Why Are People Filing Monsanto Roundup Lawsuits?

Roundup Weed KillerMonsanto’s Roundup weed killer is the most widely-used pesticide in the world. More than 300 million pounds of the chemical are sprayed to kill weeds on crops, farms, and fields every year. Unfortunately, people are developing serious health issues, including non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, after using Roundup. Research shows that exposure to the main ingredient in Roundup may cause cancer.

More than 48,600 people have filed product liability lawsuits against the company. These lawsuits allege that Monsanto knew about these dangers but failed to warn consumers. Several of those lawsuits has already been successful. To date, juries have ordered Bayer to pay more than $2.369 Billion in damages to four separate plaintiffs. Note, those awards have been reduced and are still under appeal.

Have you developed non-Hodgkin Lymphoma after being exposed to Roundup weed killer? Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers to learn about your legal options. You may have the right to file a Roundup weed killer lawsuit to recover compensation for your injuries. Our attorneys can help you fight for the money you deserve. Call our law firm today to complete your free consultation.

What is Roundup Weed Killer?

Roundup is a broad-spectrum weed killer that has only grown in popularity since it was first sold in the 1970s. At the time, most pesticides were selective and only killed specific types of crops. Roundup, however, offered a way to kill almost anything in its path. At the same time, Roundup was found to be more environmentally-friendly than other types of pesticides. Roundup provided farmers with a new, more efficient way to patrol their crops.

Monsanto then found a way to make sure that Roundup wouldn’t kill the farmer’s cash crop. The company engineered genetically modified crops that were Roundup-resistant. In other words, crops grown from these GMO seeds were untouchable. Roundup could be liberally applied to farms without the fear of damaging important crops.

Why is Roundup Weed Killer Dangerous?

Roundup is dangerous because exposure to glyphosate – the active ingredient – is believed to cause cancer in humans. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a division of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic in humans.” Carcinogens are any substance that causes or promotes the growth of cancer cells in the body. Scientists for the IARC also believe that glyphosate even more dangerous when combined with other chemicals in Roundup.

Disputes Over Glyphosate Toxicity

The World Health Organization has classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic.” Other agencies have yet to follow suit. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been particularly hesitant to even acknowledge the fact that glyphosate may be associated with serious health risks. The agency’s position has shifted several times since Roundup was first sold.

Despite multiple studies showing a possible link between glyphosate and cancer, the EPA has remained adamant that the chemical is safe. In 2013, the agency even doubled the maximum glyphosate levels for food and crops. The EPA’s refusal to consider the risks of glyphosate have raised concerns. There is even evidence to suggest that officials within the agency have intentionally tried to slow down or prevent glyphosate safety reviews.

Some lawsuits filed against Monsanto accuse the company of misrepresenting research submitted to the government. Others argue that the company colluded with the agency to downplay the risks of its popular weed killer.

Glyphosate Linked to Increased Risk of Cancer

Several peer-reviewed studies have found that there is an association between glyphosate exposure and the risk of developing cancer.

Simply put, studies show that people who are exposed to Roundup are more likely to develop cancer than those who are not.

What is non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a type of cancer that originates in white blood cells in the body’s lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of the body’s immune system, helping to protect against bacteria, infections, and disease.

Lymph tissue is located throughout the body, including the chest, abdomen, spleen, stomach, intestines, pelvis, bone marrow, tonsils, and thymus.

White blood cells in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma divide abnormally. This prevents the cells from fighting infection and keeping the body safe. As the cells divide, the patient’s white blood count increases significantly. The cells begin to accumulate in the lymph nodes or anywhere lymph tissue is located. This accumulation triggers and accelerates tumor growth.

Cancerous cells can spread throughout the body by way of the bloodstream or lymph system. Survival rates for non-Hodgkin lymphoma decline significantly when the cancerous cells reach organs or tissue outside of the lymphatic system.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Exposure to Roundup has been associated with serious health issues, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Symptoms of lymphoma can vary, but often include:

Have you experienced any of these symptoms after being exposed to Roundup herbicide? Seek medical attention immediately. Early intervention can provide you with the best prognosis and chance of survival.

How Could I Have Been Exposed to Roundup or Glyphosate?

Roundup is the most heavily used pesticide in the world. It affects most of our crops. In fact, studies have shown that glyphosate residue can be found in anywhere between 30 percent and 60 percent of our food. Since it is so widely used, the risk of exposure can be quite high.

Glyphosate exposure can include contact with the skin or eyes, inhalation, and consumption by mouth. You are more likely to be exposed to glyphosate if you live on or near a farm or handle the pesticide on a regular basis.

Signs of glyphosate exposure include:

Have you been exposed to Roundup weed killer? Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers to learn about your legal rights. Our Roundup weed killer attorneys can help you file a lawsuit to recover compensation for your glyphosate-related injuries. Call today to schedule your free case assessment.

Roundup Injuries and Side Effects

Exposure to Roundup and its active ingredient glyphosate is associated with an increased risk of certain adverse health issues. Many studies now show a link between glyphosate and certain types of cancer, including:

Roundup may also contribute to a number of other health issues, including:

The number of Roundup health studies has steadily increased in recent years. Researchers are searching for any connection between exposure to glyphosate and the development of serious health issues.

Who Is At the Greatest Risk of Developing Health Issues?

Any exposure to Roundup or glyphosate could potentially cause serious health issues. However, certain individuals are considered to be high risk. These primarily include people who work with and around the pesticide, including:

Do you live in an area that is regularly sprayed with Roundup pesticide? You may also be more likely to develop chronic and severe health issues. Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers to discuss your legal options.

Compensation Available in a Roundup Lawsuits

Have you developed cancer or another severe health issue after being exposed to Roundup? You may be entitled to compensation. Our experienced legal team will aggressively pursue compensation on your behalf, including money for:

You shouldn’t have to deal with the devastating consequences of a Roundup injury alone. Rosen Injury Lawyers can help you obtain the compensation you deserve. Call our law firm to get started on your injury case today.

Roundup Lawsuit Settlement Amounts

Roundup litigation is relatively new. To date, no settlements have been reached or announced. However, after three consecutive juries issued verdicts against Bayer, a federal judge has ordered Bayer to attempt to mediate its next case.

While Bayer has agreed to enter mediation with the next plaintiff, the company maintains that there is no established link between its popular pesticide and cancer. The pesticide manufacturer refuses to acknowledge that Roundup is dangerous or that it shares any responsibility for those injured because of Roundup.

There is no Roundup class action lawsuit. However, more than 650 Roundup lawsuits have been consolidated into an MDL in the Northern District of California. In 2018, the first bellwether trial in the MDL resulted in a $289 million jury verdict for a man diagnosed with cancer after extensive exposure to Roundup. The result of this and other bellwether trials could encourage Bayer to settle other lawsuits to avoid future losses in court.

Roundup Lawsuit News – Updated April 2020

Roundup Lawsuit Settlement Discussions Sidelined By Coronavirus

Earlier this year, it appeared as though Bayer might finally extend an offer to settle the most Roundup injury lawsuits still pending in courts across the nation. However, those efforts have stalled, thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, which has effectively shut down most of the nation. Bayer’s CEO has gone on record saying that he feels no pressure to settle and will not do so without face-to-face negotiations.

Bayer says talks to settle Roundup lawsuits have been delayed by coronavirus [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]

Roundup Lawsuits Top 48,600, According to Bayer

According to Bayer, the number of Roundup injury lawsuits in the United States has surpassed 48,600.

Bayer says Roundup legal fiasco may force it to sell assets or borrow on bad terms [Fortune]

Bayer Agrees to Settle False Advertising Lawsuits and Change Roundup Labels

In March 2020, Bayer agreed to pay $39.5 million to settle lawsuits that accused the company of false advertising. Specifically, the lawsuits focused on the wording on Roundup labels that said the product only affects enzymes found in plants. Research shows, however, that the product can affect enzymes in animals, too. Bayer agreed to pay millions and change the product’s label, but is adamant that the decision is entirely unrelated to Roundup cancer litigation.

Bayer Pays $39.5 Million to Settle Roundup False-Ad Lawsuits [Bloomberg]

Amicus Brief Challenges Claims Made By EPA, Monsanto on Appeal

In 2019, Monsanto was ordered to pay $80 million to the first man to bring a Roundup lawsuit to trial. The award was later reduced to $25 million, but Monsanto appealed, nonetheless. The EPA filed an amicus brief in support of Monsanto, claiming that any claims that Roundup is unsafe should be preempted because the EPA says glyphosate is safe.

Now two nonprofit advocacy groups are stepping into the ring. In a new amicus brief filed in support of the plaintiff, the Center for Food Safety and the Center for Biological Diversity claim that Roundup claims should not be preempted because glyphosate and Roundup are not the same, despite what the EPA wants the court to believe. The EPA has only addressed glyphosate – not Roundup, which the groups claim is actually much more dangerous than glyphosate alone.

CFS’s Amicus Brief in Support of Edwin Hardeman [Center for Food Safety]

EPA Sued Over Support of Glyphosate

In January 2020, the EPA re-approved the use of glyphosate in the United States, despite mounting evidence suggesting that exposure to the chemical causes cancer. On March 20, 2020, five advocacy groups – including the Center for Food Safety, Beyond Pesticides, the Rural Coalition, Organización en California de Lideres Campesinas, and the Farmworker Association of Florida – filed a lawsuit against the EPA over its controversial decision. The Natural Resources Defense Council and Pesticide Action Network North America also filed a separate lawsuit against the government agency.

EPA sued over reapproval of key Roundup chemical [The Hill]

Roundup Trials Set to Resume in January 2020

It’s been more than six months since Bayer was dealt its largest defeat in court – a more than $2 Billion jury award for Alva and Alberta Pilliod. Since then, no new Roundup trials have begun. Some, initially scheduled to begin in August, were postponed for mediation and settlement discussions. Those have seemingly gone nowhere.

Now, litigation is heating up again. No fewer than nine Roundup trials are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2020. Of those scheduled trials, two are set to be held in St. Louis. That marks the first time that a Roundup lawsuit will be heard in a courtroom outside of California.

Two others, which have actually been postponed, involve young California plaintiffs. Bayer appears to be going to great lengths to settle those California lawsuits before they’re tried in front of a jury. Juries have awarded billions of dollars to adults. Bayer likely fears what they might award two young Roundup victims.

Six Monsanto Roundup Cancer Trials Set for January [USRTK]

Court Rules Former Monsanto CEO Must Testify

Hugh Grant, former Monsanto Chairman and CEO, has been ordered to testify at a trial scheduled to begin in St. Louis early next year. Attorneys for the plaintiff are interested to hear what information Grant might have about the company’s practices and claims that its pesticide is safe. He worked for Monsanto for 37 years.

A judge agrees that, even though Grant is not a scientific expert, he might have insight that’s relevant to the matter at hand. In dismissing Grant’s efforts to sidestep the witness chair, a judge explained that “he was CEO of Monsanto for 15 years and took part in presentations, discussions, interviews and other appearances for Monsanto as CEO in which the topics of Roundup and glyphosate were explained, discussed and defended.”

Monsanto’s former CEO ordered to testify in St. Louis Roundup trial. [St. Louis Business Journal]

Bayer Named in $500M Canadian Class Action Roundup Lawsuit

There are about 42,000 Roundup injury lawsuits pending in the United States. However, that’s not the only place Monsanto – now Bayer – is having trouble. The company was recently named in a class action lawsuit in Canada. More than 60 individuals currently represent the class pool. It’s believed that thousands more will join in the near future. In total, the class action suit is demanding $500 Million in compensation for its plaintiffs.

Lawyers Launch $500M Class-Action Lawsuit Against Roundup Makers [CBC]

Judge Reduces $2 Billion Award, Couple Set to Receive $86.7 Million in Punitive Damages

A federal judge recently reduced a California couple’s $2 Billion punitive award, explaining that it was excessive and unconstitutional. Alva and Alberta Pilliod, who took Bayer to court over cancer diagnoses they claimed were due to their exposure to the company’s Roundup weed killer, will now receive punitive damages totaling $86.7 Million. This is in addition to the $55 Million in damages the couple received to take care of medical bills, pain and suffering, and other injuries.

Roundup Verdict Cut to $87 Million From $2 Billion [Wall Street Journal]

Fourth Roundup Trial Scheduled, This Time Outside of California

To date, three Monsanto Roundup lawsuits have gone to trial. All three – litigated in front of California juries – have yielded multi-million dollar verdicts for injured plaintiffs. Monsanto is eager to end this streak. It wants future Roundup cancer lawsuits moved out of California. The company may have gotten its wish; the next Roundup trial has been scheduled to begin in St. Louis in August 2019.

Monsanto wants Roundup cancer lawsuits moved out of California [San Francisco Chronicle]

Couple Awarded $2 Billion In Shocking Roundup Verdict

Alva and Alberta Pilliod were awarded $2 Billion in damages after both spouses were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The odds of both of them getting this type of cancer was 1 in 20,000. A California jury determined their daily use of Roundup for decades played a significant role in the diagnoses.

California Jury Awards $2 Billion To Couple In Roundup Weed Killer Cancer Trial [NPR]

Bayer Told to Enter Mediation, Attempt to Settle Next Roundup Lawsuit

Following its second consecutive loss in court, Bayer has been ordered to try to settle its next dispute out of court. A federal judge canceled the third scheduled Roundup cancer trial and instead told the parties to enter mediation. Mediation doesn’t necessarily mean that Bayer will admit fault or agree to settle. If mediation fails, another trial date will be scheduled.

Judge Orders Bayer to Pursue Talks in Roundup Cancer Litigation [Bloomberg]

California Jury Awards Plaintiff $80 Million in Second Roundup Case

A jury recently awarded Edwin Hardeman $80 million in damages because Monsanto didn’t put a label on Roundup, warning that it could cause cancer. The California jury was persuaded to believe that Monsanto – now Bayer – knew that glyphosate was a carcinogen. The award included $75 million in punitive damages, meant to punish Bayer for concealing this information from consumers.

Monsanto Ordered to Pay $80 Million in Roundup Cancer Case [New York Times]

Roundup Trials to Proceed in Two Stages, Science Considered First

Following a $289 million verdict against Monsanto, a federal judge has ruled that all future Roundup lawsuits must be tried in two stages. Jurors will first be asked to decide if they believe that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, causes cancer. The trial will only proceed to a second stage, where Monsanto’s liability will be the primary focus, if the jury believes that glyphosate is carcinogenic.

In Roundup Case, the Science Will Go on Trial First (Wall Street Journal)

Jury Awards Roundup Cancer Victim $289 Million

Dewayne Johnson, a California school groundskeeper who developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma after exposure to Roundup, was recently awarded $289 million in damages by a San Francisco jury. At trial, the jury was presented with evidence showing a link between glyphosate and cancer, as well as details about Monsanto’s efforts to manipulate research and government opinion.

Monsanto Ordered to Pay $289 Million in World’s First Roundup Cancer Trial (Reuters)

Documents Reveal Monsanto Knew About and Hid Risk of Cancer

A California judge will allow the jury to consider evidence that suggests Monsanto knew about and actively tried to hide the fact that Roundup could cause cancer. According to the judge, “internal correspondence…could support a jury finding that Monsanto has long been aware of the risk that its glyphosate-based herbicides are carcinogenic.” Despite this knowledge, the internal documents suggest that the company “has continuously sought to influence the scientific literature” to limit its liability in Roundup lawsuits.

Landmark Lawsuit Claims Monsanto Hid Cancer Danger of Weedkiller For Decades (The Guardian)

World Health Organization Classifies Glyphosate as a Probable Carcinogen

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization’s research division, formally classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” The IARC based its assessment on extensive animal studies, which showed an increase in tumors in rats and mice after exposure to glyphosate. The organization believes that there is enough evidence to suggest that glyphosate could cause “DNA damage to human cells.”

Widely Used Herbicide Linked to Cancer (Scientific American)

What Do We Know About Monsanto Roundup Lawsuits

An increasing number of Roundup lawsuits are being filed in state courts and federal courts across the country. Plaintiffs in these cases are eager to rely on evidence that was used in the first bellwether trial, which resulted in a $289 million verdict against Monsanto.

The evidence, which includes internal Monsanto documents and correspondence, reveals that Monsanto has known about glyphosate’s link to cancer and has actively worked to conceal that information from the public for more than 30 years.

Specifically, evidence introduced in Monsanto Roundup lawsuits suggests the company:

In other words, there is evidence to suggest that Monsanto has been actively spreading lies and misinformation about its most popular and profitable pesticide for decades. The company has spent more time trying to convince the public that Roundup is safe than investigating any potential health issues. Jurors will have the opportunity to consider this evidence in Roundup lawsuits that go to trial.

Do I Have a Roundup Weed Killer Lawsuit?

Research shows that glyphosate is associated with adverse health issues, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma. There is evidence to suggest that Monsanto knew about these dangers, but failed to warn and protect consumers. Internal memos even suggest the company took steps to bury negative research and sway government agencies.

The company is now facing more than 9,300 lawsuits in state and federal courts across the country. You may have the right to file a lawsuit against Monsanto if you have:

Only an experienced attorney will be able to tell you if you have a legitimate case. Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers to learn more about your legal rights and options. Our experienced attorneys will carefully review your case and answer any questions you have. If you decide to file a claim, we will help you fight for the money you deserve.