Colgate lawsuits in 2026: what is real, and what you can actually claim

Last verified 10 August 2026 · By Class Action Buddy

The three Colgate cases people are searching for

The cancer cases: real, large, and not a class action

This is the one most people arrive looking for, and the answer is the least intuitive. Colgate-Palmolive has been sued repeatedly over talcum powder — principally its old Cashmere Bouquet line — by people alleging the product was contaminated with asbestos and caused mesothelioma or other cancers.

The scale is not in dispute, because the company reports it. Its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 30 June 2026 states that there were 525 individual cases pending against it in state and federal courts, against 484 three months earlier and 453 at the end of 2025. In the second quarter alone, 84 new cases were filed and 43 were resolved by dismissal or settlement. Colgate says it "has strong legal grounds to contest these cases and is challenging them vigorously."

Note the word the company uses: individual. These are not a class action. There is no settlement fund, no administrator and no form to fill in. Personal-injury claims like these are brought one plaintiff at a time and turn on that person's medical history and exposure evidence, which is why they need a lawyer rather than a claim website. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and used talcum powder, that is a conversation with an asbestos attorney, not a claim form.

The lead and heavy metals case: filed, pending, nothing to claim

Separately, Colgate-Palmolive is facing consumer class actions alleging that its toothpastes — including children's products — contain lead and other heavy metals. The lead case, Brower v. Colgate-Palmolive Company in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, was filed in April 2025 and its complaint attaches independent laboratory test results and a Lead Safe Mama testing chart as exhibits. A second amended complaint in August 2025 brought eleven named plaintiffs together.

Colgate's position is that heavy metals occur naturally in the earth, can appear as trace contaminants in mineral-based ingredients, and that its products comply with the regulatory requirements for oral care. Nothing has been decided, there has been no recall, and no regulator has taken action against the company over it.

For you, that means there is nothing to claim. A case in litigation pays nobody. If it eventually settles, a notice and a claims website will follow, and that is the point at which the question becomes practical.

The one that reached a claims process: Tom's of Maine, $2.9 million

Tom's of Maine is a Colgate-Palmolive subsidiary, and it is the only Colgate class action in recent years to get as far as a claims process. Six separate lawsuits were folded into Rabinowitz et al. v. Colgate Palmolive Company, No. 2:25-cv-06996 (E.D.N.Y.), over allegedly deceptive marketing of toothpaste made at the company's Sanford, Maine plant, after a May 2024 FDA inspection raised manufacturing concerns. Colgate and Tom's deny any wrongdoing.

• Fund: $2,900,000, confirmed in the court's preliminary approval order.
• Who was covered: anyone in the United States who bought Tom's of Maine toothpaste between 21 November 2020 and 6 March 2026 for their own use.
• Proof: not required. The order states every claimant receives a pro rata share "regardless of whether they possess a Proof of Purchase".
• Deadline: 6 July 2026 for claims, opt-outs and objections alike. All have passed.
• Next step: a final approval hearing on 10 September 2026. No money is paid until the court approves the settlement, and the administrator is Epiq, reachable on 1-877-315-6779.

If you filed in time, there is nothing more to do but wait for that hearing. Our Tom's of Maine settlement page carries the same details, and the official administrator's site is where status updates appear.

What to do if you were hoping to claim

Three honest options, depending on which case brought you here.

1. Tom's of Maine buyer who missed 6 July. There is no late-claim process. The settlement releases claims against Colgate and Tom's for the conduct at issue whether or not you filed, so there is no separate suit to bring over it either.
2. Worried about lead. Wait. If the case settles you will hear about it, and a settlement notice arriving by email is worth checking against the administrator's real address before you enter anything into it.
3. Cancer diagnosis after using talcum powder. Speak to an asbestos lawyer. Do not wait for a class action, because these claims are not being run as one, and personal-injury claims are subject to filing deadlines that vary by state.

In the meantime, the settlements that are accepting claims are listed on our open settlements page, and many of them need no receipt at all — see the no-proof settlements guide. If you want a sense of what these cases typically pay before you spend time on one, what class actions actually pay works through six settlements with real per-person figures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Colgate cancer lawsuit in 2026?

Yes, but it is not a class action and there is no claim form. Colgate-Palmolive's own quarterly filing with the SEC reports 525 individual lawsuits pending as of 30 June 2026, alleging its talcum powder products were contaminated with asbestos or caused mesothelioma and other cancers. That count is rising: it was 453 at the end of 2025. Individual claims of this kind are brought by a lawyer, one plaintiff at a time.

Can I file a Colgate claim form right now?

No. The only Colgate class action settlement with a claims process was the Tom's of Maine toothpaste case, and its deadline passed on 6 July 2026. A final approval hearing is listed for 10 September 2026, after which payments to people who did file can begin. No other Colgate case has reached a settlement, so there is nothing else to claim.

Does Colgate toothpaste contain lead?

That is what a pending lawsuit alleges, and it has not been decided. The complaint in Brower v. Colgate-Palmolive in the Southern District of New York attaches independent laboratory results and a Lead Safe Mama testing chart. Colgate says trace heavy metals occur naturally in mineral-based ingredients and that its products meet regulatory requirements. There has been no recall and no finding against the company.

Was there a Colgate recall in 2026?

No recall has been announced. The Tom's of Maine settlement followed a May 2024 FDA inspection that raised concerns about manufacturing practices at the Sanford, Maine facility, but an inspection finding is not a recall and no Colgate or Tom's toothpaste was withdrawn from sale over it.

Was I in the Tom's of Maine settlement class?

You were if you bought one or more Tom's of Maine toothpaste products in the United States between 21 November 2020 and 6 March 2026, for your own use rather than to resell. No proof of purchase was needed: the court's order says every claimant receives a pro rata share whether or not they have a receipt. Claims closed on 6 July 2026.

Do I need a lawyer for the Colgate talc cases?

Yes. These are individual personal-injury claims, not a class action you join by filling in a form, and they turn on medical and exposure evidence specific to one person. If you believe you have a claim, speak to a lawyer who handles asbestos litigation. Class Action Buddy does not handle personal-injury claims and is not a law firm.