Articles by Dietrich Knauth

Judge Rejects 3M Effort to Resolve Earplug Lawsuits in Bankruptcy

A U.S. judge on Friday dismissed the bankruptcy of 3M subsidiary Aearo Technologies, rejecting an effort to resolve nearly 260,000 lawsuits alleging that 3M military earplugs caused hearing loss for veterans and U.S. service members. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Jeffrey Graham …

Purdue Pharma Can Protect Sackler Owners in Opioid Bankruptcy, Court Rules

Bankrupt Oxycontin manufacturer Purdue Pharma can shield its owners, members of the wealthy Sackler family, from opioid lawsuits in exchange for a $6 billion contribution to the company’s broader bankruptcy settlement, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Tuesday. The New …

Sandy Hook Families Preparing to Sue Alex Jones’ Wife, Family to Clawback Payments

The families of Sandy Hook school shooting victims are preparing to sue Alex Jones’ wife and other family members to help satisfy $1.5 billion in judgments they won from lawsuits against the bankrupt right wing conspiracy theorist over his lies …

Cancer Victims Urge Judge to Dismiss J&J Talc Unit’s Second Bankruptcy

Cancer victims on Monday urged a U.S. judge to dismiss a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary’s second bankruptcy filing, saying that the company is abusing the bankruptcy system in its renewed attempt to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging that …

Veterans Suing 3M Over Earplugs Seek to Stop ‘False Alarm’ Bankruptcy

U.S. veterans and members of the military on Wednesday urged a judge to dismiss 3M’s bid to use the bankruptcy of its subsidiary Aearo Technologies to shield itself from nearly 260,000 lawsuits over military-issue earplugs that former users allege were …

J&J Talc Unit Asks Judge to Halt Cancer Lawsuits as it Pursues $8.9B Settlement

A Johnson & Johnson subsidiary is again asking a U.S. judge to pause tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging the company’s baby powder and other talc products cause cancer, as it seeks to resolve the litigation in bankruptcy after a …

J&J Talc Unit Defends Latest Bankruptcy Settlement Bid

A Johnson & Johnson company on Tuesday defended its second attempt to resolve talc lawsuits in bankruptcy, telling a U.S. judge it can quickly build consensus around its $8.9 billion settlement offer despite doubts about its assertion that 60,000 plaintiffs …

J&J Talc Unit 2nd Bankruptcy Must Be Dismissed, Cancer Victims’ Lawyers Say

Johnson & Johnson’s renewed effort to resolve talc lawsuits through an $8.9 billion bankruptcy settlement must be dismissed as a “fraudulent scheme” that defies a court order rejecting the company’s previous attempt to settle the litigation, according to a court …

3M’s Bid to Shield Itself From Earplug Lawsuits Faces Skeptical Judges

Federal appeals court judges on Tuesday appeared skeptical of 3M’s bid to use the bankruptcy of its subsidiary Aearo Technologies to shield itself from nearly 260,000 lawsuits over allegedly defective military-issue earplugs. Paul Clement, a lawyer for Aearo, urged a …

J&J Unit Files for Second Bankruptcy to Pursue $8.9B Talc Settlement

Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay $8.9 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging that talc in its iconic Baby Powder and other products caused cancer, the company said. The amount dwarfs J&J’s original offer of $2 …