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Bayer · Litigation · Roundup · Settlement
A group of 14 law firms, representing nearly 20,000 plaintiffs, is seeking to intervene in Bayer’s proposed $7.25 billion class action settlement of Roundup litigation, citing concerns that the deal is unfair to cancer victims and requesting a 60-day extension for court preliminary approval.
The law firms filed motions to intervene and for an extension in St. Louis City Circuit Court on February 24, stating the deal appears "unprecedented" and raises "red flags." They argue the settlement heavily favors occupational Roundup users over residential users, with occupational claimants potentially receiving $165,000 on average compared to $40,000 for residential users with similar non-Hodgkin lymphoma traits.
Bayer, which acquired Monsanto in 2018, has faced nearly 200,000 claims and paid billions in prior settlements and verdicts. The company maintains confidence in the settlement, supported by other plaintiff law firms, and cites a looming US Supreme Court review on April 27 regarding federal preemption of failure-to-warn claims as an incentive for plaintiffs to settle.
The Supreme Court case could severely hamper future lawsuits against Bayer if the company prevails, arguing the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) approval of labels without a cancer warning preempts such claims.
