$289 Million Verdict Against Monsanto in First Roundup Cancer Trial

Roundup Cancer Trial

August 10, 2018. After only three days deliberation, a jury came back with a verdict for plaintiff, Dewayne Johnson, in the first trial over claims that the weed killer Roundup causes cancer.

Although Johnson was asking for $412 million in damages, the jury awarded him $39 million for his losses and $250 million in punitive damages, finding Monsanto liable for failing to warn Johnson and other consumers about the risks posed by its weed-killing products.


Johnson’s Case Against Monsanto

Glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, was first approved for use in Monsanto’s weed killer in 1974. Several independent studies have linked glyphosate exposure to cancer, specifically Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL)

Johnson, a former school groundskeeper, mixed and sprayed hundreds of gallons of Roundup as part of his job at a San Francisco Bay area school district. In fact, CBS San Francisco reported Johnson told the court that during his four years as the groundskeeper at the school district, he sprayed 150 gallons of Roundup 20-30 times a year.

In 2014, Johnson was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 42. In 2016, Johnson filed suit against Monsanto claiming that the glyphosate-based weed killers, including Roundup and Ranger Pro, caused his cancer.

Due to the severity of his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Johnson’s case was fast tracked for trial. His doctor’s say he is unlikely to live past 2020.

Read more about Johnson’s story in this CNN.com report.

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What’s Next?

Johnson’s case was the first to go to trial alleging the glyphosate-based weed killers caused non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

CNN reported last year that more than 800 patients were suing Monsanto, claiming Roundup gave them cancer. Since then, hundreds more plaintiffs – including cancer patients, their spouses or their estates – have also sued Monsanto, making similar claims.

The question: Will this victory set a precedent for these other cases claiming Monsanto’s herbicide causes non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma?


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If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with cancer or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that you believe may have been caused by exposure to Roundup, contact one of our attorneys today for a free, no-obligation review of your case.

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