The makers of Roundup weed killer face new allegations that the world’s most commonly used herbicide causes cancer, in the first Roundup trial to take place in the St. Louis area, near where Bayer-owned Monsanto has been headquartered for years. Over the past several years, Bayer and its Monsanto subsidiary have been hit with about 125,000 Roundup cancer lawsuits and have already paid out billions in damages to former Roundup users who claim that the weed killer caused their cancer. If you or a loved one has suffered non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma allegedly caused by exposure to Roundup weed killer, do not hesitate to speak to an experienced Roundup cancer attorney about your legal options. The Roundup litigation has resulted in several massive verdicts for plaintiffs, and with the right legal advocate on your side, you and your loved ones may be able to recover compensation for your losses.
Roundup is one of the most popular weed killers in the world and its active ingredient is glyphosate, a broad-spectrum herbicide that works by blocking an enzyme plants need to grow. Monsanto first introduced glyphosate in the early 1970s and began selling the chemical under the name Roundup in 1974. By the 1990’s, Roundup could be found in nearly every household across America, but its use really took off with the introduction of Roundup Ready seeds, which were genetically modified to withstand the spraying of Roundup. Despite raking in huge profits from Roundup for years, Monsanto now faces a significant hurdle due to claims that Roundup’s active ingredient causes cancer.
Since evidence of a potential link between Roundup and cancer became public, tens of thousands of lawsuits have been brought against Monsanto and Bayer, including one notable case from 2019, where a husband and wife from California used Roundup at their home and on other properties for more than 30 years and both developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. An Oakland jury awarded the couple $2 billion in damages, which a judge later reduced to $87 million. This latest Roundup cancer case in St. Louis involves three people in their 60s and 70s who were diagnosed with lymphoma following years of exposure to the chemicals in Roundup, specifically glyphosate. The plaintiffs are suing Monsanto for allegedly failing to warn consumers that Roundup causes cancer. This is the first Roundup trial to take place in the St. Louis area, nearby Creve Coeur, where Monsanto has its headquarters. It is also the first case to go to trial since the U.S. Supreme Court last month denied an appeal by Bayer to dismiss thousands of lawsuits involving claims by former Roundup users who say that the weed killer led to their cancer diagnoses.
Bayer acquired Monsanto in 2018 for $63 billion and in 2020 agreed to resolve a large portion of existing and potential future Roundup cancer lawsuits with a $10 billion settlement. The settlement came after years of litigation and thousands of lawsuits filed by people who blame Roundup for their cancer and Monsanto for failing to warn about the risk of cancer from glyphosate exposure. In terms of scientific evidence, a number of studies have found a potential link between exposure to glyphosate and an increased risk of certain types of cancer, and a 2015 report from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) identified glyphosate as a potential cancer-causing chemical, stating that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Yet, the Environmental Protection Agency does not recognize glyphosate as a carcinogen and Bayer has long claimed that Roundup does not cause cancer and is safe to use as directed. Still, the company recently announced plans to remove glyphosate from its residential lawn and garden products by 2023.
The Roundup litigation is ongoing, and product liability attorneys nationwide are reviewing cases on behalf of landscapers, agricultural workers, homeowners, and anyone else who has been exposed to Roundup at work or at home. If you believe you have been harmed by exposure to Roundup, it’s not too late to talk to an attorney about your legal options. People who were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after years of using Roundup are pursuing legal claims against Monsanto and Bayer, and cases are going to trial in courts all over the country. At Consumer Safety Watch, we know how devastating non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma can be, and we are committed to helping victims and their families learn about their options when faced with a cancer diagnosis. Contact us today to find out whether you may be eligible for compensation through a Roundup cancer lawsuit.
