New York — A Georgia jury has ordered Bayer, the parent company of Monsanto, to pay nearly $2.1 billion in damages to a man who contends that the company’s Roundup weed killer contributed to his development of cancer. This ruling, announced Friday, is part of an ongoing legal battle over the herbicide, which has been the center of thousands of lawsuits.
The jury awarded $65 million in compensatory damages along with $2 billion in punitive damages. This judgment stands as one of the most significant penalties issued in cases associated with Roundup. Bayer has indicated plans to appeal the verdict.
The plaintiff, John Barnes, initiated his lawsuit in 2021, alleging that his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was linked to his exposure to Roundup. Kyle Findley, an attorney representing Barnes, expressed hope that the verdict will help secure necessary treatment for his client moving forward. He described the verdict as an exposure of the truth about the product and an important milestone in the fight against what he deemed Monsanto’s disregard for the safety of consumers.
Since acquiring Monsanto in 2018, the German company has faced mounting claims regarding Roundup’s safety. Bayer continues to assert that the herbicide is safe, despite having placed $16 billion aside to handle the litigation, which encompasses over 177,000 lawsuits.
In response to the recent verdict, Monsanto argued that it contradicts a substantial consensus of scientific evidence and regulatory evaluations globally. The company reiterated its confidence in the safety of Roundup products, which are essential for modern agricultural practices by enabling the use of genetically modified crops designed to withstand its herbicidal properties.
Research has linked glyphosate, Roundup’s primary active ingredient, to cancer, though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has consistently maintained that it is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk when used according to instructions. Nonetheless, numerous lawsuits alleged that glyphosate has been linked to non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with critics accusing Monsanto of failing to adequately warn the public about these potential dangers.
Findley emphasized that evidence from Barnes’ case indicates a pattern of concealment and complicity concerning scientific studies that revealed toxicity associated with Roundup. He accused the company of attempting to mislead and distract from the evidence showing the correlation between its product and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
This latest decision marks the fourth time Findley’s legal team has secured a win in Roundup-related trials, with the largest award previously reaching $2.25 billion in Philadelphia in January 2024. Findley noted that his law firm represents many others facing similar challenges.
Meanwhile, Monsanto has reaffirmed its commitment to litigate against claims regarding Roundup’s safety, pointing out that it has won 17 out of 25 recent trials. The company argues that it intends to continue defending its products vigorously.
As the company faces increasing scrutiny, Bayer has also expanded efforts in various U.S. states to shield pesticide manufacturers from liability for not warning consumers about cancer risks, as long as product labeling aligns with EPA guidelines. While proponents argue this aims to stabilize an untenable litigation landscape, opponents warn that such measures could undermine accountability.
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