Roundup Lawsuits linked to Cancer

Roundup is one of America’s most popular weed killers. However, an important jury decision in August 2018 raised fears Monsanto’s herbicide is linked to thousands of cases of cancer. Roundup lawsuits linked to cancer have been filed across the nation.

Monsanto was hit by a $289 million verdict in the first trial over claims that Roundup weed killer causes cancer. Monsanto appealed the decision of a jury in San Francisco.

The case was brought by Dewayne Johnson, a former school groundskeeper. The trial was expedited because doctors didn’t think he’d live long enough to learn the verdict if the trial took its scheduled course.

The trial was an important bellwether case and a test of the strength of the evidence against Monsanto. It will serve as a template for litigating thousands of other claims over the herbicide.

Johnson sought $412 million in damages. Jurors awarded him $39 million for his losses and $250 million in punitive damages to punish Monsanto for a defective product and failing to warn of Roundup’s risks. In October 2018, Judge Suzanne Bolanos slashed the original award to $78 million. Monsanto sought a new trial or judgment in its favor.

Johnson, 46, sprayed Roundup and another similar herbicide product in his job as a pest control manager at a San Francisco Bay area school district. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014 at the age of 42. His doctor said he had less than three years to live at the time of the trial. Roundup is a popular product that has been used for decades. However, the number of Roundup lawsuits linked to cancer is growing.

What is Roundup?

Roundup weed killer was developed in 1970. It is the most popular herbicide in the world. Health concerns about the product relate to the presence of glyphosate in Roundup.

Glyphosate is found in products in homes and garages across America. It’s the second most widely used lawn and garden weed killer in the country. Roundup products have been promoted as user-friendly and effective on poison ivy, kudzu and other weeds.

The main use of Roundup is in agriculture. Nearly every acre of corn, soy, and cotton grown in the United States is treated with glyphosate, according to many reports.

Seeds were genetically engineered to tolerate the chemical, reported National Geographic. The genetically modified seeds produce plants that are resistant to glyphosate. This means farmers can apply the weed killer to entire fields without worrying about destroying crops.