Listening

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Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a settlement
    • ex. After the accident, the company gave the workers a settlement so they could pay for their medical costs and days off work.
  2. resolve
    • ex. The company wants to resolve customer complaints politely.
  3. a lawsuit
    • ex. A lawsuit can take many months or years before the court makes a decision.
  4. a claim
    • ex. She made an insurance claim to get money for her car accident.
  5. a plaintiff
    • ex. The judge listened carefully to the plaintiff’s story before making a decision.

Article

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Bayer, the German owner of Roundup, has announced a $7.25 billion (about ¥1.1 trillion) settlement with lawyers representing cancer patients. The deal aims to resolve thousands of U.S. lawsuits claiming that Roundup causes cancer and that the company failed to provide warnings. Bayer CEO Bill Anderson said these lawsuits have made things difficult for the company for years, and the settlement provides a clear direction.

The proposed settlement would cover most of the roughly 200,000 claims made against Bayer. The money each person would receive would vary based on Roundup use and how serious the non-Hodgkin lymphoma is. More than 125,000 plaintiffs have filed lawsuits against the company since 2015. Some cases were already decided in court, including one in Georgia worth $2.1 billion (about ¥327 billion), while others were resolved separately.

This deal does not affect another U.S. Supreme Court case that will be discussed in April. The settlement would still need approval from a St. Louis court in Missouri. Bayer may cancel the deal if too many people decide not to be part of it.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Photo Credits: The Associated Press

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Bayer’s Lawsuit and Settlement

  • Bayer offered a $7.25 billion settlement to patients. What do you think about this? Discuss.
  • There are many lawsuits against Bayer. How do you think this affects the company’s image to the public? Discuss.
  • Imagine you experienced health problems from a product you have used for a long time. Would you file a lawsuit or accept a settlement if the company offered one? Why? Discuss.

Claims and Lawsuits against Brands and Products

  • There's roughly 200,000 claims made against Bayer, saying that its product Roundup causes cancer. How do you think this might affect the business? Discuss.
  • Talk about a brand or company that has received lawsuits similar to Bayer. Discuss.
  • According to the lawsuits against Bayer, the company also failed to provide warnings about its product, Roundup. How do you feel about a company that does not give warnings about its products? Discuss.