Can I Join a Roundup Class Action Lawsuit?

Roundup is a weed-killing product that may cause serious illness, including a form of cancer known as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Corporate giant Bayer (which acquired Roundup manufacturer Monsanto in 2018) is working toward resolving thousands of lawsuits alleging a link between plaintiffs' health problems and the popular weed killer.

These lawsuits focus on the herbicide glyphosate. Bayer used to use glyphosate in both its residential and agricultural Roundup products. Roundup litigation deals almost exclusively with residential use of the product. In response, Bayer has stopped manufacturing glyphosate-based Roundup for residential use in the United States, and now uses a different forumula. (The company says it made this change to reduce legal risk, not because it thinks glyphosate is dangerous.)

If you believe you've been harmed by Roundup, you may want to consult with an attorney about filing a lawsuit. One important consideration is whether you'll want--or be required--to "join" an existing Roundup group action. For now, that would probably mean adding your lawsuit to the ongoing Roundup multi-district litigation in federal court.

Get the basics on filing a lawsuit over cancer caused by use of Roundup.

Class Actions Versus Multi-District Litigation

A class action is one large lawsuit in which one or a few designated class representatives bring suit on behalf of many other similarly-harmed individuals (the "class"). This representative (usually through a team of lawyers) handles the litigation on behalf of the class, and what happens in the case is legally binding on all class members who did not "opt out" beforehand.

There has been at least one Roundup-related class action settlement. In 2023 a federal judge approved a $45 million settlement agreement in a lawsuit alleging that Bayer didn't do enough to warn consumers about the risk that Roundup can cause cancer. But that class action was related to the potential dangers of Roundup use. It contained no allegations of actual Roundup-related illness by class members.

This brings us to a key distinction between a class action and multi-district litigation.

A class action can be a good way to settle claims where all of the plaintiffs have been harmed in basically the same way. This is why the lawsuit that settled for $45 million was a class action--all of the plaintiffs were making the same claim that they had not been adequately warned of Roundup's potential dangers.

On the other hand, class actions aren't usually an effective or fair way to handle cases in which a large number of people have been harmed in significant (and potentially different) ways, even if that harm was caused by use of the same product. Cases like that are better served by so-called "multi-district litigation" (MDL).

MDL consolidates multiple cases into a single federal district, before a single judge, who will shepherd the MDL through the pre-trial process, including rulings about evidence and discovery that will apply to every individual case. The parties and the judge will choose a few representative cases for "bellwether trials," which will give all parties an idea of what to expect if their own cases go to trial, and are typically meant to spur settlement talks. But if no settlement occurs, each case goes back to its respective home court, and the litigation proceeds on an individual basis.

Many of the cases alleging health problems caused by Roundup have been added to a federal MDL action called In re: Roundup Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2741.

In 2021 the same federal judge handling the Roundup MDL rejected a settlement that would have created a Roundup class action. Under that agreement, Bayer would have set aside $2 billion to settle future claims over health problems allegedly caused by Roundup. But the judge ruled that the settlement did not offer adequate compensation to potential plaintiffs who might develop health problems in the future.

Roundup lawsuits can be consolidated in state court, too. For example, in June 2025, the New Jersey Supreme Court combined 36 lawsuits from across the state into a single "multicounty litigation" overseen by a single judge.

Next Steps for Your Roundup Claim

If you're thinking about filing a lawsuit over your use of Roundup, or have questions about Roundup group actions, you will almost certainly want to consult with an attorney. MDLs and class actions can have significant consequences for anyone making similar claims. For example, if there's a class action settlement, you may need to "opt out" in order to preserve your right to bring your own case. An attorney with experience handling these kinds of cases should be able to explain your options and help you decide how to proceed.