May 14, 2019 — A jury awarded $2 billion to a married couple from California who both developed lymphoma after 30 years of using Monsanto’s Roundup weed-killer.
After 17 days of trial testimony, the jury spent 2 days deliberating before awarding over $2 billion in compensation and punitive damages to Alva and Alberta Pilliod, a married couple who are both in their 70s.
Here is how the jury award breaks down:
Alva Pilliod
Compensatory:
Past economic – $47,296.01
Past non-economic loss – $8 million
Future non-economic loss – $10 million
Punitive damages – $1 billion
Alberta Pilliod
Compensatory:
Past economic – $201,166.76
Past non-economic – $8 million
Future economic – $2,957,710
Future non-economic – $26 million
Punitive damages – $1 billion
TOTAL – $2.055 billion
Alva was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2011 that has spread to his bones, pelvis, and spine. Less than 4 years later, Alberta was also diagnosed with lymphoma. Both spent decades using Roundup to control weeds on their properties, not knowing about the potential risk.
The Pilliod case is the 3rd trial in a row to end in a jury verdict against Monsanto. The first trial ended in a $289 million award to Dewayne “Lee” Johnson, which was reduced to $78 million. The second trial ended in an $80 million to Edwin Hardeman in March 2019.
Monsanto has been hit with over 13,000 similar lawsuits since 2015, when the World Health Organization’s cancer research agency re-classified glyphosate as a “probable human carcinogen.” Lawsuits accuse Monsanto of intentionally downplaying the risk of cancer.
Attorneys for the Pilliods showed the jury evidence that Monsanto knew about the potential health risks of Roundup. For example, the company spent millions of dollars secretly ghostwriting and editing scientific studies that found no link between glyphosate and cancer.
Meanwhile, the company never studied the potential cancer risk of Roundup formulations, even though Monsanto was aware that other ingredients in Roundup made glyphosate far more toxic.
Monsanto also enjoyed a close relationship with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has repeatedly supported Monsanto’s assertion that Roundup is safe.
Monsanto was purchased by Bayer last summer for $63 billion. Bayer’s share price has dropped over 40% since the Johnson verdict last summer. Bayer has vowed to appeal all three jury verdicts.
Do I have a Roundup Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Roundup induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Toxic Chemical Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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