Since August 2018, juries have handed down three massive verdicts to people who alleged that Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer product contributed to the development of their non-Hodgkins lymphoma. In just three cases, those California juries reached verdicts of more than $2.4 billion against Monsanto. Needless to say, Bayer – the German pharmaceutical giant that bought Monsanto a few months before the first verdict – has major problems.[1]
As of this post, more than 18,500 plaintiffs across have filed lawsuits alleging that Roundup was a substantial contributor to their non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
Federal Court starts an MDL for Roundup Lawsuits
In response to the massive amounts of federal lawsuits, the federal court system has started a Multi-District Litigation (MDL) in the district court in San Francisco. Court systems sometimes create MDLs to combine multiple lawsuits filed by many different parties in complex product liability suits.
If you file your Roundup case in federal court in any state, you will be transferred to the MDL in San Francisco.
But there’s another option . . .
However, that’s not your only option. Many cases, including several of ours, have been filed in state court in St. Louis, the home state of Monsanto.
In fact, a court in St. Louis was set for the next Roundup trial scheduled to begin in the middle of October 2019. A couple of weeks before that trial, the court postponed the trial and set the case for status in February 2020. Many experts believe that the delay was to allow Bayer and the plaintiffs more time to engage in settlement discussions.
Will Bayer settle? Experts weigh in.
In the California MDL, the judge appointed Kenneth Feinberg to assist in those negotiations. Kenneth Feinberg has previously been appointed as the mediator responsible for victims eligible for compensation in the 9/11 Injured Victims Compensation fund and BP Deepwater Horizon Victim fund. He gave credence to the expert opinions that settlement negotiations may soon be fruitful.[2]
We keep a close eye on the federal MDL and any global settlement discussions with Bayer. This will help us assess the value of our clients’ cases. We have already met with attorneys representing Bayer in St. Louis to discuss the potential exposure to Monsanto.
Beyond the constant flow of new lawsuits against Monsanto, Bayer also faces pressure from local and national governments. Several European nations have already imposed restrictions on the use of glyphosate-based herbicides.[3]
Austria has already banned glyphosate completely, while France has promised a near total ban on the products by 2021. In September 2019, Germany – Bayer’s home country – announced that glyphosate will be completely banned in that country by the end of 2023.[4]
At Shannon Law Group, we will make sure our clients remain up to date on what’s happening with Roundup on a global scale, as well as in their individual case. If you or a loved one has developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma after exposure to weed killer products, please do not hesitate to contact our office to explore your options.
[1] All three verdicts have been appealed and at least one of the verdicts has been reduced by the trial judge.
[2] A few years after 9/11, Joe Shannon represented a fallen firefighter in a hearing with Mr. Feinberg in Manhattan.
[3] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/07/03/business/herbicide-glyphosate-fire-worldwide-gets-banned-austria/#.XZ-RsmBKhhE
[4] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/sep/04/germany-ban-glyphosate-weedkiller-by-2023
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