RoundUp’s manufacturer, Monsanto (Bayer) is facing more than 1,600 lawsuits in California alone after a study was published linking the weed killer’s active ingredient to cancer. There have been three jury verdicts so far, all in favor of plaintiffs suffering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), with awards totaling well over $2 billion. The Dunken Law Firm is continuing to accept new cases in California and throughout the country involving people who have developed NHL or other glyphosate-related diseases after being exposed to Roundup. Contact us today and receive a free case evaluation with our California Roundup lawsuit attorney.
Glyphosate is the main ingredient in RoundUp’s formulation and is designed to inhibit a specific enzyme that is mandatory for plant growth. It is the world’s most widely sold weedkiller and is commonly used in farming and public places such as schools, streets, parks, or by homeowners. The chemical is often sprayed by farmers before crops emerge and shortly before harvesting.
This is alarming, due to the fact that the herbicide is now classified as a probable cause of cancer in humans, as discovered in 2015 by the International Association for Research on Cancer (IARC), an arm of the World Health Organization (WHO). The grounds discussed in the IARC’s publication for finding glyphosate dangerous are linked to two primary reasons. Animal studies showing a potential relationship between glyphosate and cancerous tumors, as well as lab studies proving the chemical can cause damage to human DNA.
A recent scientific analysis of the herbicide found that high exposures increase the risk of developing NHL by 41 percent.
Any individual with consistent exposure to glyphosate can be in danger of developing a related illness. Exposure can occur through contaminated food, inhalation, or skin absorption. Individuals who run the highest risk include farm workers, landscapers, garden center or nursery employees, and groundskeepers. Agricultural workers who harvest regularly sprayed crops, such as corn, cotton, soybeans, sugar beet, and wheat, are especially in danger.
Below is a list of the top 5 California counties that use glyphosate the most, spanning a 25 year period between 1992 and 2017:
It is highly recommended to seek medical treatment if you experience any of the beginning symptoms of NHL after being exposed to RoundUp. They can include swollen lymph nodes, fever, chills, night sweats, chest pain, abdominal pain, and a reduced appetite.
More than 1,600 RoundUp cancer lawsuits have been consolidated before U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of San Francisco. This is out of the more than 18,000 pending lawsuits nationwide by users of Roundup and other Monsanto weed killers. In March, the judge presided over the second RoundUp case to make it before a jury, however it was the first federal case tried. A more than $80 million award was issued to Edwin Hardeman, a man suffering from NHL. Since then, Chhabria reduced the award to approximately $25 million, yet Monsanto (Bayer) still plans on appealing the verdict. The next federal trial is scheduled for February of 2020.
California juries have also awarded damages in two other cases. The first-ever Monsanto Roundup cancer plaintiff, former groundskeeper Dewayne “Lee” Johnson, was awarded $289 million last August by a San Francisco jury. However, a judge later reduced the total award to $78 million. In May, an Oakland jury handed down an over $2 billion verdict in favor of a Livermore couple diagnosed with NHL. In July, the verdict was upheld but the damages were slashed to $86.7 million.
Anyone who has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma or another form of cancer after using Roundup in their occupation or on their own property in California is eligible to file a Roundup lawsuit against Monsanto/Bayer. Get in touch with our Roundup lawsuit attorneys for more information.
If you or a loved one in California believe you are suffering from the harmful effects of Roundup exposure, contact The Dunken Law Firm. We will review your case for free and talk through your legal options. Reach us by calling (713) 554-6780 or online through our request form.