In the latest case to go to trial over claims that Roundup weed killer causes cancer, a St. Louis County jury decided in favor of Monsanto, St. Louis-based agrochemical giant and maker of Roundup. The lawsuit was brought by a woman who alleged that decades of exposure to Roundup while gardening caused her to develop non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a rare blood cancer that occurs when the body produces too many abnormal lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. If you or someone you love developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma or another type of cancer after regular exposure to Roundup, a glyphosate-based weed killer, contact Consumer Safety Watch as soon as possible. You may have grounds to file a Roundup lawsuit against Monsanto, which may help you recover the financial compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Roundup is the brand name of a broad-spectrum, glyphosate-based weed killer originally manufactured by Monsanto, which was acquired by Bayer in 2018. Roundup is the most widely used weed killer in the United States, with millions of pounds of the product applied to millions of acres of cropland each year. However, glyphosate (Roundup) has come under increased scrutiny in recent years due to the herbicide’s alleged connection to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found that glyphosate, Roundup’s active ingredient, is “probably carcinogenic” to humans, and nearly a decade of research since has confirmed that potential risk. Now, thousands of farmers, agricultural workers, landscapers, and even home gardeners who were routinely exposed to glyphosate from spraying Roundup may be at risk for cancer.
Tens of thousands of lawsuits have been brought against Monsanto, pointing to studies plaintiffs say establish a clear causal link between glyphosate exposure and cancer. Each Roundup lawsuit raises similar claims that Monsanto failed to warn consumers about the cancer risks associated with glyphosate exposure and continued selling the weed killer despite knowing about this risk. This latest Roundup lawsuit was filed by Sharlean Gordon, who stated that she was regularly exposed to Roundup while gardening with her stepfather as a child. Gordon reportedly used three different versions of Roundup over the course of 25 years, including a concentrate that she had to mix before spraying. Gordon was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma at the age of 39, and testified at trial that she would not have used Roundup if there had been any warnings about the potential carcinogenic effects of exposure to the weed killer. “She (Gordon) was a big gardener,” said Gordon’s attorney. “She read the (Roundup) label and followed the instructions.”
The defense win in Gordon’s trial presents an opportunity for Monsanto that may not have existed before. After suffering a series of high-profile losses at the start of the Roundup litigation, it seemed likely that Monsanto would agree to a large-scale settlement to resolve the remaining lawsuits pending in state and federal courts across the country. After all, the company has already reached settlement agreements in nearly 100,000 Roundup lawsuits, which accounts for nearly 80% of the total litigation, and has paid out roughly $11 billion in damages to plaintiffs. However, this latest verdict marks seven consecutive wins for Monsanto, which strengthens the manufacturer’s position and gives it some leverage in resolving future claims. Still, new Roundup lawsuits continue to be filed against Monsanto and the litigation is nowhere near over.
In addition to the Roundup claims still pending in Missouri and other state courts, more than 4,000 lawsuits filed throughout the federal court system have been centralized in the Northern District of California before U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria. Throughout the ongoing litigation, Monsanto has vehemently denied any link between Roundup and cancer and maintained that the weed killer can be used safely and is not carcinogenic. Tens of thousands of former Roundup users who have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma would disagree with those statements. If you believe you were adversely affected by alleged Roundup side effects and you want to hold Monsanto accountable for the pain you have suffered, call Consumer Safety Watch today. We can connect you with an experienced Roundup cancer attorney who can determine whether you are eligible to file a Roundup lawsuit against Monsanto. There may be a limit on the amount of time you have to file a claim, so don’t wait to call.
