Roundup Weed Killer Settlements
Exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer may cause certain types of cancer. More than 48,600 lawsuits have been filed against the company in state and federal courts across the nation. These lawsuits allege that Monsanto knew its pesticide could cause cancer but failed to share that information with consumers.
Have you developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after being exposed to Roundup weed killer? You may have the right to file a Roundup lawsuit of your own. Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers for your free consultation. Our attorneys are prepared to help you hold Monsanto accountable for the harm its dangerous pesticide has caused. Call today to learn more.
Roundup Lawsuit Settlement News: July 2019 Update
To date, there have not been any Roundup lawsuit settlements. The company still refuses to acknowledge that Roundup is unsafe or poses any threat to human health. However, Bayer has been handed three major losses in court. These verdicts may move the company toward meaningful settlement negotiations.
Judge Reduces $2 Billion Award to $86.7 Billion
A federal judge generally agreed with a California jury that it was appropriate to award punitive damages to Alva and Alberta Pilliod. However, Superior Court Judge Winifred Smith explained that the $2 Billion award was excessive. As such, the ten-figure award violated the Constitution. Smith ultimately reduced the Pilliod’s punitive award to $86.7 Million. Those punitive awards will still be paid in addition to the $55 Million in compensatory damages the couple was also awarded at the close of their Roundup trial.
California Couple Awarded $2 Billion For Roundup Injuries
The odds of a California couple both getting diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was 1 in 20,000. Despite this, Alva and Alberta Pilliod beat the odds. Both received devastating cancer diagnoses within years of one another. A California jury was persuaded to believe that the only logical explanation was that both spouses used Roundup weedkiller almost every day for years.
At the close of the third Roundup case to go to trial, Bayer was ordered to pay each spouse $1 Billion in punitive damages. Both spouses also received awards for compensatory damages, including medical bills and pain and suffering.
California Jury Issues $80M Verdict Against Bayer
The second Roundup lawsuit to go to trial, Edwin Hardeman v. Monsanto Company, et al, yielded an $80 Million verdict against Bayer. At trial, evidence was introduced to reveal that Monsanto had known about the dangers of glyphosate for decades. Persuaded to believe Monsanto had acted maliciously, the jury ordered the company to pay $75 Million in punitive damages. While this award will likely be reduced on appeal, it shows the continued willingness of juries to punish the pesticide manufacturer for its conduct.
Bayer Ordered to Mediate Next Roundup Lawsuit
The first Roundup lawsuit settlement could be right around the corner. Following the company’s second multi-million dollar loss in court, a federal judge canceled the next scheduled California Roundup trial. Instead, the parties were ordered to mediate the issue privately.
Mediation doesn’t mean that Bayer will admit fault or acknowledge that Roundup isn’t safe. However, the company has signaled that it may be reconsidering its approach to Roundup litigation. The company recently hired an independent attorney to work with its advisory board and offer advice as it moves forward with all pending Roundup cases.
Rather than promising to “defend itself vigorously,” as it has done in the past, the company now says that it “looks forward to constructively engaging in the mediation process.” Experts believe that this might indicate that a mass settlement offer isn’t too far away.
The fact that juries have continued to side with injured plaintiffs is likely a huge reason Bayer is considering a mass settlement. Not one jury has issued a verdict in favor of the pesticide manufacturer. A settlement is Bayer’s best way to avoid future multi-million (or billion) losses in court.
Roundup Weedkiller Multidistrict Litigation
Monsanto is accused of knowingly selling a dangerous product and failing to disclose known health risks. The number of lawsuits filed against the company has increased significantly over the past year. The majority of these cases have been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation, or MDL. MDLS are similar to, but distinct from, class action lawsuits.
MDLs are used to streamline the legal process when several similar lawsuits are filed against a single defendant for injuries suffered by a large group of individuals who all used one product. Rather than trying thousands of cases across the country, lawsuits are consolidated to be heard in a single court before a single judge. This helps to speed up the litigation and prevent courts from getting backlogged.
Early trials, known as bellwether trials, are used to assess the strength and value of the cases. The results of bellwether trials often affect settlements and future litigation. The first Roundup bellwether trial was a huge victory for plaintiffs.
Monsanto Ordered to Pay $289 Million in First Bellwether Trial
In 2018, a San Francisco jury awarded Dewayne Johnson, a California school groundskeeper, $289 million in damages in the first Roundup bellwether trial. The verdict came after the jury learned that Johnson developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after extensive exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer.
Johnson explained that he applied Roundup to school grounds between 20 and 30 times a year. He was also drenched in the pesticide on at least two different occasions, the first in 2012. He developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma two years later. Doctors believe that Johnson’s two young sons will lose their father to terminal cancer in the very near future.
The jury determined that Monsanto’s pesticide was the cause of Johnson’s cancer. They awarded the former groundskeeper $39 million in compensatory damages and $250 million in punitive damages. Following an appearance, that award was then reduced by the judge, on the grounds that the punitive damages were excessive. Additional appeals by the parties are still pending.
Roundup’s Active Ingredient May Cause Cancer
No pesticide is more widely used or more popular than Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer. Every year, more than 300 million pounds of the chemical is sprayed on fields, farms, and crops around the world. Such widespread use makes it hard to escape exposure.
Research from around the globe shows that the risk of developing cancer increases when you’re exposed to glyphosate. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup weed killer.
- A Canadian study found that the greater your exposure to glyphosate, the higher your risk of developing cancer.
- An American study found that cancer was more likely to be found in farm workers exposed to glyphosate.
- A Swedish study found that exposure to glyphosate doubles your cancer risk within 10 years.
- Studies by the World Health Organization prompted the health organization to classify glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic.”
These scientific studies are supported by a troubling increase in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in individuals exposed to Roundup weed killer. Otherwise healthy people are developing cancer at alarming rates. These victims all have one thing in common: exposure to Roundup.
Lawsuits Allege Monsanto Knew About Glyphosate Risks
Monsanto has been named in thousands of Roundup injury lawsuits in the United States. Many of these lawsuits have been filed by individuals who developed cancer after exposure to the pesticide. Among other things, the lawsuits accuse Monsanto of:
- Knowing that exposure to the active ingredient in Roundup presented “human health risks”
- Failing to warn consumers about these health risks
- Misrepresenting the health risks to government agencies and consumers, and
- Manipulating studies to conceal demonstrated risks associated with exposure to glyphosate.
Companies like Monsanto have an obligation to make sure that the products they sell are safe. If the company knows of any dangers or health risks it has a legal duty to warn consumers. Monsanto could be liable for harm caused by its pesticide if it misled or failed to warn consumers about known risks.
How Can I File a Roundup Weed Killer Lawsuit?
It’s nearly impossible to escape exposure to Roundup weed killer. Three decades of studies revealed that exposure to glyphosate can increase the risk of developing cancer. Evidence suggests that Monsanto knew about this risk but failed to provide any warning. Worse, the company refused to even acknowledge the possibility.
You may have the right to file a Roundup weed killer lawsuit against Bayer and Monsanto if you have been:
- Exposed to Roundup weed killer, and
- Diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma or other serious health issues.
Only an experienced attorney will be able to tell you if you have a legitimate case on your hands. Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers for your free, no-obligation consultation with our legal team.
Our compassionate attorneys will carefully review your case and answer any questions you have. If you decide to file a lawsuit, we’ll stand by your side and help you fight for the money you deserve. Call our law firm to get started today.