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Monsanto Should Pay $857 Million in PCB Case, Jury Finds

Summary

Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, has been ordered by a jury in Washington State to pay $857 million to former students and parent volunteers who claimed they fell ill after being exposed to dangerous chemicals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), that leaked from light fixtures at the Sky Valley Education Center in Monroe, Washington. The jury awarded $73 million in compensatory damages and $784 million in punitive damages. The plaintiffs, who attended the school starting in 2005, reported suffering from various health issues, including neurological and autoimmune problems. Monsanto, which Bayer acquired in 2018, plans to appeal, stating that objective evidence contradicts the plaintiffs' claims, and the damages awarded are "constitutionally excessive." This verdict adds to the legal challenges Bayer has faced since acquiring Monsanto.

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