Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Risk
Data shows ongoing long-term exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup Week Killer is linked to the development of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. There is also evidence exposure to the weed killer could lead to the development of celiac disease. Many farmers and gardeners have reported developing the disease after their use of the product and now, many have filed lawsuits against the weed killer’s manufacturer.
Roundup Use is Abundant
Roundup is the most common weed killer used in America and throughout the world, despite evidence it has been shown to cause cancer. According to the International Agency on Research, the Roundup is “probably carcinogenic.” The World Health Organization (WHO) has also expressed concerns about the safety of Roundup and also called it “probably carcinogenic.”
The most recent information from medical studies links glyphosate to DNA and chromosomal damage in human cells, kidney failure, chronic kidney disease, intestinal disorders, Celiac disease, and autism.
Though Monsanto continues to deny any risk and calls its product safety, health concerns are great enough that in July 2017, California added glyphosate to its list of cancer-causing chemicals under the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. This means businesses must warn consumers if their products or facilities contain potentially unsafe amounts of any toxic substances known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
There are currently more than 1100 lawsuits in federal and state courts concerning Roundup and its potential link to lymphatic cancers. If you or a loved one developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after using Roundup, you could be eligible to receive compensation.
Roundup and Glyphosate
Roundup contains glyphosate, an herbicide that targets a plant growth enzyme. It is used to kill weeds, but because of its widespread use over so many years, weeds have developed resistance. There is currently more than 260 glyphosate-resistant weed growing around the world and in order to eliminate these weeds, stronger and stronger doses of weed killer must be used.
Even farmers and gardeners who try to avoid exposure to glyphosate aren’t safe. It’s possible for runoff of Roundup to occur, which means the glyphosate travels into waterways and then applied, unknowingly, to crops. Animals have also been tested for the presence of glyphosate in their systems, which researchers believe comes from consuming crops vegetation sprayed with Roundup or from drinking the poisoned water.
In addition to exposure from weed killing, some farmers are actually killing their crops with glyphosate so they can harvest earlier than usual in areas prone to colder temperatures. This is most common in areas where wheat is grown. Monsanto’s PowerMAX Roundup herbicide even comes with instructions to spray pre-harvest. This means the food being eaten by consumers was potentially sprayed directly with Roundup just before harvest.
Roundup Exposure and Health Problems
The toxicity of glyphosate increases when it’s mixed with other ingredients in products. Those using Roundup and experiencing direct exposure have also reported irritation in the nose or throat, or on the skin.
There is also evidence that exposure to high levels of glyphosate could be linked to developmental and reproductive issues. Some researchers found glyphosate in sugar, corn, soy, and wheat, “enhance the damaging effects of other food-borne chemical residues and toxins in the environment to disrupt normal body functions and induce disease.”
First Roundup Lawsuits Go to Trial
In November of 2018, a California jury decided against Monsanto in the case of Dewayne Johnson who claimed that large volumes of Roundup used in his work as a groundkeeper had caused his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The jury awarded Johnson $39 million in compensatory damages and $250 million in punitive damages for a whopping $289 million. The total award was later reduced to $78 million due to limitations on punitive damages already in existence.
In March 2019, in the first Federal Roundup Weedkiller lawsuit trial, a federal jury awarded $80 million to a man who claimed that his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer had been caused by use of glyphosate-based Roundup at his job as a landscaper. His case was considered to be a bellwether trial, indicating possible future action on more than 700 cases that had already been consolidated in San Francisco federal court.
After 4 weeks of trial, the San Francisco U.S. District Court jury awarded 70-year old Edwin Hardeman $5 million in compensatory damages and $75 million in punitive damages. The total amount was later reduced to comply with a limit on punitive to actual damages, which reduced the award to $25.27 million.
Growing Numbers of Roundup Weed Killer Lawsuits
Over 42,000 people or their loved ones have already filed or joined lawsuits against Bayer, parent company of Monsanto. The glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup is being blamed for cancer, mainly non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) but also for other attacks on the gastrointestinal system including celiac disease.
Germany, where Roundup’s manufacturer, Bayer is headquartered, will block sales of Roundup or any glyphosate-based weed killer starting in 2023 and other countries may follow suit.
Bayer Roundup Weed Killer Lawsuit Settlement
The number of current Roundup lawsuits, 42,700, is more than double the number, 18,400, that was reported by Bayer in mid-July 2019 and cases continue to be filed. Bayer’s share price has dropped by more than 30% thus far and the company faces looming trials in federal and state courts in California, Missouri, Montana, Hawaii, Nebraska, Illinois and North Carolina. In addition to groundskeepers, some of the new cases involve farmers and other users of Roundup.
Though the company has lost its first two court cases for Roundup cancer lawsuits, Bayer has not indicated that they are close to reaching a settlement. Some news agencies have reported that the company floated a $6 to $8 billion value for estimated settlement totals, but others have dismissed the reports and said that they are “fiction”.
Filing a Bayer Roundup Weed Killer Lawsuit Settlement
People or loved ones of those who used Roundup glyphosate Weed Killer and were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer may be eligible for compensation and should seek legal advice. Medical injury and product liability cases have provided compensation for damages such as medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering and if the victim has died, wrongful death.
Notwithstanding claims relating to this product, the drug/medical device remains approved by the U.S. FDA.