Yesterday, a San Francisco jury returned a $289M verdict in favor of a man dying from non-Hodgkins lymphoma against Monsanto. The plaintiff, a 46-year-old former groundskeeper, alleged that the St. Louis company’s Roundup weedkiller caused his cancer. Doctors said he was unlikely to live past 2020, so his case was fast-tracked.
Before the verdict, the question of whether glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup (as well as the more-concentrated Ranger Pro weed killer) caused cancer was debated. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organization, classified it as a “probable human carcinogen” in 2015; and California followed by adding it to its list of chemicals known to cause cancer. The EPA, however, said Roundup’s active ingredient was safe when used in accordance with label directions.
After hearing the evidence and deliberating for three days, the jury returned a unanimous verdict against Monsanto, awarding $39M in compensatory damages and $250M in punitive damages. Specifically, the jury found that: (1) the company failed to warn the plaintiff and other consumers of the cancer risks posed by Roundup; and (2) Monsanto acted with reckless disregard for human life. Among other things, the jury heard evidence “proving that the company had known for decades that glyphosate and specifically Roundup could cause cancer.”
McInnes Law is representing non-Hodgkins lymphoma patients who regularly used Roundup or Ranger Pro. There are thousands of other cases pending across the country. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with cancer after being exposed to Roundup or Ranger Pro, please contact McInnes Law today.