Next Monsanto Trial Begins in August
The next Roundup™ Monsanto trial is slated for August 19 in St. Louis County Court, several miles from the corporation’s campus. The fact that it is in Monsanto’s hometown is important. Here, corporate executives can be ordered to appear at trial and testify. This is the first case for Monsanto outside of California. It is also the first case after the stunning $2 billion loss to a California couple in a Monsanto trial. They claimed that they developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after using Roundup™ for 30 years. That was the eighth largest amount ever to be awarded in a defective product case.
Details of the Upcoming Case
Sharlean Gordon is one of 75 plaintiffs in the Gordon vs. Monsanto trial. Gordon, who is 50, is the first plaintiff of this group to go to trial. She purchased and used Roundup™ from 2002 through 2017. Gordon, who is a resident of Illinois, received the diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2006. In order to combat the disease, Gordon received two stem-cell transplants. She is debilitated and spent time in a nursing home due to her overall condition while she was being treated. A side effect is her partial loss of mobility.
A member of her legal team, Eric Holland, said that Gordon was “horribly injured.” Gordon alleges that Roundup™ weed killer caused her cancer. Holland has stated that Monsanto’s record is the worst he has seen in the three decades he has been in practice. He believes that it’s time for St. Louis to learn the truth about Monsanto. Holland will handle the case for Gordon along with Aimee Wagstaff. She was a co-attorney for Hardeman, a plaintiff in a previous Roundup™ cancer lawsuit. Another trial against Monsanto is slated for September 9. The Gordon’s attorneys have been given three weeks to present their evidence once the trial starts.
Monsanto’s Roots in the City
Monsanto has been in St. Louis since it was founded in 1901 by John F. Queeny. Aside from his living there, Queeny recognized St. Louis’s place in agricultural production. Since that time, Monsanto has been an important part of the city’s history. It is well-known for its charitable donations. This familiarity may give it an edge with the jury in this Monsanto trial. However, St. Louis is recognized as a city that is favorable to litigation against huge corporations. Verdicts against a corporation are generally higher in St. Louis than in many other locations. Gordon’s lawyers will call several scientists employed by Monsanto to testify. This was not possible in previous California cases because of the travel distance.
Lead Up to This Monsanto Trial
The verdicts in the first three trials have left Monsanto/Bayer reeling. The largest of the three was the $2 billion verdict for the plaintiffs. Alva and Alberta Pilliod were awarded more than $2 billion in May. Both plaintiffs were awarded $1 billion in punitive damages and a total of $55 million in economic compensation. This was about a month after a San Francisco jury awarded $80 million to Edwin Hardeman. A year earlier, $289 million was won by Dewayne Johnson in a San Francisco court.
Company Economic Losses
Bayer’s market value has fallen more than 40 percent. Some investors have suggested that the CEO be ousted for his part in the acquisition of Monsanto. The last case has made it clear to many that Bayer needs to change its defense in favor of a settlement. The settlement value is expected to be in the neighborhood of $10 billion. If the company continues this course, the losses will increase as the public becomes more aware of its product’s shortfalls.
Another Case in the Wings
Elaine Stevick, a Petaluma, California, resident was due to be the next case after the Pilliods. However, her case was postponed and is expected to take place soon. A new trial date will be set this month. Her lawsuit dates back to 2016. Christopher Stevick, Elaine’s husband, said they can’t wait to get their day in court where they can confront Monsanto with the devastation their product caused. In December 2014, Stevick was diagnosed with central nervous system lymphoma that caused multiple brain tumors when she was 63. It is the same type suffered by Alberta Pilliod.
Stevick and her husband purchased a property that was overgrown with weeds. Elaine sprayed the area with Roundup™ several times each year. She did not know the risk of cancer this carried because of Monsanto’s claims it was safe. Currently, Stevick is in remission. However, she came close to dying during treatment.
Roundup™ Cancer Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Roundup™ cancer attorney in Sacramento. I believe that everyone has the right to their day in court. Those who suffered non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after using Roundup™ should not have to pay for a company’s lies and deception. If this happened to you, call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. You can reach out to me online if that is easier for you.
I’ve helped numerous clients receive the compensation they deserve in all types of car accidents, wrongful deaths, and product liability cases.
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Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/agriculture-plant-protection-1359862/
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