In a case result that has resounded among all 50 states, an Oakland jury recently awarded $2 billion worth of punitive damages to two clients who alleged Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller product caused their cancer due to regular use. This case result is all the more remarkable in that it is actually the third Roundup lawsuit Monsanto has lost in less than 12 months. It is an encouraging sign for future plaintiffs to come forward and seek compensation from Monsanto for selling an herbicide that it allegedly knew was capable of causing cancer.
Details of the $2 Billion Roundup Case
Both Alva Pilliod and his wife Alberta Pilliod were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2011 and 2015, respectively. Due to the usual rarity of this type of cancer, it was suspected that an outside source must have contributed to its development in the couple. According to statements from the Pilliods, who are both in their mid-70s, they sprayed Roundup around their property once a week, about 40 weeks a year, and for about 30 years. It is estimated they sprayed about 1,500 gallons of the weedkiller.
The Pilliods brought a lawsuit against Monsanto after word of its carcinogenic properties spread. Roundup is based on the chemical glyphosate, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated is “likely carcinogenic” or cancer-causing. A 11-1 jury vote ruled that Monsanto’s product caused their cancer and a 12-0 vote ruled that Monsanto failed to warn consumers that the product could be dangerous.
$1 billion in punitive damages were awarded to Alva and another $1 billion to Alberta, with nearly another $60 million for economic and noneconomic damages. The Pilliods testified that they each had suffered greatly and lost enjoyment of their lives due to their cancers. Alberta in particular was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and doctors predicted her life expectancy had been significantly reduced.
It is expected that Monsanto will appeal the verdict, as it has for the last two losses in courts. In August, a jury awarded nearly $300 million to a groundskeeper diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after using Roundup in his occupation. In March of last year, a federal court jury deemed it fair for a Sonoma County man to be paid $80 million in damages for his own cancer that was traced to Roundup use. However, Monsanto has never conceded that its weedkiller products are unsafe.
What Is Next for Monsanto?
The successful Pilliod case against Monsanto is only the tip of the iceberg of lawsuits filed against the manufacturer for its allegedly dangerous Roundup products. There are currently more than 13,000 other cases awaiting settlement or court approval. With this lawsuit being a win for the plaintiffs, it only further encourages others to file a Roundup lawsuit, and it also only further validates future claims that the weedkiller is indeed carcinogenic.
To learn more about this recent historic jury verdict against Monsanto, you can click here to view a full article from the San Francisco Chronicle. (Login or subscription may be required.) If you or a loved one have been harmed due to the use of Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller products, then there is no better time than now to reach out to Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, PLC. Our Roundup lawsuit attorneys are currently hearing from potential clients across the country to help them determine if they have a claim to bring against Monsanto for compensation and fair damages. We would be happy to be of legal service to you, too.
Call us at (901) 526-2126 or use an online contact form today. Remember: We are working with plaintiffs nationwide!