Talcum Powder Triumph: the Record-Breaking J&J Settlement with Mikal Watts

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style= "font-family: 'Calibri Light',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin;"> Mikal Watts, of Watts Guerra and</span> <a href= "http://talcpowderjustice.com" target="_blank" rel= "noopener"><span style= "font-family: 'Calibri Light',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin;"> talcpowderjustice.com</span></a><span style= "font-family: 'Calibri Light',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin;">, discusses his role in obtaining a proposed national settlement in the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) talcum powder case (MDL 2738), totaling $8.9B dollars. According to Watts, this is the largest products liability settlement ever realized after a bankruptcy filing, and is the culmination of over a decade of fighting for justice. This proposed settlement would resolve and satisfy the nationwide talc liability of J&J and the recently formed company, LTL Management LLC (LTL), by paying women with gynecologic cancers and mesothelioma a total of $12.08 billion over the next 25 years. The settlement will be presented as part of a Bankruptcy Restructuring Plan to be submitted by LTL for approval of Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge Michael B. Kaplan of the District of New Jersey. Under the proposed settlement, and only if confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court and approved by at least 75% of talc claimants, the settling defendants will fund $12.08 billion over 25 years into a “Talc Trust” to be created for the benefit of talc claimants. Existing eligible talc claimants who were diagnosed and hired a lawyer prior to April 1, 2023, alleging their use of J&J talc products caused gynecologic cancers or mesothelioma, will have their claims paid by the Talc Trust within one year of plan confirmation. Future talc claimants will be paid by the Trust via future payments that will be made over the nex