Atlanta, GA — In a landmark legal decision, a Georgia jury awarded nearly $2.1 billion to John Barnes, a plaintiff who developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using Roundup weed killer for several decades. This verdict is one of the largest against the product to date and stands as the largest-ever single-plaintiff injury verdict in Georgia’s history.
Bayer, the current owner of Monsanto, which produces Roundup, expressed its intention to challenge the jury’s decision. The company has faced several courtroom battles over Roundup, maintaining the product’s safety despite claiming it plans to appeal against the ruling based on what it considers substantial legal and constitutional errors by the trial court.
This significant award follows a series of legal actions involving Roundup. Bayer acquired Monsanto in 2018 and inherited the legal battles over the alleged carcinogenic effects of the herbicide. In 2020, it agreed to a massive $10 billion settlement to resolve around 75% of the pending cases related to Roundup. However, not all cases were covered under this settlement, and litigation has continued with new lawsuits emerging.
Bayer has highlighted its track record in court, winning 17 of the 25 most recent Roundup trials. Despite this, recent months have seen a diverse range of outcomes in trials involving the product, including multiple plaintiff and defense verdicts and a mistrial.
The ongoing legal battles have motivated Bayer to seek a more definitive conclusion to the Roundup litigation saga. The company has reserved nearly $6 billion for these legal disputes and is aiming to bring a case to the U.S. Supreme Court in the 2025–26 session. Bayer hopes to resolve the litigation based on the federal preemption argument, championed by the idea that federal laws on pesticide regulation should override state laws that enable claims about insufficient warning of cancer risks from Roundup.
Legal and industry analysts observe that these ongoing trials could shape future regulations and litigation strategies not only for Bayer but for the entire pesticide industry. This situation is also complicated by varied rulings from different circuit courts on federal preemption, an issue likely ripe for Supreme Court review.
Recently, Bayer has supported state legislation that might insulate it from future lawsuits similar to those it currently faces. For example, Georgia passed a law last week, now awaiting the governor’s signature, that would protect pesticide companies from certain types of legal claims. However, attempts to pass similar laws in Idaho, Iowa, and Missouri have failed, reflecting the complex and often contentious nature of pesticide regulation and litigation.
As Bayer maneuvers through both legislative and judicial pathways, the outcomes of this litigation could set new precedents for product liability and corporate responsibility. These court cases not only determine compensations but also influence the regulatory landscape for agricultural chemicals in the U.S. and possibly internationally.
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