Monsanto Roundup Lawsuit
What is Roundup Weed Killer?
Roundup is an herbicide manufactured by Monsanto that contains glyphosate, which is designed to inhibit an enzyme called EPSP synthase, something that plants need in order to grow. Without EPSP synthase, plants are unable to produce other proteins essential to growth, and they eventually wither up and die, over the course of days or weeks. Roundup is sprayed on lawns and crops to control many varieties of invasive exotic plants, and use of the herbicide has increased dramatically in recent years, due largely to the introduction of “Roundup Ready” crops by Monsanto, which are genetically modified (GMO) to be resistant to glyphosate.
Why is there a Roundup Lawsuit?
Despite the fact that Monsanto has marketed Roundup as a safe, “biodegradable” and “environmentally friendly” product, numerous studies published over the past 20 years have shown that the herbicide may actually be tied to an increased risk of cancer and other medical problems. As a result, consumers who have been diagnosed with serious illnesses like non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after being exposed to Roundup are now pursuing product liability lawsuits against Monsanto, alleging that the company failed to provide adequate warnings about the potential health risks of Roundup, and intentionally falsified data on the weed killer’s safety.
Side Effects Linked to Roundup Weed Killer
Roundup is ranked as the second most widely used lawn and garden weed killer in the United States, and is marketed as easy-to-use and effective against invasive weeds like dandelions, poison ivy and kudzu. According to a growing body of research, however, people who work on or live near farms where Roundup is used may be at risk for serious health consequences, including:
- Lymphoma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
- Lung cancer
- Brain cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Kidney disease
- Nerve damage
- Leukemia
- Heart disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Respiratory illness
- Birth defects
- Infertility
Roundup Studies Alleging Side Effects
In 1985, the New York Times published a report citing an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) committee, which found that exposure to Roundup weed killer may cause cancer, but six years later, the EPA reversed its findings after reevaluating the study that its original conclusion was based on. Now the question of Roundup’s safety is back in headlines, and in March 2015, the journal The Lancet Oncology published a report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), indicating that the glyphosate contained in Roundup is a “probable human carcinogen.” Research conducted in Paraguay also showed that babies born to mothers living near fields sprayed with glyphosate had more than double the risk of suffering birth defects.
Recent Roundup News
A little over a year after the IARC, which is the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), reported that glyphosate was possibly carcinogenic to humans, a California judge rejected a request by Monsanto to dismiss a complaint brought by a man who claimed that he developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a result of being exposed to Roundup. In the meantime, glyphosate has been banned in Sri Lanka, due to its suspected link to kidney disease, Brazil is considering doing the same, Mexico and the Netherlands have imposed new restrictions on the herbicide, and Canada has begun the process of considering new Roundup regulations.
How Do I Join the Roundup Lawsuit?
If you have been exposed to Roundup, either while working on or living near a farm where the potentially dangerous herbicide is used, and you have since been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, kidney disease, heart disease or another serious illness, consult the knowledgeable product liability lawyers at Monroe Law Group today to discuss how you can join the Roundup litigation. The attorneys at Monroe Law Group have years of experience helping individuals pursue financial compensation for injuries and costly medical bills associated with dangerous consumer products, and we only get paid if you win your case.
There is no risk to you in consulting one of our lawyers today. Contact Monroe Law Group now by phone at 619-777-1234 or by email at intake@monroelawgroup.com to arrange for your free, no-obligation consultation.
