U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria stated that Bayer and a plaintiff has been ordered to go into confidential mediation in a Roundup lawsuit. The filing suggests both parties propose and agree on a mediator or else the court will appoint one. The trial scheduled for May 20 is canceled, and a new date will be set; the mediation efforts will be discussed on May 22.
The company plans to defend its glyphosate-based products in court claiming the product to be safe and stands behind the science supporting the product’s safety. In a recent verdict against Bayer, the judge awarded the plaintiff $80 million. Mediation is done confidentially, and the settlements are not released to the public. The mediation resources spent on the trial will be spent on multidistrict litigation under MDL No. 2741.
