Category: Asbestos Litigation Analysis

Recently, KCIC posted their 2022 Mid-Year Asbestos Filings Update. This update is compiled using information collected through July 31^st. This article illustrates some highlights from the update.

Number of Asbestos-Related Lawsuits Decrease While Mesothelioma Filings Increase

The number of asbestos-related lawsuits increased from 2020 (1,790) to 2021 (1,972). However, 2022 shows a decrease in the number of filings over the same respective time spans (1,914).

Mesothelioma and lung cancer filings continue to make up the majority of filings (86%). Notably, mesothelioma claims …

On September 19, 2022, a panel of three judges for the Third Circuit heard oral argument in In re LTL Management LLC, Case No. 22-2003.  Before the Court is Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) use of Chapter 11 to resolve asbestos-related litigation.  The appeal to the Third Circuit follows a ruling by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey in February 2022, in which Judge Michael Kaplan declined to dismiss the bankruptcy case on bad faith grounds.  

Last year, J&J created …

In July 2020, we reported on Iowa’s passage of legislation intended to significantly reduce or eliminate the over-naming of defendants in asbestos and silica litigation. Since then, three additional states have enacted similar legislation: West Virginia, North Dakota, and Tennessee.  

West Virginia

On March 31, 2021, the West Virginia legislature passed House Bill 2495.  The bill outlines the requirements with which a plaintiff must comply in an asbestos or silica action. Within 90 days of filing a complaint, a plaintiff with a nonmalignant condition must file a …

On Wednesday, December 29, 2021, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the draft scope of the “Risk Evaluation for Asbestos Part 2: Supplemental Evaluation Including Legacy Uses and Associated Disposals of Asbestos”. While more than 60 nations have comprehensive asbestos bans, the United States is undergoing a lengthy asbestos “risk evaluation”. As Part 2 of the EPA’s Asbestos Risk Evaluation becomes open for public comment, the question is whether the eventual findings of the EPA’s risk evaluation will result in stronger asbestos regulations, …

Over the past six months, the Asbestos Case Tracker has reported on numerous summary judgment decisions throughout the country. The most active jurisdictions included New York, Pennsylvania, California, Texas, Illinois, Delaware, Mississippi and Washington. On review of the decisions we have discussed, Texas, Illinois, Mississippi, Washington and Pennsylvania appear to be the most defendant-friendly jurisdictions, with the courts granting all the summary judgment motions coming before them. New York continues to be the least defendant-friendly jurisdiction when it comes to summary judgment. Of the eight …

Johnson & Johnson currently has approximately 25,000 lawsuits pending against it related to its talc products, including talcum powder and baby powder

Reports have circulated that Johnson & Johnson is considering a strategic plan to move its liabilities from talcum litigation related to baby powder and other products into a newly created business that would later seek bankruptcy protection. Recently, lawyers for plaintiffs requested that the bankruptcy judge block the move of Johnson & Johnson. However, bankruptcy judge Laurie Selber Silverstein declined to prevent Johnson …