A U.S. judge suggested on [May 19] that Bayer include a warning label on Roundup as part of a proposed $2 billion settlement to resolve future claims that the top-selling weedkiller causes cancer.
Bayer asked U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco to give preliminary approval for the settlement deal.
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“For years I’ve been wondering why Monsanto wouldn’t do that voluntarily to protect itself,” said Chhabria, of a warning label. He said a label would prevent further lawsuits and free up money to create a better offer for people already exposed.
He even suggested wording for a label and tweaked it as he got feedback from Bayer’s lawyer.
William Hoffman, a lawyer for Bayer, said he doubted the suggested label would protect against future lawsuits.
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“We appreciate the court’s direction,” Bayer said in a statement on [May 20] “It is common for courts to request some adjustments to class settlement agreements like this and we are confident that, working with class counsel, we will be able to address the matters raised by the Court. We remain committed to settling the Roundup litigation.”
The agreement would pause all litigation for four years and prevent class members from seeking punitive damages if they refuse compensation and ultimately decide to sue.
