Have you been diagnosed with cancer after using Roundup or any other glyphosate-based weed killer? If so, you could be entitled to recover compensation from Monsanto.

Monsanto is losing the fight against angry cancer patients

After the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) declared glyphosate a probable human carcinogen in 2015, more than forty thousand Roundup cancer lawsuits have been filed against Monsanto. So far, cancer victims are winning. Monsanto (now Bayer) lost the first three Roundup cancer trial lawsuits. Plaintiffs were awarded $289 million, $80 million, and $2 billion in damages.

Roundup cancer lawsuit win #1

On August 10, 2018, school groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson was awarded a $289 million verdict by a San Francisco jury. The jury found that Monsanto failed to warn consumers about the risk for cancer connected to using glyphosate – the main ingredient in Roundup. Johnson was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2014 and was given just years to live. He was the first cancer victim to take Monsanto to trial.

Johnson regularly mixed and used Roundup as part of his job. In an interview with Time.com, Johnson said one day the sprayer broke and he got drenched in the pesticide. He washed up in the sink and took a shower when he got home, but didn’t think the exposure was a big deal.

Johnson developed a small rash that quickly got worse until he developed lesions on his face, lips, arms, and legs. In 2014 his doctor did a biopsy and Johnson was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

During this trial, internal emails from Monsanto were brought to light that had disturbing content. The emails discussed Monsanto having ghostwritten scientific papers to assert the safety of glyphosate and also discussed plans to discredit the IARC.

Roundup cancer lawsuit win #2

Edwin Hardeman was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2014 after using Roundup. Hardeman was awarded $80 million by a jury in March 2019. The jury wasn’t completely convinced that Roundup causes cancer, but awarded Hardeman $80 million in damages because Monsanto showed a lack of concern regarding glyphosate’s potential status as a carcinogen.

The jury awarded Hardeman $5 million in compensatory damages and $75 in punitive damages.

Naturally, this ruling was criticized by people who don’t agree with awarding damages for what amounts to bad corporate behavior. However, this ruling is a major win for those who know their cancer diagnosis is connected to Roundup.

Roundup cancer lawsuit win #3

On May 13, 2019 a California jury awarded an Oakland couple more than $2 billion in damages. After using Roundup around their property for more than 30 years, Alberta and Alva Pilliod were both diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma just four years apart. Once again, the jury found that Monsanto failed to warn consumers about the possible carcinogenic nature of Roundup.

The Pilliods were awarded $55 million in compensatory damages and $2 billion in punitive damages.

Despite a reduction for all three verdicts, these cases are still massive wins

In spite of reduced damages, all three plaintiffs still boast massive wins and their final damage awards predict additional successful cancer lawsuits against Monsanto.

On October 22, 2018, Johnson’s $289 million verdict was reduced to $78 million during an appeal.

A district judge reduced Hardeman’s $75 million punitive damages award on constitutional grounds, according to Reuters. Past U.S. Supreme Court rulings have limited punitive to compensatory damages to a 9:1 ratio. The total damages awarded to Hardeman were reduced to $25.27 million.

The third roundup cancer lawsuit verdict was reduced from $2.055 billion to $87 million. Despite the reduction, the judge supported the jury in determining that Roundup had been a “substantial factor” in causing the Pilliods’ non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Monsanto (now Bayer) is facing even more losses in court as tens of thousands of additional Roundup lawsuits have been filed.