Monsanto Ordered to Pay California Man $80 Million in Roundup Cancer Trial

A California federal jury has awarded $80 million to a man who claimed a popular weedkiller made by Monsanto was responsible for causing his cancer.

Edwin Hardeman was awarded compensatory damages of $5.427 million and another $75 million in punitive damages by the jury in San Francisco. The lawsuit claimed that the Roundup weed killer sold by the company was defective and had been a substantial factor in contributing to the plaintiff's non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Lawyers for Hardeman claim also claimed the product lacked sufficient warnings of potential risks to people who used it. The jury agreed, finding in Hardeman's favor on Wednesday.

Bayer, the parent company for Monsanto, said in a statement they plan on appealing the verdict.

"We are disappointed with the jury's decision, but this verdict does not change the weight of over four decades of extensive science and the conclusions of regulators worldwide that support the safety of our glyphosate-based herbicides and that they are not carcinogenic. The verdict in this trial has no impact on future cases and trials, as each one has its own factual and legal circumstances.

"We have great sympathy for Mr. Hardeman and his family. Bayer stands behind these products and will vigorously defend them," the company added in the statement.

Hardeman's lawyer, Aimee Wagstaff, told CNN they were pleased by the jury's decision.

"We are excited that after three long years of litigation, Mr. Hardeman finally has a resolution, and that the jury has held Monsanto accountable for its bad conduct of manipulation and deception," said Wagstaff.

It's the second such defeat for Monsanto in recent months. Last August, the company lost another lawsuit filed by a California school groundskeeper who claimed his terminal non-Hodgin's Lymphoma was caused by Roundup. That jury also found that the weed killer's design was defective and awarded a judgement of $289 million in favor of the plaintiff. Damages were later reduced to $78.5 million by the judge in the case.

Bayer is also appealing that case.

At issue, is the principal ingredient in Roundup. The chemical glyphosate, is classified by the World Health Organization as a "probable carcinogen." Monsanto disputes the report by the agency, citing several studies that say glyphosate is safe.

Hardeman's case is one of more than 11,200 similar cases filed by plaintiffs around the U.S. that involve Roundup. It's the first one to tried in federal court.

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