Research has shown that exposure to the popular weed killer product, Roundup, may be associated with serious side effects, including: Leukemia; Bone Cancer; Non Hodgkin Lymphoma, other cancers, kidney disease, and the glyphosate-based herbicide has even been linked to a two-times increased risk of birth defects in babies born to mothers living near fields sprayed with Roundup. If you or a loved one has suffered a serious health complication you believe to be related to Roundup weed killer, contact an experienced product liability lawyer today to explore your possible compensation options.
The use of glyphosate has increased dramatically in recent years, due in large part to Monsanto’s introduction of Roundup Ready crops, which are genetically modified (GMO) to be resistant to the herbicide, and allow farmers to spray their fields without damaging their corn and soybean crops. And even though Monsanto claimed that its GMO products would reduce overall herbicide and pesticide use, from 1996 to 2011, the use of the company’s Roundup Ready crops actually increased herbicide use in the United States by 527 million pounds. This is only the beginning of Monsanto’s history of deception.
In addition to allegedly falsifying data on the safety of Roundup, Monsanto has also claimed that the glyphosate-based herbicide is “biodegradable” and “environmentally friendly,” even as the weed killer has been linked to cancer and other serious side effects. One of the first links between Roundup weed killer and the risk of cancer was reported by an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) committee in 1985, and the issue is again at the forefront of the herbicide and pesticide debate.
For nearly two decades, scientists have been documenting the adverse effects of Roundup, and in a study published in the journal Entropy in April 2013, researchers found that “[Glyphosate’s] negative impact on the body is insidious and manifests slowly over time as inflammation damages cellular systems throughout the body.” As if that wasn’t enough cause for concern, the World Health Organization in March 2015 published a report indicating that Roundup weed killer is a “probable human carcinogen.”
In March 2015, the World Health Organization published a report indicating that Roundup weed killer is a “probable human carcinogen.”
Roundup weed killer is an herbicide introduced in 1974 by Monsanto, to control various types of invasive exotic plants. The main ingredient in Roundup, glyphosate, is designed to interfere with a specific enzyme called EPSP synthase, which prevents plants from producing other proteins essential to growth. As a result, plants treated with Roundup typically wither and die over a period of days or weeks, making the herbicide a popular choice for farmers who want to protect their corn and soybean crops from invasive weeds. Many people have Roundup in their garage and use it on their lawn, and the herbicide is used on nearly every acre of corn and soy in the United States.
For consumers diagnosed with cancer, kidney disease or another serious medical condition after being exposed to Roundup weed killer, a lawsuit can help cover the cost of:
In light of the potential for Roundup weed killer to cause serious side effects in individuals exposed to the herbicide, some consumer and environmental groups are calling for additional research into the safety of glyphosate-based herbicides, as well as stronger label warnings on genetically modified foods sprayed with Roundup. In the meantime, consumers who have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other types of cancer are pursuing legal claims against Monsanto, alleging that the company failed to adequately warn about the risk of cancer from Roundup.
Included in these lawsuits is a former California field worker who filed a federal lawsuit against Monsanto, alleging that his exposure to Roundup over a period of nearly ten years caused him to develop bone cancer at age 38. Most recently, a California judge in April 2016 refused a request by Monsanto to dismiss a Roundup lawsuit filed by a man who claims that his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer was caused by his long-term use of Roundup.
