Roundup Cancer Lawsuit News

Monsanto to Appeal Johnson Verdict

Monsanto's defense of Roundup herbicide focused on trying to discredit the plaintiff's expert scientific witnesses

Thursday, August 30, 2018 - Monsanto is appealing the $289 million verdicts against them where the plaintiff, California school groundskeeper DeWayne Johnson alleged that using Roundup herbicide caused his cancer. According to Reuters.com attorneys for Monsanto said, "Today's decision does not change the fact that more than 800 scientific studies and reviews...support the fact that glyphosate does not cause cancer, and did not cause Mr. Johnson's cancer." Johnson's case rested on the notion that from time to time he had become drenched in Roundup herbicide and developed a rash that progressed into non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a rare form of cancer. Jurors agreed with him and found that Monsanto had an obligation to inform him and others of the cancer risk posed by direct skin contact with Roundup.

Johnson was barely able to speak but was able to take the stand on his own behalf. Johnson showed the jurors his arms and hands that are covered with painful-looking open cancerous legions that he alleged were caused by glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup. Johnson's attorney argued that Monsanto has a duty to inform those with occupations that require the frequent regular use of Roundup, such as farmers, landscapers and maintenance workers, to wear protective waterproof clothing to keep large quantities of Roundup off of their skin or risk irritation that may develop into cancer. Johnson's attorneys presented expert testimony that was irrefutable that glyphosate bioaccumulates on the skin resulting in the user coming in contact with amounts that are greater than safely allowed.

Monsanto's attorneys had been successful in discrediting other scientist and expert witnesses that had trouble repeating the test results that they had given under sworn testimony with that which they were given in court. "The strategy has seemingly worked, with Monsanto flagging six instances in which an expert testified differently on the stand that he had in his depositions, an instance in which a second expert omitted key details from his testimony showing Roundup couldn't have caused Johnson's cancer; and an instance in which a third expert purportedly lied publicly about his paid consulting work on glyphosate, the controversial active ingredient in Roundup."

The plaintiff's expert witness, William Sawyer, a toxicology consultant for Toxicology Consultants & Assessment Specialists LLC, testified that his studies indicated that while there was no evidence of glyphosate accumulation within the body, the chemical did bioaccumulate on the skin where it was easily absorbed in potentially cancer-causing amounts. Documents revealed at trial indicated that Monsanto scientists and executives were aware of the problems related to glyphosate skin bioaccumulation and issued a company memo recommending that the company advise consumers to wear waterproof protective clothing in the event they were to use Roundup on an industrial scale.

Other expert witnesses testified on behalf of the International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC) a division of the World Health Organization. Scientists there have determined that glyphosate causes tumors in mice when it is absorbed through the skin in large quantities. This led them to make the statement that glyphosate is "probably" carcinogenic to humans. Hundred's of Roundup lawsuit cases representing Americans affected by by the weed killing product continue to be filed.

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Lawyers for Roundup Cancer Lawsuits

Attorneys handling Roundup cancer lawsuits for leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma offer free, no-obligation case review for individuals and families who believe they may have grounds to file a Roundup cancer lawsuit. Working on a contingency basis, these attorneys are committed to never charging legal fees unless they win compensation in your Roundup cancer lawsuit. The product liability litigators handling Roundup claims at the Onder Law Firm have a strong track record of success in representing families harmed by dangerous drugs and consumer products.