Roundup Cases Set For Spring 2019 Bellwether Trials

Introduction

The U.S. District Vince Chhabria presiding over the Roundup multidistrict litigation has assigned 4 cases for Spring 2019 trial and has ordered all MDL plaintiffs to complete a fact sheet for the same.

In the case management order issued on September 12, Judge Chhabria stated that the fact sheet must include questions regarding the diagnosis and the first symptoms of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) in the plaintiff and their Roundup usage history. A series of bellwether trials against Monsanto has been scheduled for next year, concerning the weed killer's alleged cancer side-effects. The first trial involves plaintiff Jeff Hall to be held on February 2019 in the City of St. Louis. Additionally, three trials would be held in St. Louis County for individual plaintiffs in April, June and September 2019. The final trial in Missouri will be held in October 2019 involving 15 different plaintiffs. Though Monsanto opposes consolidation of Roundup cases, Missouri state court lawyers are insisting on multi-plaintiff trials since many of the plaintiffs are cancer victims and struggling with life. A case filed by Alva and Alberta Pilliod, both diagnosed with NHL from Roundup might be the next trial case in California state court since they are trying for an expedited trial date due to poor health conditions.

Exposure to the weed killer Roundup has been reported to cause NHL in several individuals across the nation. Over 4,000 lawsuits have been filed against Monsanto by families of individuals suffering from cancer due to contact with glyphosate found in Roundup weed killer. All lawsuits claim the manufacturer failed to forewarn consumers regarding the carcinogenic product. Roundup lawsuits are consolidated as a part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 2741; In Re: Roundup Products Liability Litigation), presided over by Judge Vince Chhabria, in the U.S. District Court of San Francisco.

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