Jury Awards $289 Million to California Man in Monsanto Roundup Verdict
A California jury recently awarded $289.2 million in damages to a man who claimed that Monsanto’s Roundup and Ranger Pro products caused him to develop terminal cancer.
First of Multiple Cases Alleging Roundup Causes Cancer
The man, Dewayne “Lee” Johnson, 46, worked as a school district groundskeeper near San Francisco and used Monsanto’s Roundup products for over two years in the course of his employment. He has non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The jury found that Monsanto either knew about the health risks involved in using its Roundup and Ranger Pro products or should have known.
Monsanto is a unit of Bayer AG.
Mr. Johnson’s case was the first of roughly 4,000 to 5,000 similar cases pending against Monsanto and Bayer AG, alleging that a key ingredient in Roundup, glyphosate, causes cancer of multiple types. They also argue that the company concealed evidence about the product’s ability to cause cancer.
Many of the plaintiffs whose cases are up next are involved in California agriculture, which uses Roundup and similar products extensively. Given the number of cases pending, the legal costs to Monsanto are potentially very steep, running to the millions or billions, and the court cases long-lasting.
Monsanto Plans Appeal
However, the company immediately announced plans to appeal the verdict. Monsanto has long argued that studies have proved glyphosate is safe for human safe and is not a carcinogen. The company cited studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and, the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
In fact, major environmental and public health organizations disagree about any carcinogenic capability of glyphosate. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, for example, assessed the risks in a decade-long project concluded last year. It ultimately determined that glyphosate was not likely to cause cancer. The World Health Organization’s cancer unit, on the other hand, classified the chemical as “probably carcinogenic” three years ago.
Monsanto officials also stated that the trial allowed overly emotional testimony and swayed the jury.
If You Need to Speak to a Roundup Cancer Lawyer
If you or a loved one has developed cancer, including myeloma leukemia or non-Hodgkin lymphoma, after using Roundup, call the the Ellis Law Firm today. People with cancer and a history of using Roundup may be entitled to significant financial damages as compensation. A Roundup lawsuit can compensate victims for any work-related income they have lost, for any diminished earnings capacity, for their medical and hospital expenses, and for emotional consequences such as loss of quality of life.
We have more than two decades of experience successfully litigating and winning cases involving dangerous and defective products in Southern California.
Please call our office for a free and confidential legal consultation at 310-641-3335 today. Our award-winning Roundup cancer lawyers are dedicated to advocating for your rights.
Additional Resources:
- Bellon, Tina. Legal experts: Monsanto will have a tough time appealing Roundup verdict on ‘junk science’ grounds. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 14, 2018. https://www.stltoday.com/business/local/legal-experts-monsanto-will-have-a-tough-time-appealing-roundup/article_f66c6312-8a38-5b0c-97fb-916d4cc66e41.html
- Scipioni, Jade. Roundup’s $289M cancer verdict opens up floodgates for thousands of other lawsuits. Fox Business. August 13, 2018. https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/roundups-289m-cancer-verdict-opens-up-floodgates-for-thousands-of-other-lawsuits