Bayer Faces $175 Million Verdict in Another Roundup Cancer Lawsuit

In a recent development, a jury in Philadelphia held Bayer AG accountable for a lawsuit initiated by a retired restaurateur. The plaintiff alleged that his cancer diagnosis was a direct result of prolonged exposure to Bayer’s Roundup herbicide. Following the trial, Bayer has been directed to compensate the plaintiff with a sum of $175 million.

I wonder how many of the 40,000 lawsuits we’ll get to cover in 2024.

The awarded damages comprise $25 million as compensatory damages and an additional $150 million designated as punitive damages.

Ernest Caranci, the retired restaurant owner, claimed that his diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was a consequence of using Roundup consistently in his garden over several years.

As with every other similar lawsuit the company is involved in, a Bayer representative reacted to the verdict, expressing disagreement, stating:

“We are confident we can get this unfounded verdict overturned and the excessive damage awards reduced through our appeal.”

It’s noteworthy that just last week, Bayer was subjected to a $1.25 million verdict in another separate Roundup-related trial. Prior to these recent setbacks, the company had a commendable record of nine consecutive trial victories over analogous allegations.

Here is just one of the many cases involving Bayer (formerly Monsanto), Roundup/glyphosate, and cancer.

Ever since Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto Co. in 2018, a deal valued at around $63 billion, the company has been persistently challenged by Roundup-related litigations. Obviously, the company will continue to assert the safety of Roundup and its primary ingredient, glyphosate, for human usage – despite even the World Health Organization classifying it as a probable carcinogen years ago.

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