Pesticide Lawsuits

Pesticide lawsuits have named the following companies as defendants:

• Bayer: Bayer (and various subsidiary companies) currently manufactures Roundup.
• Chevron: Chevron previously manufactured and distributed paraquat products.
• FMC Corporation: FMC Corporation distributed 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?

By their narrowest definition, pesticides are substances or combinations of substances designed to destroy or ward off pests. Herbicides — one of several types of pesticides — kill weeds and other plants so they don’t grow in areas where they’re not supposed to be. Many types of herbicides exist, but glyphosate is one of the most commonly known and widely used. Pesticides and herbicides are often grouped together and referred to as, simply, “pesticides.”

Many plaintiffs argue that Roundup (including the main ingredient glyphosate) and paraquat are all dangerous. 

Exposure to these herbicides may lead to long- and short-term health effects. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), even a small amount of ingested paraquat can cause death.

Monsanto introduced Roundup to the market in 1974. Monsanto marketed the product as a “safe” general-purpose herbicide for commercial and consumer crops. Bayer bought Monsanto in 2018.

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 appealed several times. After the appeals, the plaintiff was awarded with $21.5 million. Another plaintiff received a total of $25 million. Motley Rice wasn’t 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 February 2025, there were 4,414 actions pending in the Roundup MDL, but this number only represents legal actions currently filed in the MDL. Thousands of cases are pending in other state court jurisdictions.

Bayer’s Half-Year Financial Report 2024 shows that Monsanto has settled or resolved approximately 114,000 Roundup-related claims.

Is Roundup illegal to use? 

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

Several countries around the world have instituted bans or restrictions on the weedkiller, sparking conversation around Roundup herbicide alternatives.

These countries include: 

• Argentina
• Austria
• Bahrain
• Belgium
• Bermuda
• Brazil
• Canada
• China
• Colombia
• Fiji
• France
• Germany
• Korea
• Kuwait
• Luxembourg
• The Netherlands
• Oman
• Portugal
• Punjab
• India
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• Slovenia
• Sri Lanka
• United Arab Emirates
• Vietnam

You can contact an attorney with experience handling Roundup legal actions. They can 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 that Monsanto has consistently denied or ignored concerns about the dangers of Roundup and the ingredient glyphosate. 

Several studies have shown the negative effects of glyphosate, including harms like:

• Cancer and endocrine disruption: In the early 2000s, scientists began publicizing 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.
• Pesticide illness: 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.
• Genetic mutations: In the late 1990s, 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 didn’t conduct the requested studies. 

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

Roundup pesticide lawsuit updates

Plaintiffs have won many lawsuits and settlements against pesticide manufacturers Monsanto and Bayer. The following were not Motley Rice cases:

• 2024: A Philadelphia jury awarded a $2.25 billion verdict in favor of a plaintiff diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using the weedkiller for two decades.
• 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.
• 2019: Two big wins for plaintiffs included a $2.055 billion recovery and an $86.7 million recovery.

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

Paraquat is a toxic chemical widely used as a herbicide primarily for weed and grass control. Introduced in the United States in 1961, paraquat 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.

Since paraquat is highly poisonous, it's 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 if 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

Paraquat ingestion and inhalation, along with skin exposure to paraquat, can lead to some serious health effects. 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
• 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: Parkinson’s disease and related neurological issues in connection with long-term exposure to paraquat is linked to

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

Paraquat pesticide lawsuit updates

There are many legal actions involving paraquat. They include state litigations and a federal MDL. Plaintiffs have filed thousands of lawsuits in the federal MDL. 

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. Motley Rice attorney Mike Daly is Liaison Counsel for the Pennsylvania mass tort.

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

“Paraquat Papers” reveal awareness of herbicide’s risks

Newly disclosed internal records suggest defendants were aware of the potential neurological risks from paraquat exposure. 

Watch Motley Rice attorney Fidelma Fitzpatrick discuss the actions of Syngenta AG and Chevron USA with The New Lede.

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 against pesticide manufacturers.

Our experience includes representing individuals who have been exposed to toxic substances, such as:

• Asbestos: Motley Rice has been involved in asbestos litigation for decades, advocating for workers and consumers suffering from health effects related to asbestos exposure.
• Contaminated water: Motley Rice lawyers represent those impacted by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune military base. These individuals include their families, those who worked on the base, and community members who live in contaminated areas outside the base.
• Lead: Our firm represents individuals harmed by lead as well as cities, counties and states, including 10 California cities and counties that alleged three lead pigment companies created a public nuisance by exposing residents to toxic lead paint.
• PFAS: Motley Rice represents individuals and communities impacted by exposure to “forever chemicals.” We currently represent the country’s largest firefighter union (IAFF) in its lawsuit that seeks to remove PFAS from firefighting gear. In federal multidistrict litigation, we represent many water service providers that seek to remove PFAS from their systems and drinking water. In the same MDL, we also represent firefighters made sick by firefighting foam (AFFF).

Read more about our toxic exposure experience.