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Monsanto Roundup Trial Highlights

By George Khoury, Esq. on August 17, 2018 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

The recent verdict in the big Monsanto Roundup trial is certainly causing a stir. The chemical company has been ordered to pay nearly $300 million in damages, with the bulk of the damages being punitive. Unfortunately, the plaintiff, who is terminally ill, will likely have to wait for appeals to wind down before he collects.

Throughout the trial, expert witnesses testified and explained to the jury their respective opinions on an active ingredient in Roundup, glyphosate. In this individual case, a middle aged plaintiff alleged that his repeat exposures to Roundup while working as a groundskeeper resulted in his non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Customer Service Makes a Difference

A moving moment in the trial was when the plaintiff, Dewayne Johnson, testified about how he would frequently be covered in the Roundup chemical due to high winds, despite being as careful as possible. He wore whatever protective gear he could find. He told the court about how after he was drenched with the chemical, he called the customer service line to ask what he should do. He never received a response.

In addition to dealing with a terminal illness, Johnson also told jurors what it is like to live with a condition that causes a person to develop legions all over their body. He talked about his problems with going out in public, and confidence, and his relationship with his children.

Battle of and Against Experts

Interestingly, the controversy over the experts in this case was such that the attorneys could barely contain themselves. Monsanto's lawyer even made headlines for yelling at one last month. Basically, the experts supported their various side's argument.

In the MDL cases, still working their way through the federal court, the judge expressed skepticism over some of the expert testimony. However, the verdict in this case is certain to bolster the many claims that have been waiting.

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