Pesticide Lawsuit

What company is being sued for pesticides?

Several companies are currently involved in pesticide/herbicide lawsuits, most notably Bayer and Syngenta. The two main pesticide ingredients linked to serious harms in humans are glyphosate and paraquat. When these ingredients are mixed with other chemicals and sold to the public, they can cause serious medical problems for the users. Several brand names sell these pesticides, including:

• Glyphosate products: Various Roundup products
• Paraquat products: Blanco, Devour, Firestorm, Gramoxone, Helmquat 3SL, Para-Shot 3.0, Bonedry, Cyclone SL 2.0 and Ortho Paraquat CL

The following companies have been named as defendants in pesticide lawsuits:

• Bayer: Bayer (and various subsidiary companies) currently manufactures Roundup.
• Chevron: Chevron previously manufactured and distributed paraquat products.
• FMC Corporation: FMC Corporation distributes Syngenta’s paraquat products.
• Monsanto: Monsanto originally manufactured Roundup products. Bayer bought Monsanto in 2018 and is now responsible for its liabilities.
• Syngenta: Syngenta manufactures various paraquat products.

People who have been harmed by these products may be able to file a pesticide lawsuit against the responsible companies.

Are pesticides and herbicides toxic?

Roundup, including the main ingredient glyphosate, and paraquat are both dangerous. Exposure to either can lead to long and short-term health effects. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), even a small amount of ingested paraquat can cause death.

Contact a pesticide lawsuit lawyer

If you or someone you know has used Roundup, paraquat or another pesticide product and developed serious health issues, you may have a pesticide poisoning lawsuit claim.

Please contact pesticide lawsuit lawyer Fidelma Fitzpatrick by email or call 1.800.768.4026 to learn more about pesticide lawsuits.

Roundup lawsuits

Monsanto introduced Roundup to the market in 1974. Monsanto has always marketed it as a “safe” general-purpose herbicide for killing weeds that impact commercial and consumer crops.

The first Roundup lawsuits for non-Hodgkin lymphoma were filed in 2016, and some of the early lawsuits have been resolved. One plaintiff was awarded $289 million, but Monsanto and Bayer have appealed several times. That plaintiff is still waiting for final decisions. Another plaintiff received a total of $25 million. Motley Rice was not involved in these recoveries.

Since then, thousands of lawsuits have been filed. Most of the Roundup cases filed in federal court have been consolidated into a one docket called a multidistrict litigation (MDL). As of March 2024, 4,253 total actions are pending in the Roundup MDL, but this number only represents legal actions filed in the MDL. There are thousands of cases pending in other state court jurisdictions. Bayer’s financial reports reveal over a hundred thousand other claims and settlements against Monsanto. According to Bayer, as of January 2024, Monsanto has settled or resolved 113,000 Roundup-related claims.

Even with the thousands of claims concerning the dangers of Roundup, Roundup remains legal and on the market. However, in 2023, Bayer announced it would transition to some new formulations of Roundup with different active ingredients. However, most the formulations used for commercial purposes will remain the same.

Nonetheless, several countries around the world have instituted various bans on the weedkiller. 

These countries include: 

You can contact an attorney with experience handling Roundup legal actions to answer your questions, help determine your eligibility for a claim, gather Roundup proof and potentially file your case.

Learn more about Roundup lawsuits.

Roundup harms

Many complaints allege Monsanto has consistently denied or ignored concerns about the dangers of Roundup, including, but not limited to glyphosate. Several parties have studied the harmful effects of glyphosate, including:

• In 1995, according to the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, glyphosate was the third most commonly reported cause of pesticide illness among agricultural workers in California.
• In the late 1990’s, Monsanto hired genotoxicity expert Dr. James Parry to review several scientific papers on the effects of both glyphosate and Roundup. Chemicals are considered genotoxic when they have the ability to damage genetic information within cells. This can lead to mutations and glyphosate cancers. Parry concluded that glyphosate was capable of producing genotoxicity and recommended additional studies. Monsanto severed ties with Parry and did not conduct the requested studies. 
• In the early 2000s, scientists began to publicize research on glyphosate’s endocrine-disrupting effects. Endocrine disruptors refer to chemicals that interfere with natural hormone production. A French scientist noted that Roundup “is proven to cause cancer” and “is an endocrine disruptor.” Other researchers also linked glyphosate to leukemia and lymphoma.

Roundup exposure may lead to immediate poisoning symptoms or to longer-term effects. Roundup lawsuits most commonly involve people who have developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after Roundup use and exposure.

Roundup pesticide lawsuit updates

Of the thousands of lawsuits against Monsanto and Bayer, many have been successful for plaintiffs. The following were not Motley Rice cases:

• 2019: Two big wins for plaintiffs included a $2.055 billion recovery and an $86.7 million recovery.
• 2023: Plaintiffs were awarded millions of dollars in 2023. For example, one plaintiff was awarded $1.25 million in compensatory damages, another won $25 million in compensatory damages with $150 million in punitive damages, and another won $332 million in damages.
• 2024: A Philadelphia jury awarded a $2.25 billion verdict in favor of a plaintiff who was diagnosed with NHL after using the weedkiller for two decades.

Roundup attorneys can help you determine if you may be eligible to file a claim and potentially receive a Roundup settlement or verdict.

Paraquat lawsuits

Paraquat is a toxic chemical widely used as an herbicide primarily for weed and grass control. Introduced in the United States in 1961, it is available mostly as a liquid in various strengths. The EPA classifies paraquat as a “restricted use” product. Paraquat is used in several products manufactured by Syngenta.

Because it is highly poisonous, it is often dyed blue and has a sharp odor to keep it from being confused with other liquids. It also has an added agent to induce vomiting in case someone accidentally drinks it.

While paraquat is still legal in the United States, thousands of lawsuits have been filed concerning related harms. The lawsuits typically revolve around paraquat and its alleged link with Parkinson’s disease.

Learn more about paraquat lawsuits.

Paraquat harms

Ingestion and inhalation of and possibly skin exposure to paraquat can lead to some serious health effects. Some of the symptoms of paraquat poisoning include:

• Immediate symptoms of paraquat ingestion: Pain and swelling of the mouth, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea (which may become bloody), dehydration, sodium and potassium reduction and low blood pressure.
• Effects of small to medium amounts ingested: Within several days to several weeks, heart failure, kidney failure, liver failure and lung scarring will occur.
• Effects of large amounts ingested: Within a few hours to a few days, acute kidney failure, confusion, coma, fast heart rate, heart injury, liver failure, lung scarring, muscle weakness, fluid in the lungs, respiratory failure, seizures and death.
• Long-term health effects: Long-term exposure to paraquat is linked to Parkinson’s Disease and related neurological issues.

If you or a loved one experiences any or all of these symptoms, please seek medical care.

Paraquat pesticide lawsuit updates

Several forms of legal action involve paraquat, including state litigations, a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) docket, and settlements.

Paraquat cases have been filed in Pennsylvania and Delaware state courts. Hundreds of individual paraquat lawsuits have been filed in Pennsylvania state court, with the first trial to begin in April 2025. Motley Rice attorney Fidelma Fitzpatrick is co-lead counsel and a member of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee for the Pennsylvania mass tort. Daniel Lapinski is Liaison Counsel for the Pennsylvania mass tort.

Paraquat litigation is in early stages. However, Syngenta’s financial records show some payouts related to paraquat have already happened. The company’s 2022 Financial Report shows a $187.5 million settlement in 2021.

Our toxic exposure litigation experience

Our attorneys’ experience in litigating toxic exposure for individuals, families, communities, and states is vast. We seek justice for our clients and strive to improve environmental standards and protections through our cases.

Our experience includes representing individuals who have developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after being exposed to Roundup weedkiller. Our firm also represents cities, counties, and states, like the 10 California cities and counties that alleged three lead pigment companies created a public nuisance by exposing residents to toxic lead paint.

Read more about our toxic exposure experience.

Sources

1. Associated Press. Bayer Reaches $6.9 Million Settlement over Advertising for Weedkiller Roundup.
2. Bayer Global. Bayer closes Monsanto acquisition.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Facts About Paraquat.
4. CNBC. Bayer ordered to pay $175 million in latest Roundup cancer trial.
5. CNN. Jurors Punish Monsanto with a Record $2 billion Verdict over Roundup weedkiller. But the Story’s Not Over.
6. CTV News. Bayer to Pay Up to US$10.9 Billion to Settle Monsanto Case.
7. Forbes Advisor. Paraquat Lawsuit Update March 2024.
8. Forbes Advisor. Roundup Lawsuit Update March 2024.
9. Mayo Clinic. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
10. National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences. Pesticides.
11. New York Times. Monsanto Ordered to Pay Out $80 Dollars in Cancer Case.
12. Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law. Review of Litigation Against Monsanto Regarding the Safety of Glyphosate.
13. Reuters. Bayer must pay $1.25 million in Roundup cancer trial, jury finds.
14. Reuters. Bayer ordered to pay $332 mln in Roundup cancer trial.
15. Syngenta. Financial Report 2022.
16. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Paraquat Dichloride: One Sip Can Kill.
17. United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. MDL Statistics Report - Distribution of Pending MDL Dockets by Actions Pending.