How much does a Roundup lawsuit cost, and where does it stand?
Short answer
As of October 2026, Monsanto's proposed $7.25 billion Roundup class settlement (paid over up to 21 years) had preliminary approval from a Missouri judge, a final approval hearing on September 14, 2026, and no final ruling as of early October. On June 25, 2026 the Supreme Court held in Monsanto v. Durnell that FIFRA preempts failure-to-warn cancer-label claims. Class members pay class counsel only through a court-approved fee from the settlement; claimants with their own lawyer may also owe that lawyer's contingency percentage.
Roundup litigation status as of October 2026
- June 25, 2026, Supreme Court: in Monsanto Co. v. Durnell, the Court held 7–2 (opinion by Justice Kavanaugh; Justices Jackson and Gorsuch dissenting) that federal pesticide law (FIFRA) expressly preempts state failure-to-warn claims that would require a cancer warning beyond the EPA-approved label.[1]
- Class settlement: Monsanto's proposed nationwide class settlement provides up to $7.25 billion, paid in declining capped annual amounts over up to 21 years, with a 16-year window after final approval for new non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) diagnoses. It covers people who allege Roundup exposure before February 17, 2026 and have, or are later diagnosed with, NHL within that window.[2] Judge Timothy Boyer of the Missouri circuit court in St. Louis granted preliminary approval on March 4, 2026.[2]
- Final approval: the final approval hearing was held September 14, 2026.[2] As of early October 2026, the judge had not issued a ruling.[3] Objecting firms argue the payments undervalue claims.[3]
- Trials continue: a St. Louis jury trial began September 29, 2026, with plaintiffs pursuing design-defect and inadequate-testing theories rather than failure to warn.[3]
We will update this box when a final-approval ruling is published. Check the date above before relying on it.
How lawyers are paid in the Roundup litigation
There are two different fee situations, and it matters which one you are in.
1. Class members without their own lawyer
In a class settlement, the lawyers appointed to represent the class (class counsel) are paid from the settlement only in an amount the court approves. This follows the long-standing "common fund" principle that a lawyer who recovers a fund for others is entitled to a reasonable fee from the fund as a whole.[4] Class members normally pay nothing up front and do not sign a fee agreement. The court reviews the fee request as part of approving the settlement, and class members can usually object to it during the notice period. See how class action lawyers are paid.
2. People with their own Roundup lawyer
Many claimants signed individual contingency agreements before the class deal. Those agreements must be in writing and state the percentage and how expenses are handled.[5] Ask your lawyer directly:
- Will you take your percentage from my class settlement payment, and is any court-awarded class counsel fee also deducted?
- If I opt out, does your percentage or your cost exposure change?
- What costs have been advanced on my file so far, and will they be deducted from a class payment?
What the settlement says about payment amounts
Reuters reported that individual payments under the proposed settlement range from $10,000 to $165,000, depending on cancer severity, age at diagnosis, and whether exposure was at home or at work, and that about 65,000 claims were pending in U.S. courts.[6] These are the program's reported payment terms, not a prediction for any individual, and they apply only if the settlement receives final approval.
Illustrative arithmetic only. If a claimant with a private agreement received a $40,000 class payment and the agreement allowed a 33⅓% fee on it, the fee would be $40,000 × 1/3 ≈ $13,333, leaving about $26,667 before any costs. Whether such a fee is permitted on a class payment depends on your agreement and any court order; ask before signing anything.
Staying in vs. opting out
Staying in a class settlement generally means accepting its payment schedule and giving up the right to sue separately on the released claims. Opting out keeps the right to sue but means paying for an individual case, usually on contingency, with the litigation risks that come with it. After Durnell, failure-to-warn claims seeking a cancer label are preempted,[1] so opt-out cases now rely on other theories such as design defect.[3] Read the official notice for the deadlines and procedure, and confirm the dates with the court or the settlement administrator named in the notice, not a third-party website.
What an individual case costs to bring
An opt-out case is a product-liability lawsuit. The firm usually advances the costs: medical and oncology experts on whether glyphosate exposure caused the NHL, exposure evidence, depositions and trial preparation, all repaid from any recovery and sometimes owed even if the case is lost, depending on the agreement.[5] Because a trial outcome cannot be predicted, compare the certainty and timing of the class payment schedule with the cost and risk of an individual case before deciding. The lawsuit cost guide explains the usual expense items.
Documents to gather
- Proof of NHL diagnosis (pathology report) and date of diagnosis.
- Evidence of Roundup use: purchase receipts, work records, photos, witness statements, and whether use was at home or at work.
- Any fee agreement you already signed, and any letters from a lawyer or the settlement administrator.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Roundup class settlement final?
Not as of early October 2026. Judge Timothy Boyer held the final approval hearing on September 14, 2026 and had not ruled as of early October.
Do I have to pay a lawyer to join the Roundup class settlement?
Class members are represented by court-appointed class counsel, whose fees are paid from the settlement in an amount the court approves. If you hired your own lawyer, your contingency agreement may also apply to your payment, so ask how fees will be calculated.
What did the Supreme Court decide in Monsanto v. Durnell?
On June 25, 2026, the Court held 7–2 that FIFRA preempts state failure-to-warn claims that would require a cancer warning beyond the EPA-approved label. It did not end every Roundup claim; trials on other theories continued in 2026.
How much will the Roundup settlement pay me?
No one can say for an individual case. Reuters reported a payment range of $10,000 to $165,000 under the proposed settlement, depending on factors such as severity and age at diagnosis, and payments depend on final approval.
Sources
- Supreme Court decides Monsanto v. Durnell — Faegre Drinker. June 25, 2026 decision: FIFRA preempts state failure-to-warn claims seeking a cancer warning (checked October 11, 2026)
- Statement on class final approval hearing — Bayer. Sept 14, 2026 hearing; decision expected later; up to $7.25B over up to 21 years (updated Sept 17, 2026) (checked October 11, 2026)
- Bayer faces new Missouri Roundup trial while $7.25 billion settlement awaits judge's ruling (Oct 3, 2026) — Global Agriculture. No final-approval ruling as of early October 2026; St. Louis trial began Sept 29, 2026 on design-defect theories (checked October 11, 2026)
- Boeing Co. v. Van Gemert, 444 U.S. 472 (1980) — Justia. Common-fund doctrine: reasonable fee paid from the fund as a whole (checked October 11, 2026)
- ABA Model Rule 1.5: Fees — American Bar Association. Contingent fee agreements must be written and say whether expenses come out before or after the fee; Rule 1.5(d) limits (checked October 11, 2026)
- Bayer asks judge to approve $7.25 billion Roundup settlement (Reuters) — Claims Journal. About 65,000 pending claims; reported payments of $10,000 to $165,000; objections (checked October 11, 2026)