In November 2023, a Missouri jury ordered Bayer and Monsanto to award three plaintiffs with $1.56 billion in damages. The plaintiffs each developed Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma after regularly using Roundup weed killer. This verdict marks the largest Roundup settlement since the $2.05 billion award in 2018.
The jury found Bayer and Monsanto liable for product design defects, company negligence, and failure to sufficiently warn users about the potential link between Roundup exposure and cancer. The plaintiffs were awarded a combined total of $61.1 million in compensatory damages for their suffering. The wife of one plaintiff was also awarded an additional $100,000. However, the most significant portion of the payout was in punitive damages. The jury ordered Bayer and Monsanto to pay $1.5 billion dollars intended to penalize them for their corporate misconduct.
As with the 2018 award, it is likely that this massive payout will be substantially reduced upon appeal. This is fairly typical for verdicts with punitive damages that exceed four times the value of the compensatory damages. Nonetheless, the $1.5 billion in punitive damages is a clear signal to Bayer/Monsanto that its corporate conduct is unacceptable.
Future plans for Bayer and Monsanto
This marks the fourth consecutive losing trial for Bayer and Monsanto, a contrast to their legal successes in 2022. Even in the face of multiple huge verdicts against them in a single year, Bayer and Monsanto are not backing down. They vowed to appeal the ruling, a sign that they will continue to maintain their stance that Roundup is safe to use.
Although Bayer and Monsanto are likely to succeed in their appeal efforts, their persistent denial of liability appears to be losing traction in court. If the companies do not decide to reach a settlement to resolve the thousands of remaining Roundup lawsuits, their legal and financial woes could continue to get worse.
These recent 2023 verdicts after a string of losses against Bayer and Monsanto in 2022 have turned the tides for the future of the Roundup lawsuit. If you or an immediate family member developed Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma or another type of lymphoma or leukemia after using Roundup weed killer, see if you qualify to receive compensation today.
