A state court jury in California returned a verdict on August 10th 2018 in a case against Monsanto and their herbicide “Roundup,” awarding the plaintiff DeWayne Johnson, a school groundskeeper, $289 million in compensatory and punitive damages.

Johnson applied Roundup weedkiller around 30 times a year while he worked as a groundskeeper for a school district close to San Francisco. During this time, he was soaked with the product in two separate accidents, the first in 2012. He tried to be careful, and wear protective clothing, however during windy days it would get on his face and body.

The Superior Court jury found that at least part of Johnson’s non-Hodgkin lymphoma was caused by glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup. The lawsuit was filed in 2016, but expedited due to the severity of Johnson’s cancer. His doctors do not believe he will live past 2020.

In 2014, Johnson was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Symptoms of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma can include fever, enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, weight loss, chest pain, or shortness of breath. Treatment often involves chemotherapy or immunotherapy.

What is Roundup?

Roundup is the brand name for a type of herbicide sold by Monsanto. The active ingredient in the weed killer is called glyphosate. Roundup is so widely used that it is the most heavily-used agricultural chemical in the world. Americans alone have used about 1.8 millions tons of Roundup since it was first introduced in the 1970s.

Roundup Class Action Lawsuits

While there is conflicting information about glyphosate, and Monsanto denies that it causes cancer, thousands of people continue to come forward to talk about how Roundup may have given them cancer.

Those who have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma or other cancers after using Roundup are encouraged to contact a qualified attorney like KBA Attorneys to find out more about pursuing legal action.