A court in Missouri has ruled that German chemical giant Bayer must pay US$1.56 billion to four plaintiffs who claimed that the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup caused harm including cancer, as reported by Reuters.
In its Nov. 17 verdict — the latest in a series of lawsuits against the company — the jury found that Monsanto, a Bayer company, was responsible for allegations of negligence, design defects and failing to warn plaintiffs about dangers. potential use of Roundup, according to court documents reported by Reuters on November 19.
Since acquiring US agrochemical company Monsanto – owner of Roundup – for US$63 billion in 2018, Bayer has faced a series of lawsuits.
Valorie Gunther of New York, Jimmy Draeger of Missouri and Daniel Anderson of California were awarded a combined total of US$61.1 million in compensatory damages and US$500 million each in punitive damages in the latest case, it was reported.
They alleged that the use of Roundup on their family properties was the cause of the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosed in each of the three plaintiffs. Additionally, Draeger's wife, Brenda, was awarded US$100,000 for damages she allegedly suffered due to her husband's illness.
Reuters reported that the appeal could reduce punitive damages as they exceeded US Supreme Court guidance.
The company, which markets the Roundup brand, has repeatedly stated that decades of studies have shown its active ingredient, glyphosate, to be safe for human use.
Bayer faces fourth unfavorable Roundup-related court ruling
Bayer faced its fourth consecutive court ruling. She was held responsible for the verdict. This came after the company was cleared of nine previous claims, as stated in the report.
In a statement, Bayer said it had strong reasons to seek the overturn of the recent verdicts through an appeal.
In October, a Philadelphia jury awarded retired restaurant owner Ernest Caranci a verdict of US$175 million. Caranci claimed that he developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma due to continued use of Roundup in his garden. This claim was reported by Agri-Pulse on November 9. Now, he is appealing against that verdict as his last resort.
In 2020, Bayer resolved the majority of Roundup claims, totaling up to US$10.9 billion. However, on November 19, Reuters reported that approximately 50,000 cases were still pending related to Roundup.
The company was unsuccessful in its appeal to the US Supreme Court. The goal was to challenge the plaintiffs' ability to sue under state law, as stated in the report.
Source: Oils & Fats International
