Case Description
Jason Itkin, Noah Wexler, and Roland Christensen, along with Thomas R. Kline, Chris Gomez, Melissa Merck, and Toby L. Millrood of Kline & Specter won a milestone verdict for our client in what was a turning point for the victims of Monsanto’s massively profitable weedkiller product.
For years, Monsanto (now Bayer) fought against policies based on growing scientific evidence that Roundup causes cancer. Multiple studies in the late 2010s showed a compelling link between glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) and cancer—specifically non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. One 2019 study showed that glyphosate exposure led to a 41% higher chance of developing cancer.
Before this lawsuit, Monsanto had managed to avoid legal action from individuals who claimed that their cancer diagnosis was a result of exposure to Roundup. A number of these cases were combined into multidistrict litigation (MDL) in Philadelphia. In an MDL, the evidence and testimony presented in one case are applicable to all other cases that follow it. The degree to which a plaintiff is successful sets a precedent for all other plaintiffs. So, Jason knew we had to deliver for our client and all clients after.
For three weeks, our team made the case that Monsanto had a duty to warn users that exposure to Roundup likely caused cancer. “Monsanto knew exactly what it was doing when it chose not to warn people Roundup causes cancer,” Jason told the jury during trial.
“If they told people the truth, we wouldn’t be here in this courtroom.”
We presented our client’s story with compelling evidence, expert testimony, and every tool at our disposal—the result of years of preparation. After three weeks, the jury handed down a verdict that represented a genuine turning point in the fight to hold Roundup’s owners accountable: $25 million for our client in compensatory damages and $150 million in punitive damages against Bayer/Monsanto for failing to warn users of cancer risk. We won the first victory against Roundup in the Philadelphia MDL.
A $175 million verdict not only brought our client justice and financial security for the rest of his life, but it offered hope to the other victims of Roundup exposure who’ve yet to go to trial. It’s the victory that makes the years of preparation and patience worth it, and we could not be happier for our client.