Roundup Lawsuit Update - August 2022
To date, Bayer / Monsanto has reached Roundup settlement agreements in nearly 100,000 Roundup Weed Killer Lawsuits, totaling approximately $11 billion. The company accomplished this by negotiating global Roundup settlement arrangements with Roundup lawyers who have large numbers of cases in the ongoing Roundup litigation.
Although these Roundup settlements account for nearly 80% of all pending Roundup exposure claims, there are still about 26,000 new Roundup lawsuits. Most recent Roundup lawsuits have been filed in Supreme Court. However, there are still over 4,000 Roundup claims in the Roundup MDL pending in California Supreme Court.
What is Roundup?
Glyphosate-based Roundup is a herbicide used to control many varieties of invasive exotic plants. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, inhibits a specific enzyme called EPSP synthase, which plants need to grow.
Without EPSP synthase, plants are unable to produce other proteins essential to growth, so they wither and die over days or weeks.
Since most plants require EPSP synthase, almost all forms of vegetation succumb to Roundup.
Use of the active ingredient glyphosate has soared in recent years as Monsanto continues to market Roundup Ready crops, which account for most corn and soybeans now grown in the U.S.
These crops are genetically modified (GMO) to be resistant to glyphosate, allowing farmers to spray their fields without damaging the crops.
Roundup Exposure ‘Probably’ Causes Cancer: Report
In 1985, a committee from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that Roundup may cause cancer, according to the New York Times.
Six years later, the agency reversed itself after re-evaluating the study it had based its original conclusion on.
Now the issue is back again. In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is the cancer research arm of the WHO, published a report in The Lancet Oncology that found that the glyphosate contained in Roundup “probably” causes cancer in humans.
“All three lines of evidence sort of said the same thing, which is we ought to be concerned about this,” said Aaron Blair, a retired epidemiologist from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and chairman of the group of 17 reviewers who unanimously agreed with the classification.
Injuries & Side Effects
Our lawyers are investigating personal injury lawsuits for people who developed the following forms of cancer after using or being exposed to Roundup:
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Large Diffuse B-cell Lymphoma
- Follicular Lymphoma
- Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma
- Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma
- Mantle Cell lymphoma (MCL)
- Primary Central Nervous System (CNS) Lymphoma
Roundup and the Risk of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
A broad scientific analysis of the Roundup cancer-causing potential of glyphosate herbicides has found that people with high exposures to the popular pesticides have a 41% increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Who Is at Risk of Developing Roundup-Related Cancer?
You can get cancer from Roundup by:
- Getting it on your skin while spraying.
- Getting it on your skin from touching wet crops.
- Breathing it in while spraying.
- Swallowing accidentally while spraying.
- Eating, drinking, or smoking after applying while wet product is on your hands.
How Toxic is Roundup?
Glyphosate has long been considered by many to be completely safe because it works by inhibiting an enzyme pathway that only exists in green plants, and not in humans or other animals.
Since the introduction of Roundup-Ready crops -- which Monsanto engineered to be resistant to glyphosate -- in the mid-1990s, American farmers have been able to use large quantities of the Monsanto roundup herbicide to kill weeds selectively.
However, according to Roundup cancer lawsuits, numerous studies have also suggested that glyphosate may not be as safe as originally believed.
A recent collaborative study published in Mutation Research reported that individuals with significant exposure to Roundup (i.e. those who spray it) could have a 41% increased relative risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Roundup Usage Data and Statistics
Since 1974 in the U.S., over 1.6 billion kilograms of glyphosate active ingredients have been applied, or 19 % of the estimated global use of glyphosate (8.6 billion kilograms). Two-thirds of the total volume of glyphosate applied in the U.S. from 1974 to 2014 has been sprayed in just the last 10 years.
Roundup Lawsuit Updates
June 30, 2022 - The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a second Roundup MDL verdict, this time the $87 million verdict for Alberta and Alva Pilliod. Bayer had a slightly different additional argument that the punitive damages award violated the U.S. Constitution.
Most experts believe that Bayer will need to pay at least $5 billion to settle the remaining outstanding 30,000 Roundup lawsuits. That would be an average Roundup settlement check of $167,000. This will not be enough money to settle these Roundup lawsuits.
However, not all of those 30,000 claims are viable Roundup lawsuits. But the Roundup settlement numbers look a lot better at 20,000 or 25,000 Roundup claims and Bayer putting up a few billion in addition to the $5 billion to increase Roundup settlement amounts to get these cases resolved.
June 22, 2022 - The Supreme Court rejected Bayer’s appeal on the next Roundup Cancer Lawsuit.
June 18, 2022 - Bayer won Johnson v. Monsanto in Oregon yesterday, marking Bayer’s fourth consecutive victory in a Roundup trial.
June 16, 2022 - The latest Roundup trial in the Northern District of Oregon – Johnson v. Monsanto (21-cv-10291) in Jackson County Circuit State Court – is moving along faster than Shelton did in Kansas City. The plaintiff rested last week and Monsanto is deep in the defense case. We could get a verdict this week.
June 14, 2022 - Yesterday, the State Court was poised to reject Bayer’s appeal. Instead, it took no action on the company’s effort to dismiss thousands of Roundup cancer lawsuits.
June 13, 2022 - This week, the Appeals Court is scheduled to decide on whether or not to hear the appeal filed by Bayer seeking to reverse the course of the Roundup litigation.
It has been almost a year since the State Court put off the initial decision on whether to hear the appeal and invited the Biden administration to weigh in on the issues. Since then, the Solicitor General has filed a brief advising the U.S. Supreme Court to reject Bayer’s legal arguments. Now all that remains is for the Court to formally deny the appeal.
CA Jury Awards Couple $2 Billion in Landmark Roundup Cancer Trial Verdict
May 14, 2019 - A jury in San Francisco, California, on Monday awarded more than $2 billion to a couple who claimed Roundup weed killer caused their cancer.
The recent Roundup Herbicide Lawsuit jury verdict spells bad news for Bayer, which still faces more than 13,000 future glyphosate cancer lawsuits.
Bayer shares fell 2% on the news, and have plummeted more than 45% this year, according to CNN Business.
As in its previous defeats, Bayer vows to fight the Roundup Lawsuit verdict and maintains that Roundup is completely safe, and one of the most thoroughly tested chemicals in existence.
Although Bayer did see a bit of good news last month when the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared that glyphosate is not carcinogenic, its best bet may be to settle the remainder of the Roundup litigation, or else the company may never hear the end of future Roundup claims.
California Jury Awards Plaintiff $80 Million Settlement in Monsanto Roundup Cancer Lawsuit
Monsanto has been ordered to pay an $80 million proposed settlement to a San Francisco man who claims that his development of non-Hodgkin lymphoma was the result of his use of Roundup, in a rare split-trial that could influence the outcome of thousands more cases.
Monsanto’s request to bifurcate the first federal trial involving allegations that Roundup caused cancer seems to have backfired, as Judge Chhabria in the ninth circuit court reached jury verdicts against Bayer, awarding the Plaintiff over $80 million in punitive damages.
Related Articles:
San Francisco Jury Rules Plaintiff’s Cancer Caused by Roundup
March 19, 2019 - The jury of 5 women and 1 man reached a unanimous decision in favor of plaintiff Ed Hardeman after deliberating for a week in a Roundup lawsuit, according to Law360.
The roundup jury verdict marks another costly setback for Bayer AG, which purchased v. Monsanto last August for about $63 billion, but which had to have seen at least a portion of these woes coming, as the litigation risk was already in full swing at the time.
During the Roundup lawsuit trial, Hardeman testified that he used Roundup for more than a quarter century (1986-2012) on his 56-acre property in Santa Rosa, CA, to kill weeds and poison oak.
During this process, Hardeman said mist from the herbicide fell onto his skin and face.
He was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2015 at age 66 and has since been forced to undergo cancer treatment.
Landmark Roundup Trial Ends in $289 Million Award to Plaintiff
August 13, 2018 - The jury ruled that Roundup herbicide and Ranger Pro products presented a “substantial danger” to the now 46-year-old Dewayne “Lee” Johnson, who developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using the spray for more than 2 years as a groundskeeper in San Francisco.
Jurors concluded that v. Monsanto knew or should have known of the potential health risks associated with the chemicals.
The jury awarded Johnson $289 million -- mostly in the form of punitive damages intended to dissuade v. Monsanto from allowing the same fate to befall others that Johnson was forced to endure.
Roundup Labels to Carry Cancer Warning in California
June 27, 2017 - A California judge has ruled that Monsanto must warn consumers of the cancer risk on the Roundup label.
If California carries out the proposal, it would be the first state in the U.S. to require such strict labeling for Monsanto Roundup, the most widely-used agricultural chemical on earth.
Related Article: What is Failure to Wan in Product Liability Claims?
Roundup Lawsuits Allege Monsanto Acted Negligently
June 22, 2017 - A lawsuit has been filed against Monsanto in Wisconsin federal court by a group of plaintiffs who claim that Roundup herbicide is mislabeled with the statement that its active ingredient targets an enzyme not found in humans or pets.
The complaint (PDF), filed Tuesday by 6 consumers from states across the U.S., focuses on companies that sell Roundup, rather than physical injuries alleged from the weed killer. Scotts Miracle-Gro Co., which also markets Roundup products, is named as a co-defendant in the Roundup Cancer Case.
Glyphosate vs. Dicamba
Even more toxic than glyphosate is dicamba, a new herbicide designed for use on Monsanto's next generation of biotech crops. According to the Pesticide Management Education Program (PMEP) at Cornell University, dicamba is toxic by ingestion, inhalation, and dermal exposure.
Read more: Dicamba Lawsuit
The WHO Approves Roundup Ready Soybeans
The European Union (EU) has approved the import and processing of Monsanto Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans, after debates over the potential health risks of glyphosate delayed introduction of the genetically modified crops for months.
The Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans have gone through a rigorous authorization protocol, including a favorable scientific assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). GMO crops are now authorized to be used both in human and animal food, but not for planting in the EU.
The authorization is valid for a decade; however, “any products produced from these GMOs will be subject to the EU’s strict labeling and traceability rules,” according to the European Commission.
40 Californians File Monsanto Roundup Lawsuits
April 5, 2017 - Forty California agricultural workers have filed a products liability lawsuit against Monsanto alleging that Roundup weedkiller caused them to develop “non-Hodgkin lymphoma and other cancers, other permanent defects and permanent bodily impairments.”
The complaint, filed last month in Alameda Supreme Court, alleges that Monsanto says Roundup is safe to use and poses no unreasonable health risk to humans or the environment.
Study Links Glyphosate to Autism
March 8, 2017 - A new study has been published linking glyphosate to an increased risk for autism.
For the study (PDF), a research team led by William Shaw, Ph.D. of The Great Plains Laboratory, Inc. found extremely high levels of glyphosate in urine samples taken from a set of triplets. The amount of glyphosate dropped significantly after implementing a strict diet of organic foods, with improvements noted in the functioning of the children.
Roundup Linked to Liver Disease, Study Finds
January 10, 2017 - A new study has found that glyphosate causes non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in laboratory rats at very low doses.
The study, published Monday in Scientific Reports, used cutting-edge profiling methods to analyze the molecular composition of the livers of female rats that were given extremely low doses of Roundup herbicide (thousands of times lower than what is permitted by worldwide health regulators) over 2 years.
EPA Panel to Investigate Roundup Cancer Link
December 13, 2016 - The EPA is holding a three-day series of meetings this week dedicated to examining evidence linking Monsanto Roundup to cancer, according to The Hill.
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Scientific Advisory Panel (FIFRA) will meet first on Tuesday to review a set of scientific issues regarding EPA’s evaluation of the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate.
The goal of the meetings is to determine how the agency should interpret relevant data and how this information should translate into a “carcinogen risk” classification for glyphosate.
Glyphosate Found in Oatmeal, Baby Food
October 3, 2016 - The FDA has found residues of glyphosate in a variety of oat products including plain and flavored oat cereals for babies.
Data (PDF) presented by FDA chemists at a meeting in Florida showed residues of glyphosate in the following products:
- “Cinnamon spice” instant oatmeal
- “Maple brown sugar” instant oatmeal
- "Peach and cream" instant oatmeal
- Banana strawberry and other banana-flavored varieties of infant oat cereal
- Other similar products
Glyphosate Linked to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS, Study Finds
A new study has found that glyphosate alters DNA function, increasing the risk for several serious, potentially life-threatening diseases.
According to the study, entitled “Glyphosate pathways to modern diseases V: Amino acid analog of glycine in diverse proteins”, glyphosate acts as a glycine analog that incorporates into peptides during protein synthesis.
When this occurs, the herbicide changes proteins that depend on conserved glycine to function.
According to the study, glyphosate substitution for glycine is associated with several serious diseases including (but not limited to):
- Type 2 diabetes
- Obesity
- Asthma
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Parkinson’s disease
Glycine, the smallest of the 20 amino acids found in proteins, has unique properties that can anchor to the plasma membrane or cytoskeleton.
The new study, taken in conjunction with correlating data, makes a compelling argument that glyphosate action as a glycine analog accounts for a high percentage of glyphosate’s toxicity.
This mechanism affects humans and other organisms in several ways including:
- Impaired fatty acid release leads to obesity;
- Impaired insulin receptor response leading to type 2 diabetes;
- Impaired one-carbon metabolism leading to neural tube defects and autism;
- Impaired cell cycle control during DNA synthesis, and
- Dysregulated phosphorylation cascades lead to cancer, lung disorders, and autoimmune diseases.
Is Glyphosate a Carcinogen?
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer stated in 2015 that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” CNN reported that hundreds of Roundup users with non-Hodgkin lymphoma started suing the manufacturers of glyphosate herbicides after WHO made its announcement.
Effective 2023: Glyphosate No Longer Available for Residential Use
Bayer plans to reformulate Roundup for residential use in 2023. As part of its plan to thwart future litigation, Bayer will stop selling glyphosate-based herbicides for residential use in the US beginning in 2023, the company said during a call with investors.
Glyphosate Approved in Europe Despite Cancer Fears
June 30, 2016 - A European Commission has extended approval of the herbicide glyphosate through 2017 after EU member states failed to either approve or ban the chemical.
The EU's current approval of glyphosate was set to expire today, according to EcoWatch.
Had that happened, the consumer market and manufacturers would have had to phase out products containing the active ingredient within 6 months.
Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis announced the last-minute extension on Tuesday, despite failing 3 consecutive times to secure a majority decision from the EU member states.
Scientists Urge EPA to Ban Glyphosate
June 17, 2016 - A delegation of independent scientists has urged the EPA to ban Monsanto’s flagship weed killer Roundup.
Providing testimony that Roundup poses an unreasonable environmental and public health threat, scientists spoke with EPA officials in a closed meeting at the O’Neill House Office Building in Washington, D.C.
The scientists laid out the physiological reasons why exposure to glyphosate can increase the risk of autism, Alzheimer’s, cancer, birth defects, obesity, and other serious health problems.
Judge Rejected EU Extension on Roundup Cases
June 6, 2016 - European Union nations have refused to back a limited extension on glyphosate, threatening withdrawal of the weed killer if no decision is reached by the end of the month.
EU representatives in Brussels today failed to pass a 1-2 year re-authorization of glyphosate to allow for completion of a safety assessment currently underway at the ECHA, according to Reuters.
Lawsuit Alleges Roundup Caused Bone Cancer in Farm Worker
A former California farm worker and law firm have filed a federal lawsuit against Monsanto alleging that Roundup caused her to develop bone cancer after years of exposure to Roundup.
According to the lawsuit, plaintiff Enrique Rubio sprayed Roundup on crops in California, Oregon, and Texas from 1986 to 1995, and was subsequently diagnosed with bone cancer at 38 years old.
Rubio claims that during her years as a field worker, she drove a tractor and used a hand pump to spray vegetables with weed killer with nothing more than a paper mask to protect her from the chemicals.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Against Monsanto in California
May 9, 2016 - Law firms and the widow of a California farmer have filed a lawsuit against Monsanto alleging that the company purposely downplayed the cancer risk associated with exposure to Roundup.
According to the Roundup weed killer lawsuit (PDF), Jack McCall developed terminal cancer after using Roundup herbicide for nearly 30 years.
In September 2015, McCall was admitted to a hospital with swollen lymph nodes in his neck.
His doctor informed him that the swelling was caused by anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a rare and aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
EPA Pulls Report Saying Glyphosate is Safe
May 5, 2016 - The EPA says it accidentally released an 87-page report which concluded that glyphosate is "not likely" to cause cancer in humans.
The documents, revoked earlier this week, are from a report by the EPA's Cancer Assessment Review Committee (PDF) which says "epidemiological studies in humans showed no association between glyphosate exposure" and 15 types of cancers, according to the Des Moines Register.
Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Glyphosate in Quaker Oats
May 2, 2016 - Quaker Oats is being sued for $5 million by a New York man who alleges the company uses glyphosate during production, according to the New York Post.
The class action was filed by Lewis Daly, a Brooklyn resident who claims Quaker Oats' advertising is "false, deceptive and misleading." Daly says the carcinogenic substance glyphosate is used to grow the oats and sprayed on them during harvest, undermining the company's claims that its products are "100 percent Natural."
Glyphosate Found in Many Breakfast Foods, Study Finds
April 20, 2016 - Glyphosate has found its way into many common breakfast foods including bagels, cereals, and eggs, according to a new report. According to the report, which was issued by the Alliance for Natural Health USA (ANH-USA), testing procured from Microbe Inotech Laboratories in St. Louis found detectable levels of glyphosate in 10 out of 24 breakfast food items including oatmeal, bagels, and coffee creamer. “Americans are consuming glyphosate in common foods daily,” ANH said.
See all product liability lawsuits we've taken on.
Who Can File the Roundup Lawsuit?
You may be able to file the Roundup lawsuit if you have a non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis and had regular exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides. The law offices of Schmidt & Clark, LLP, can review your case for free and go to work building a strong case to prove a link between your cancer and the Monsanto weed killer.
How to File a Roundup Lawsuit
If you want to file a Roundup weed killer cancer lawsuit, you can reach a member of our team immediately by calling (866) 588-0600.
Roundup Class-Action Lawsuits vs. Individual Lawsuits
In general, Roundup cancer lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions. After you fill out the form below, the attorneys at Schmidt & Clark, LLP, will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you.
Monsanto Roundup Lawsuit Payout News
As of December 2021, Monsanto has reached settlement agreements in nearly 100,000 Roundup lawsuits. Monsanto paid approximately $11 billion. Bayer has accomplished this by negotiating block settlement arrangements with Roundup lawyers who have large numbers of cases in the litigation.
What Compensation Can I Recover in a Roundup Lawsuit?
The average proposed settlement payouts for Roundup lawsuits in the higher settlement tiers have been around $100,000 to $160,000.
Roundup Settlements
There have been three victories for plaintiffs in jury trials against Bayer and Roundup, all in California. In August 2018, a jury awarded groundskeeper damages of a staggering $289 million, but that verdict was later reduced to $78 million after Bayer appealed the decision.
Roundup Lawsuit Statute of Limitations
In general, filing a legal claim no later than two years after discovering the cancer is recommended to help a patient protect their rights with civil actions.
Common Questions About Roundup Lawsuits
What are the “Monsanto Papers”?
The Monsanto Papers are a treasure trove of internal documents slowly released since March 2017 as part of a U.S. lawsuit by Roundup victims against Monsanto over its glyphosate herbicide. The papers tell a lot about how Monsanto actively subverts science, both in the company’s practices and the way it abuses science’s moral authority to push for its interests.
Will Roundup Become Banned?
Roundup is banned in more than 20 countries because the herbicide has been linked to an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and other types of cancer. Roundup is not banned in the United States, although some states have prohibited or restricted its use.
How Many Roundup Lawsuits Have Been Filed to Date?
On June 24, 2020, Bayer announced it had reached a Roundup settlement agreement in principle with five leading firms representing more than 100,000 plaintiffs alleging that they developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma due to significant exposure to Roundup weedkiller.
How Much Will it Cost to Hire a Lawyer?
Absolutely no upfront fee is involved to hire a Roundup herbicide attorney. Generally, attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis. We firmly believe that individuals suffering because of illness caused by a negligent manufacturer should never have to pay out of their pocket.
Why Should I File a Lawsuit Against Monsanto?
Individual lawsuits against Monsanto seek remedy for personal injuries (non-Hodgkin lymphoma) sustained as a result of exposure to Roundup.
Get a Free Roundup Lawsuit Evaluation With Our Roundup Lawyers
The Product Liability Litigation Group at Schmidt & Clark, LLP law firm is an experienced team of plaintiffs' lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Monsanto Roundup Lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently investigating Roundup Lawsuits in all 50 states.
Free Roundup Lawsuit Evaluation: Again, if you developed lymphoma after using or being exposed to Roundup, you should contact our law firm immediately for legal advice from a lawyer. You may be able to file a Roundup Suit and our law firm can help.
