March 24, 2025
A Georgia jury stunned Bayer on Friday, March 24, 2025, ordering the company to pay $2.1 billion in damages to Mr. John Barnes. Barnes developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after using Roundup for two decades at his home. His purchases were well-documented at Home Depot from 1999 through 2019. In March of 2020, he was diagnosed with NHL, a life-altering condition that research has linked to prolonged exposure to glyphosate.
The verdict includes $65 million in compensatory damages and a devastating $2 billion in punitive damages. This throws cold water on Bayer’s refusal to take responsibility for the dangers of their product.
After the verdict, Bayer’s stock plummeted nearly 9% in early trading, adding to the company’s stock price decline of over 70% since purchasing Monsanto.
Financial pressure on Bayer continues to build. 60,000 Roundup lawsuits remain to be litigated, meanwhile, Bayer has set aside only $6 billion for future settlements. The March 24 Georgia verdict makes it clear that the amount will be insufficient.
The $2 billion award may prove to be the linchpin that moves Bayer to consider group settlements. Bayer CEO Bill Anderson will face increasing pressure to bring closure to the lawsuits as state verdicts continue to mount.