Roundup Cases: An Update

Oct 17,2019

Bayer’s Roundup herbicide has been allegedly linked to an untold number of illnesses and deaths around the world. Following a serious of significant legal moves, the company is now being held accountable. That being said, this is just the beginning of what the company considers a prolonged serious of contentious trials over the next several years.

At this point, there are literally thousands of pending lawsuits against the Germany-based company. As of October 30th of this year, there were currently 42,700 lawsuits in which the plaintiff’s case focused on the Roundup herbicide as the cause for cancer. In the US, three juries have so far awarded damages to plaintiffs, verdicts which have not only obligated Bayer to substantial monetary payouts, but have also caused shares in the company to plummet. The company has appealed all of these verdicts, arguing that a substantial body of scientific research shows that the use of glyphosate-based herbicides is perfectly safe and is in no way responsible for the cancers found in the plaintiffs.

Examining the Role of the Media

Corporate leadership at Bayer have placed the blame on the increasing number of lawsuits concerning Roundup on the US media. According to Chief Executive Werner Baumann, the massive investment in anti-Roundup advertising by law firms across the United States has led to explosion in the number of lawsuits against the company. In order to safeguard the future of Bayer, Baumann has stated that any mediation would have to involve some form of safeguard against future claims. This would most likely be a critical factor when the size of a conclusive financial settlement is reached.

WHO, the U.N. and Future Complications

Making the issue potentially more difficult for plaintiffs is a series of competing studies undertaken by the World Health Organization and the United Nations which offered dramatically different interpretations of the the threat posed by Roundup.

According to a 2015 World Health Organization study, Roundup would “probably” be able to act as a carcinogen in humans. Only one year later, however, the United Nations concluded that glyphosate herbicides likely did not pose a cancer risk to humans who may have been ingesting it via their diet.

Making matters potentially even more difficult for those seeking financial damages is an April report from the Environmental Protection Agency which stated that glyphosate created zero public health risks when it was used according to the dictated safety guidelines.

The EPA has battled the state of California with regards to how products containing glyphosate should be labelled. Whereas the California legislature continues to argue that products containing glyphosate must be labelled as a carcinogen, the EPA has stated that they would not approve these labels.

Moving Forward With Roundup Cases

A “wait and see” approach may be the best option currently for individuals, firms and organizations with a vested interest in Roundup and glyphosate herbicides. Whether or not these pending lawsuits will result in financial compensation for plaintiffs will likely be influenced by the continued trove of data being released about this controversial product.

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DISCLAIMER: The Walter Clark Legal Group blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal or medical advice. References to laws are based on general legal practices and vary by location. Information reported comes from secondary news sources. We do handle these types of cases, but whether or not the individuals and/or loved ones involved in these accidents choose to be represented by a law firm is a personal choice we respect. Should you find any of the information incorrect, we welcome you to contact us with corrections.