People in Connecticut likely come into contact with a variety of different substances each and every day. In many cases, people are unaware of this contact but put their faith in manufacturers that all products have been determined to be safe or, if not, proper warnings are provided. Unfortunately, a man in another state claims that his contact with a dangerous product, an herbicide, has left him with incurable cancer.
The man purportedly worked for years as the groundskeeper of a school system. As part of his job responsibilities, he claims, he applied Roundup, a Monsanto product. In a recent lawsuit, the man claims that years of applying the substance caused the development of his cancer.
The jury in the cause deliberated for three days before ruling in the man’s favor. He was awarded $250 million in punitive damages in addition to $39 million in compensatory damages. A representative for Monsanto claims that while the company is sympathetic to the man’s situation, the verdict goes against various studies and organizations that claim that a substance used in Roundup, glyphosate, is not a carcinogen. Activists, however, argue that the verdict is an indication of a “turning tide” and a step toward removing carcinogenic pesticides from the market.
In many cases, companies may be unaware of the potential harm their products may cause. In others, however, companies are fully aware that they are selling a dangerous product and fail to take appropriate action. Unfortunately, as this case indicates, innocent victims are left to suffer the consequences. Often, victims in Connecticut and across the country are left with no other option than to seek justice in a civil court.
