[:en]Monsanto, the company behind the glyphosate weed killer, commonly known as “Roundup” has appealed the $78 million dollar verdict granted to a California groundskeeper according to San Francisco’s ABC affiliate
Overview:
The basis of the lawsuit surrounds the diagnosis of the California groundskeeper, Dwayne Johnson who has terminal non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Mr. Johnson attributes his cancer to his extensive use of Roundup at his job, especially where an incident occurred in which he was soaked with the weed killer from head to toe. Bayer, who is the parent company of Monsanto after buying the company back in June has stated that there is no scientific link between Roundup and the claim that the product was a significant factor in the cancer diagnosis of Mr. Johnson
What was the outcome of the original trial?
Johnson was awarded a record 289.2 million dollars (read our blog post on the verdict here), however the judge reduced the payment to 78.5 million dollars, as the original amount exceeded the maximum limits. However Monsanto stated that they planned to appeal the verdict. When the original amount was announced, two of the jurors on the panel commented on how they wanted the amount “amount to be big enough so that Monsanto would take notice and warn other consumers”
What’s happening now?
In addition to appealing the verdict for payment, Monsanto is also appealing to overturn a decision to reject a new trial. Due to the current proceedings, the payment to Mr. Johnson is unable to be processed at this time. Furthermore, due to the rapid advancement of Mr. Johnson’s cancer, this delay in payment can seriously impact whether he is able to receive his money while still alive.
Additional Resources:
If you or a loved one have developed a non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma as a result of using Roundup please contact our office at 303-999-9999 or at 303-835-9342 to schedule a free consultation and speak with one of our experienced attorneys. Please also visit our practice area page on Roundup for additional information here.
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