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Record $2.25 Billion Verdict Rattles Roundup Manufacturers

In a record-breaking verdict, a Philadelphia jury ordered Roundup manufacturers Bayer and Monsanto to pay $2.25 billion in damages to the plaintiff. The jury found that the companies failed to adequately warn the public about the potential cancer risk associated with exposure to glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup. This verdict marks the largest payout to date the Roundup lawsuit.

After deliberating for one hour, the jury decided to punish Bayer and Monsanto with $2 billion in punitive damages. John McKivision, the plaintiff who developed Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma after using Roundup, was also awarded $250 million in compensatory damages. The substantial difference between the  punitive and compensatory damage amounts indicates that the jury placed emphasis on the companies’ negligence when determining the outcome of the case.

“It was a strong and decisive and unanimous declaration,” said Thomas R. Kline, one of the plaintiff’s attorneys. He claimed that the court had heard “three weeks of damning testimony about some of the most egregious corporate misconduct in American history.” He added that the jury “spoke strength and with conviction.”

The plaintiff’s attorneys believe that this substantial verdict sends a clear message that Bayer and Monsanto need to enact comprehensive changes in their Roundup operations.

Bayer and Monsanto’s plans moving forward

Bayer and Monsanto plan to appeal the decision in an effort to reduce the damages they owe. Although they intended to resolve all remaining Roundup claims in 2020 with a $10 billion settlement, there are still over 4,000 pending cases in a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) as of 2024. 

A new trial is scheduled to begin in a Delaware state court in early February. Bayer and Monsanto do not have very much time to prepare before they face their next legal battle.

Now that Bayer and Monsanto are being repeatedly held accountable in court, now’s the time to join the lawsuit against the manufacturers of Roundup. 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.