Roundup (Glyphosate) Cancer Cases: Key Documents & Analysis

More than 11,000 people have filed suit against Monsanto Company (now Bayer) alleging that exposure to Roundup herbicide caused them or their loved ones to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and that Monsanto covered up the risks. As part of the discovery process, Monsanto has had to turn over millions of pages of its internal records. We are posting these Monsanto Papers as they become available here. 

FEDERAL COURT –  Update April 4, 2019-  Judge Vince Chhabria is vacating the May trial date set for Stevick v. Monsanto and is ordering Bayer/Monsanto to go into mediation with plaintiffs’ attorneys.

More than 800 lawsuits are pending in U.S. District Court in San Francisco. The cases have been combined for handling as multidistrict litigation (MDL) under Judge Vince Chhabria. The lead case is 3:16-md-02741-VC and the first trial, the case of Edwin Hardeman V. Monsanto, began Feb. 25, 2019. The judge approved a motion by Monsanto to bifurcate the trial, limiting evidence jurors  heard during a first phase to causation only. On March 19 a unanimous jury decision handed a first-round victory to Hardeman, as the six jury members found that Hardeman’s exposure to Roundup was a “substantial factor” in causing his non-Hodgkin lymphoma. On March 27, the jury returned a verdict of approximately $80 million, including punitive damages of $75 million. 

Read internal Monsanto documents regarding the company’s ghostwriting of an important paper published in the year 2000, and how the company used that “independent” scientific literature to promote and defend its herbicides. 

Follow trial updates in our RoundupTrial Tracker.

Court / discovery documents are posted here: Edwin Hardeman V. Monsanto

Click here for additional documents pertaining to combined MDL cases

STATE COURT – Thousands of plaintiffs have made similar claims against Monsanto in state courts. The first trial in the Roundup litigation concluded on Aug. 10 with the jury ruling that Monsanto’s weedkiller was a substantial contributing factor in causing DeWayne “Lee” Johnson’s cancer, and ordering Monsanto to pay $289.25 million in damages, including $250 million in punitive damages. The judge reduced the punitive damages to $39 million in an order dated Oct. 22, 2018 which put the total verdict at approximately $78 million. Monsanto declared it would appeal and Johnson has cross appealed, seeking to reinstate the jury award.The appeal is filed in the California State Court of Appeals, case number A155940. Appellant’s opening brief due April 22, 2019.

The current case in trial is Pilliod V. Monsanto. Opening statements were delivered March 28, 2019, in Alameda County Superior Court before Judge Winifred Smith. Attorneys for the plaintiffs anticipate the trial will last about a month. Pilliod v. Monsanto is the first case in the California Roundup Judicial Council Coordination Proceedings (JCCP) and the third Roundup cancer case to proceed to trial. See details at this link. 

See details for other cases:

• DeWayne Johnson v. Monsanto: San Francisco County Superior Court /California State Court of Appeals
• Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding (JCCP): Alameda County Superior Court – California

• Other Upcoming Monsanto Trial Dates 

  May 20, 2019 Federal Court, San Francisco – Stevick v. Monsanto 3:16-cv-02341-VC

  August 29, 2019 St. Louis County Court – Gordon v. MonsantoJune 3, 2019 St. Louis City Court – Hall v. Monsanto

  September 9, 2019 – St. Louis County Court – 4 plaintiffs

  October 15, 2019 St. Louis County Court – Winston v. Monsanto

  October 28, 2019 Montana 18th Judicial District Court Gallatin County – Cazier v. Monsanto

  January 21, 2020  St. Louis City Court – Wade v. Monsanto