Here’s the Latest on Monsanto Roundup Trials

Unfortunately for many victims of Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer product, the COVID-19 outbreak has stalled thousands of cases against the agrochemical giant. Even before the coronavirus closed courts across the country, Monsanto sought to delay any trials alleging that Roundup causes certain subtypes of non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.

Bayer is withdrawing from settlement agreements

Now, many plaintiff attorneys that have negotiated large-scale settlement deals with Bayer (Bayer acquired Monsanto in June 2018) claim that Bayer has reneged on their agreements.

Several Roundup cases that we have filed in the St. Louis City Court, where Monsanto’s headquarters was formerly located, have seen delays because of the virus.

Appellate Roundup case in San Francisco continues in June

One case that continues to progress, however, is the appellate case from the first Roundup trial in a federal district court in San Francisco. In that case, the plaintiff was a former groundskeeper that routinely used Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer.

The jurors found that exposure to glyphosate, the primary active ingredient in Roundup, caused the plaintiff’s non-Hodgkin lymphoma. They awarded $289 million in damages, including $250 million in punitive damages meant to punish Monsanto and deter other chemical companies from similar conduct.

Obviously, Bayer was never going to pay that kind of money without a fight. They appealed the verdict, and the appellate case is currently scheduled to be heard on June 2, 2020. Both parties have filed their briefs in support of their case.

Consumer groups file amicus briefs in San Francisco case

In addition, many consumer protection groups and other organizations have filed amicus briefs. Amicus briefs are legal documents filed by individuals or organizations that are not parties to the lawsuit but have a strong interest in the issues in the case. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) was one of the organizations that filed an amicus brief in the San Francisco case.

In their brief, the EWG strongly criticizes Monsanto and the EPA for the EPA’s risk assessment of glyphosate – which EWG suggests was done to cast doubt on the recent Roundup verdicts.

One of the primary areas of criticism is the unreliability of the studies cited by the EPA. Many of these studies ignore critical methods of glyphosate entering the body (e.g., breathing in glyphosate particles during occupational exposure to Roundup).

Additionally, many of the studies outright ignore independent studies that had strong evidence of glyphosate’s connection to cancer. The second primary criticism is that many of the studies that the EPA relied on most heavily were conducted or funded by Monsanto. How reliable can a study be when the folks paying for the study have a huge financial interest in the results of the study?

We will see whether the June 2^nd appeal date remains in light of the changing coronavirus restrictions. Regardless, we will continue to monitor this trial and other Roundup trials.

Diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma after Roundup exposure? Contact us today.

If you have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma and have used Roundup or other weedkillers, please feel free to contact us to evaluate your potential claim. There is absolutely no downside to talking with a Roundup cancer attorney to find out if you may have a viable claim.

For your free case evaluation, call us at (312) 578-9501 or message us by completing the form at the bottom of this page.