Federal Judge Uncertain About Bayer's $2B Roundup Settlement

Federal Judge Uncertain About Bayer's $2B Roundup Settlement

Introduction

Bayer's $2 billion class-action settlement proposal to resolve future Roundup claims is being strictly scrutinized by a federal judge as it will not help the people who have used Roundup but did not develop cancer.

An $11.6 billion agreement was finalized by the federal court for resolving Roundup lawsuits from about 125,000 consumers and farmers in the U.S. and a $2 billion settlement is a part of it. Earlier, a federal judge in Los Angeles rejected the appeal of $650 million for hundreds of U.S. cities, counties, and ports suing over toxic PCB contamination from Bayer and lawyers representing plaintiffs.

U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria stated that two types of Roundup users would be covered under the settlement. The first category of class one will include users who are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma but have not retained a lawyer. The class two category covers healthy people who are exposed to the weedkiller.

The $2 billion settlement would be identified under the class one category. The judge debated about his plan concerning healthy Roundup users who fall under the class two category as they will not understand the settlement proposal.

Roundup users can opt out in the coming months if the settlement gets preliminary approval and can still hold the full legal rights. If the users develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma during the four-year agreement period, they would get a free medical checkup.

The judge stated that a warning label from the company about the product will prevent further lawsuits. The judge even informed that if this huge settlement is addressed meaningfully then it will also help to resolve minor claims pending against Roundup.

Judge Chhabria stated while the hearing that he is mainly concerned about the people who are exposed to Roundup but have not yet been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The judge even raised concern over the medical monitoring program.

Bayer acquired Monsanto in 2018 and since has been resolving the ever-increasing lawsuits of Roundup.