Bayer struggles with Roundup cases against Monsanto

If you love to garden, you may be familiar with the weed killer, Roundup. Recently, this weed killer has been in the news, because people are asserting that it has caused them to develop cancer. The total number of people claiming this has reached over 18,000, putting the German company Bayer in a difficult position.

Glyphosate, an ingredient in Roundup, is a controversial chemical. It’s believed to cause harm to humans and to the environment. In July 2019, around 18,400 plaintiffs had filed claims in connection to glyphosate, according to Bayer. That’s up from 13,400 in April.

So far, Bayer has lost three cases in California’s courts, which found that non-Hodgkins lymphoma could be caused by glyphosate-containing products, which includes Roundup. In post-trial revisions, judges did not overturn the jury decisions, but they did reduce the overall damage awards. In one case, a $2 billion award was cut to $87 million.

A lawsuit claims that Monsanto, who was purchased by Bayer in 2018, deliberately manipulated the science behind the product. That fooled regulatory agencies and then the media, claiming that glyphosate was not carcinogenic. Bayer has denied those allegations, stating that science still sides with the company in that it does not show glyphosate as a carcinogenic chemical.

The business is already suffering, though. Its net profits have fallen by 49.1% year-on-year in the second quarter. The cases put pressure on the company, too, because although they’re against Monsanto, they have the assessments from the 2015 International Agency for Research on Caner and California health authorities stating that the chemical probably does cause cancer. On the other hand, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did reaffirm that the active ingredient was not harmful.

What should you do if you think you’ve developed cancer from using Roundup or products containing glyphosate?

There are many cases in court right now, so it’s a good idea to reach out to your attorney to talk about your options when it comes to joining a class-action lawsuit or filing a lawsuit of your own. The court has been ruling in favor of individuals who have developed cancer, so there is a positive chance that you could win your case, too.

Bring any information you have about your exposure to glyphosate to your attorney, so you can review the factors that may impact your case and if you have the ability to seek compensation from Bayer or other companies.