French farmer Paul Francois has won a legal battle against Monsanto after he argued that a 2004 incident involving one of its weedkillers seriously damaged his health.
Photo by: Karolina Grabowska/Pexels
The Bayer-owned chemical giant lost its battle Wednesday after it was revealed Francois has suffered from various neurological problems as a result of inhaling its now-infamous product, Roundup.
This is hardly the first controversy involving the weedkiller. Back in April, the company had to take a tougher stance on settlement talks after claims the glyphosate-based product could cause cancer.
As of the last recording, the company had faced over 52,000 lawsuits related to the product, which doubled in the last half of 2019.
The product is so controversial, that the German government opted to enact a ban on it, which comes into effect in 2023.
The American company has paid out more than $8 billion (€6.76 billion) in US-based lawsuits alone as of September 2019.
Last June, parent company Bayer opted to invest in alternate herbicides, possible as a way of stemming the damages Roundup was accruing.
The lawyers on Francois' case posited that Bayer had not provided sufficient safety guidance when for using the product.
The farmer said he suffered from memory loss, headaches and occasional fainting since inhaling the product 16 years ago, leading to multiple hospital visits and near-death experiences.
His legal team have been pursuing the case since 2007, and the ruling would mean he finally receives damages.
Bayer is set to review the decision. In a statement, it announced its weedkiller products "do not present a risk to human health" if used correctly.
Anti-pesticide group Générations Futures consider this to be a "historic victory."
François Veillerette, a spokesman for the activist group, said: "We are pleased with his historic decision where a multinational agrochemicals company is finally condemned for the damage caused to this courageous farmer."
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