"The Washington Supreme Court this week restored a $185 million verdict against the former Monsanto company, now owned by Bayer, over toxic chemicals in a state school building that allegedly poisoned three teachers.

The teachers, who retired due to health issues they claim were caused by exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fluorescent light fixtures at the school, sued Monsanto in 2018 for design and construction defects and for failing to warn of the chemicals’ risks. The 2021 verdict in the teachers’ favor was overturned last year by a Washington state appeals court, which concluded that the trial court was incorrect in applying Missouri law, where Monsanto was based and where Bayer now houses its crop sciences headquarters for North America, rather than Washington state law, which includes a statute that gives plaintiffs 12 years to bring product liability claims.

The Supreme Court’s October 30 decision partially reverses the decision by the Court of Appeals, determining that Missouri law should be applied to the case, since “all relevant decisions concerning PCB design, the discovery of the dangers of PCBs, and the decision not to warn consumers were made in Missouri,” wrote chief justice Debra Stephens in a legal filing."

Shannon Kelleher reports for The New Lede October 31, 2025. [2]