Jury Awards $289 Million to a Man Who Claimed Monsanto’s Roundup Weed Killer Gave Him Cancer

San Francisco jurors ruled that Roundup, the most popular weed killer in the world, gave a former school groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson terminal cancer. They awarded him $289 million in damages. Most of the award was aimed to punish the agricultural company Monsanto. Johnson’s victory could set a massive precedent for thousands of other cases claiming Monsanto’s famous herbicide causes non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Johnson’s case was the first to go to trial because his terminal cancer was in its last stages and his doctors said he was near death. In California, dying plaintiffs can be granted expedited trials.

Monsanto Vice President Scott Partridge said that the company plans to appeal this decision.

What Is Roundup Weed Killer?

Roundup is a weed killer developed in the 1970s by the Monsanto Company. Glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, is one of the most commonly used agricultural chemicals of all time. Roundup Weed Killer was initially developed for small-scale use and became widely available for homeowners, gardeners, and small-scale farmers. In the 1990s, Roundup’s use rapidly increased. Today, the herbicide is used widely in agricultural, industrial, and residential settings.

The chemical is used on acres of cropland in the United States.

Roundup Scientifically Linked to Cancer

Roundup Week Killer came under increasing scrutiny after the France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO), classified the chemical as a “probable human carcinogen” in 2015. This means the chemical was known to cause cancer. Glyphosate is specifically linked to three types of cancer:

Leukemia
Myeloma
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Roundup Lawsuits

More than 1,000 people diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma have filed lawsuits against Monsanto. The lawsuits claim Monsanto knew glyphosate was dangerous since its launch in 1974, routinely lied about it, hid studies linking the chemical to cancer, and lobbied governments to classify it as non-toxic.

At Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C., our experienced legal team has extensive experience handling product liability cases for victims and families harmed by unsafe products.

Call Us

If you or a loved one developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia or myeloma after exposure to Roundup Weed Killer, you may be entitled to compensation. For more information or a free consultation with one of our experienced New York product liability attorneys, please immediately call Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. at 1-800-529-9997.