilities in litigation over talc contained in its baby powder.

Jan 31, 2023 10:09 AM CST

How do you calculate damages in injury trials? Longtime expert witness reveals methodology

Estimating what the future would have looked like if an accident had never occurred can seem more like a thought experiment than a scientific process. But there’s a science behind it, says Michael Shahnasarian.

Oct 26, 2022 8:47 AM CDT

How Jones Day protected Abbott Labs in baby formula lawsuits

Good lawyering by Jones Day and occasional use of “scorched-earth legal tactics” helped Abbott Labs avoid liability in suits accusing the company of making baby formula that sickened infants. That’s the conclusion of David Enrich of the New York Times.

Sep 8, 2022 1:35 PM CDT

Bayer wins fifth Roundup verdict in a row after some high-profile losses

Roundup maker Bayer AG has won five jury verdicts in a row in trials that contended its Roundup weed killer caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In its latest win, jurors in state court in St. Louis ruled for Bayer last week in a trial involving three plaintiffs, report Reuters and Law.com. One…

Sep 7, 2022 9:50 AM CDT