Grieving Mothers Unite Against J&J Over Talc Cancer Claims

Eron Evans, who died of ovarian cancer in 2016, began a legal battle against Johnson & Johnson alleging their talc caused her illness. Her mother, Darlene, continues the fight amidst a contentious bankruptcy maneuver by J&J aimed at capping liability and speeding settlements for thousands of claimants.

Eron Evans passed away in 2016 at the age of 41 from ovarian cancer, leaving behind two daughters. Her mother, Darlene, holds Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder responsible and is pursuing a lawsuit Evans initiated a decade ago, claiming the company's talc caused the fatal illness. Now, Darlene, 71, and tens of thousands of others have until July 26 to vote on J&J's third attempt at a controversial bankruptcy strategy that would cap its liability and establish a fund for victims.

After being rejected twice by federal courts, the $350 billion healthcare giant aims to end the litigation through a "Texas two-step" bankruptcy, offloading its talc liability to a new subsidiary, which then files for Chapter 11. The goal is to consolidate all plaintiffs into a single settlement without requiring J&J itself to declare bankruptcy.

J&J needs 75% of claimants' votes before the subsidiary can request a bankruptcy judge to enforce the deal. Facing over 61,000 lawsuits, the figure could reach 100,000 when considering claimants who haven't sued. Evans' lawyer, Jim Onder, urges clients to accept the settlement, while a coalition of other lawyers argues J&J's maneuver is manipulative and its offer is too low. This summer's vote could significantly impact the use of the Texas two-step as a corporate defense strategy.

(With inputs from agencies.)