BERLIN: Bayer was ordered by a jury in the US state of Georgia to pay about $2.1 billion to a plaintiff who claimed the firm's Roundup weed killer caused his cancer, the plaintiff's law firms said Friday.
The verdict, which Bayer said on Saturday it would appeal, is one of the largest legal settlements issued in a Roundup-related case and is the latest setback for the group, among the world's largest seeds and pesticides makers.
Bayer has paid about $10 billion to settle disputed claims that Roundup, based on the herbicide glyphosate, causes cancer. Over 60,000 further cases are pending for which the group has set aside $5.9 billion in legal provisions.
The German pharmaceutical and biotechnology group acquired Roundup as part of its $63 billion takeover of US agrochemical company Monsanto in 2018.
The Georgia verdict includes $65 million in compensatory damages and $2 billion in punitive damages, read a statement sent to Reuters by the plaintiff's law firms Arnold & Itkin LLP and Kline & Specter PC.
Bayer said it disagreed with the verdict, as it conflicted with the overwhelming weight of scientific evidence and the consensus of regulatory bodies and their scientific assessments worldwide. "We believe that we have strong arguments on appeal to get this verdict overturned and the excessive and unconstitutional damage awards eliminated or reduced."
It said damages in cases that reached final judgements have been cut 90% overall compared with the original jury awards.
The verdict, which Bayer said on Saturday it would appeal, is one of the largest legal settlements issued in a Roundup-related case and is the latest setback for the group, among the world's largest seeds and pesticides makers.
Bayer has paid about $10 billion to settle disputed claims that Roundup, based on the herbicide glyphosate, causes cancer. Over 60,000 further cases are pending for which the group has set aside $5.9 billion in legal provisions.
The German pharmaceutical and biotechnology group acquired Roundup as part of its $63 billion takeover of US agrochemical company Monsanto in 2018.
The Georgia verdict includes $65 million in compensatory damages and $2 billion in punitive damages, read a statement sent to Reuters by the plaintiff's law firms Arnold & Itkin LLP and Kline & Specter PC.
Bayer said it disagreed with the verdict, as it conflicted with the overwhelming weight of scientific evidence and the consensus of regulatory bodies and their scientific assessments worldwide. "We believe that we have strong arguments on appeal to get this verdict overturned and the excessive and unconstitutional damage awards eliminated or reduced."
It said damages in cases that reached final judgements have been cut 90% overall compared with the original jury awards.
