Judge Cuts $2 Billion Verdict Against Bayer in Tentative Ruling on Monsanto Roundup Lawsuit
Bloomberg: Bayer AG is poised for a reduction of more than 90% in the $2 billion verdict it was hit with in the most recent trial over its Roundup weedkiller.
Jazlowiecki and Jazlowiecki is currently representing clients who have become sick due to exposure to RoundUp, the most widely used herbicide in America, which is manufactured by the chemical conglomerate Monsanto. There is an alleged link between cancer rates and the use of the Monsanto weed killer (herbicide) Roundup which contains the active ingredient, Glyphosate, a probable carcinogen. The cancers most often found in the alleged linkage are, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Leukemia, Myeloma, or Soft Tissue Carcinoma, as well as cancers of the tongue, throat, esophagus and thyroid. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with cancer or are ill AND have worked at a Monsanto Roundup manufacturing plant, OR have used the weed and grass killer on your Land or Farm, do not hesitate to contact Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki for a free legal consultation. You may be entitled to compensation, and you may be eligible to join our lawsuit against Monsanto. Our Office can be reached via Email or by phone at (860) 674-8000.
After a jury concluded the company’s herbicide caused cancer in a husband and wife, a California state judge said in a tentative ruling late Thursday that she won’t throw out the verdict entirely.
But the Oakland judge said she’s inclined to whack the couple’s 10-figure punitive damage awards because they’re beyond the limits allowed by legal precedent. Under her ruling, total damages could end up being in the range of $20 million to $100 million, according to a lawyer for the couple, Brent Wisner. That’s in line with what experts predicted. Bayer shares rose almost 1.5% in Frankfurt trading.
The German health-care and agricultural giant made arguments at a hearing Friday to try to convince the judge that it deserves a new trial. She didn’t issue any final rulings.
Even with the awards slashed, Bayer is still in trouble, said Anna Pavlik, senior counsel for special situations at United First Partners LLC in New York. More than 13,000 plaintiffs in the U.S. have sued Bayer, claiming Roundup causes cancer. The weedkiller was first marketed in the 1970s by St. Louis-based Monsanto Co., which was acquired by Bayer last year for $63 billion.
“As long as the per-plaintiff verdicts remain in the millions, the reductions in punitive damages still do not help Bayer when it is thinking about its ultimate litigation and settlement strategy,” Pavlik said before the tentative ruling was issued. “Without any wins under its belt, Bayer is still facing enormous per-plaintiff payouts.”
The Oakland verdict was the third straight loss for Bayer on Roundup since last summer. Meanwhile, dozens of new complaints are filed across the U.S. every month.
