empty
15.02.2022 10:39 AM
J&J tries to minimize damage from talc lawsuits using Texas two-step

It was reported on Monday that a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary was accused of trying to use the bankruptcy process to withdraw lawsuits over their baby powder. There is some speculation that it causes cancer.

The subsidiary, LTL Management, chose the bankruptcy strategy as a way to reach a fair resolution of 38,000 lawsuits claiming that J&J's talc-based products cause cancer including mesothelioma. The company, though, stands firm on its point: the products are safe.

The Texas Two-Step

The core of J&J's strategy is the Texas two-step. It is a Texas law that allows corporations to found a new company that will undertake hardships and obligations instead of the parent company. The new company gets separated from the founder and declares itself bankrupt. This allows companies to resolve issues with plaintiffs, avoiding a jury trial and heavy financial losses.

Public Opinion

According to the plaintiffs' lawyers, the LTL bankruptcy filing allows J&J to limit payments to victims to $2 billion. One of the lawyers called the move a rotten and deceitful one.

Robert Wuesthoff, president of LTL Management said the lawsuits would not be taken to court. By the way, before J&J founded its subsidiary, it had 10 talc trials a year.

He added that most cancer plaintiffs might accept payments offered in bankruptcy, rather than hope to be among the few who could receive extraordinary payments.

According to some reports, last year the company launched Project Plato, which functioned as a pack mule: to undertake the liabilities of the parent company and file for bankruptcy.

What's next?

Many companies misuse the Texas two-step. Hence, in July 2021, the House of Representatives proposed a bill blocking this move.

Michael Kaplan, a U.S. bankruptcy judge, set a five-day court session to review a bid to close the bankruptcy case. The court's decision is expected to be announced by the end of the month.

As reported on Monday, J&J resolved 6,846 "talc" cases. The settlement totaled $966 million. This happened before LTL was formed.

According to Brian Glasser, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, if all 38,000 talc cases had been settled, the company would have been obliged to pay $5.5 billion. That wouldn't be a financial hit for such a big company.

Shares of J&J ended down 1.3% at $165.60.

While J&J is waiting for the LTL's bankruptcy proceedings outcome, the talc lawsuits are paused.

The company stopped baby powder sales in the U.S. and Canada in May 2020, partly due to what it described as "misinformation" and " unfounded allegations" about the talc-based product.

Anastasia Miller,
Analytical expert of InstaForex
© 2007-2025
选择时间框架
5
分钟
15
分钟
30
分钟
1
小时
4
小时
1
1
通过InstaForex赚取加密货币汇率变动的收益。
下载MetaTrader 4并开启您的第一笔交易。
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    JOIN CONTEST

推荐文章

3月21日美國市場新聞摘要

週四,美國基準股指收跌:道瓊斯指數下跌0.1%,納斯達克指數下跌0.3%,標普500指數下跌0.2%,以5,662點收盤——遠低於其通常5,500–6,000範圍的上限。 受聯邦公開市場委員會(FOMC)影響的漲勢迅速消退,繼續推動走勢的企圖未能成功。

Natalia Andreeva 14:48 2025-03-21 UTC+2

聯邦儲備的措施能阻止BTC下跌嗎?BTC尋求穩定

有些分析師認為,美聯儲當前的貨幣政策——特別是其決定保持利率穩定並放緩量化緊縮(QT)步伐——可能會對比特幣提供有意義的支持。根據這一觀點,全球最大的加密貨幣不再需要擔心觸底。

Larisa Kolesnikova 13:11 2025-03-21 UTC+2

納斯達克與標普500指數下跌:修正開始還是暫時恐慌?

美國股市小幅收低,投資者尋找經濟信號 週四,美國股市經歷了一個起伏不定的交易日後,小幅收低。投資者試圖理解最新的宏觀經濟數據和美聯儲聲明的語氣,其中充滿對貿易壁壘的擔憂。

Thomas Frank 10:11 2025-03-21 UTC+2

3月20日美國市場新聞摘要

雖然S&P 500顯示出樂觀情緒,但自3月14日以來的增長更被看作是一次調整。如果價格穩定在5,769以上,則向5,881-5,910目標範圍前進的可能性更大。

Ekaterina Kiseleva 11:26 2025-03-20 UTC+2

黃金熱賣:每盎司突破3,057美元,指數也上升

美國股市指數週三上漲,此前美聯儲作出預期決定,維持基準利率不變,這是在評估特朗普總統的關稅政策對經濟和通脹的影響之際作出的。 美聯儲將隔夜利率保持在4.25%-4.50%的區間,維持先前宣佈的全年兩次降低四分之一個百分點的預測。

Thomas Frank 10:26 2025-03-20 UTC+2

3月19日美國市場新聞摘要

本應開始歡慶其年度開發者大會的Nvidia,卻見其股價下跌。而Tesla則因Elon Musk最近的動作而依然震盪,RBC更調低了該公司的目標價格,給其帶來了打擊。

Natalia Andreeva 10:52 2025-03-19 UTC+2

市場恐慌:納斯達克暴跌1.71%,黃金刷新歷史高位

科技股下跌,而黃金攀升至新高紀錄 在年度軟體開發者大會開始之際,Nvidia 股價下跌。RBC 下調了其股票的目標價後,Tesla 股價下跌。

09:35 2025-03-19 UTC+2

市場恐慌:納斯達克指數重挫1.71%,黃金創歷史新高

美國股市週二收低,結束了兩天的反彈。投資者選擇採取觀望態度,等待聯邦儲備局即將公佈的貨幣政策決定及川普政府貿易策略的可能影響。

Thomas Frank 06:48 2025-03-19 UTC+2

3月18日美國市場新聞摘要

二月份的數據顯示美國零售銷售增長了0.2%,表明消費者活動強勁。然而,三月份紐約的製造業活動下降,指出了局部經濟的疲弱。

Ekaterina Kiseleva 13:51 2025-03-18 UTC+2

歐元/美元暫停漲勢,因標普500預測惡化——如何尋求平衡?

全球市場目前正在努力尋求主要貨幣對和股票工具的平衡。鑑於近期歐元走低及美元疲軟,這尤其具有挑戰性。

Larisa Kolesnikova 07:52 2025-03-18 UTC+2
现在无法通话?
提出您的问题,用 在线帮助.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.