A federal judge restarted dozens of pending cases involving the weed killer Roundup after a settlement totaling $10.9 billion had been reached in other cases. The Roundup litigation had been stayed in order to give Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, the opportunity to negotiate a settlement. Now U.S. District Judge Vince Chabria plans to move forward and has scheduled deadlines throughout 2021.
Moving Forward
Bayer had hoped to settle a majority of the cases this year. However, the settlement that was reached only involved about half of the cases involved in the multi-district litigation (MDL). The judge is looking to quickly adjudicate the remaining cases to avoid prolonged litigation. The court’s special master believes all of the matters will settle before trial.
Bayer is hoping for settlement as they haven’t faired well in past trials. Juries in California awarded verdicts of $80 million and $2 billion in 2019. Another verdict of $289 million was handed down in 2018. An appeals court reduced the 2018 verdict by $20 million, and the other two verdicts are currently on appeal. The California Supreme Court refused to review the 2018 case.
Allegations in the Cases
All of the lawsuits allege that Roundup weed killer caused cancer, specifically non-Hodgkins lymphoma, in consumers who used the product. The cases further allege that Bayer’s predecessor, Monsanto, was aware of the risks but continued to market the product as safe for the public. Juries have found that Monsanto’s efforts to cover up the dangers posed by their product were so egregious that punitive damages were awarded to plaintiffs.
What About New Claims?
Since a number of cases have already settled, you may wonder what the status is for new claims. If you’ve developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma after using Roundup weed killer, the most important step you can take is to consult with an experienced product liability attorney. An attorney can help you explore your options and decide on the next steps.
Contact an Experienced Product Liability Attorney
If you developed cancer after using Roundup, you should have an experienced attorney evaluate your case. Gregg Goldfarb has been helping the victims of dangerous products for over 25 years. Contact us online or call us at 305-374-7000 to schedule a free consultation.