Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – A jury in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court has awarded $175 million in damages against the maker of Roundup weed killer, ruling in favor of an 83-year-old man who claimed the product caused his cancer. The verdict came after a three-week trial examining the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, along with another chemical compound. The jury granted $150 million in punitive damages to plaintiff Ernest Caranci.
Glyphosate was developed by Monsanto in the 1970s and Roundup has since been sold in over 160 countries, including widespread use in the United States. In 2018, Bayer acquired Monsanto. Lawyers for Caranci expressed satisfaction with the jury’s decision, believing it to be a sign of things to come in the broader Roundup litigation nationwide.
Bayer, however, plans to appeal the verdict. In an emailed statement, the company respectfully disagreed with the jury’s divided decision, confident that the ruling could be overturned due to legal and evidentiary errors made during the trial. Bayer highlighted its success in the Roundup litigation, having won nine out of eleven recent cases.
According to Caranci’s attorneys, their client regularly used more than 500 gallons of Roundup for lawn and garden purposes between 1989 and 2014, without any protective equipment recommended by Monsanto. As a result, Caranci developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and is currently undergoing treatment for the fourth recurrence of his cancer.
Despite the verdict, Roundup remains widely available for sale. In 2020, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a finding that glyphosate poses no significant risks to human health when used in accordance with label instructions and that it is unlikely to be a human carcinogen. However, the EPA indicated its intention to revisit and clarify its evaluation of glyphosate’s carcinogenic potential.
Bayer previously announced its decision to settle Roundup litigation for up to $10.9 billion. The settlement covered approximately 125,000 filed and unfiled claims. Under the agreement, Bayer committed to payout $8.8 billion to $9.6 billion to address existing litigation and set aside $1.25 billion for any potential future claims.
In conclusion, a Philadelphia jury has ruled in favor of a man claiming Roundup weed killer caused his cancer, awarding him $175 million. While Bayer plans to appeal the decision, the outcome of this case could have significant implications for the ongoing Roundup litigation nationally. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, remains under scrutiny despite the EPA’s earlier determination that it poses no risks of concern to human health.