Monsanto Roundup Lawsuit

Monsanto Roundup [glyphosate] weed killer was recently designated as a probable human carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO). Farmers, farm workers and those living near farmland in which Roundup or other glyphosate products are used are at risk for developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma and other forms of cancer. Consumers across the United States who have been diagnosed with cancer due to Roundup or glyphosate herbicide exposure are making the decision to file a Roundup lawsuit.

If you have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, colon cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, melanoma, pancreatic cancer or thyroid cancer after being exposed to Roundup weed killer and would like more information about whether you might have a potential Roundup lawsuit, please contact a personal injury attorney at Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman by filling out the contact form below.

Roundup Lawsuit

Roundup [glyphosate] is an herbicide manufactured by agricultural giant Monsanto. It is used by farmers and agricultural workers throughout the United States as an all-purpose weed killer.

Since the Roundup weed killer first entered the market, Monsanto has denied claims that Roundup causes cancer, telling farmers and agricultural workers that Roundup is safe. However, recent studies by researchers and the World Health Organization (WHO) have shown that Roundup can cause cancer and other serious health problems.

In March of 2015, the World Health Organization surveyed the research on Roundup cancer links and concluded the blockbuster herbicide is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Research shows that Monsanto has known that Roundup weed killer is carcinogenic for several decades, but buried the risks as sales of Roundup continued to skyrocket in the United States and abroad.

Outraged by Monsanto’s deception, farmers, agricultural workers and their families are making the decision to file a Roundup lawsuit alleging that Roundup causes cancer.

Roundup and Cancer

A number of Roundup cancer studies have found evidence linking the weed killer’s main ingredient, glyphosate, to serious side effects. The most serious Roundup side effects include:

• Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
• Bone Cancer
• Colon Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Liver Cancer
• Melanoma
• Pancreatic Cancer
• Thyroid Cancer

Baum Hedlund is actively investigating these serious claims of Roundup side effects. If you have been affected by any of the aforementioned diagnoses after Roundup [glyphosate] exposure, the most effective means of holding Monsanto accountable is by filing a Roundup lawsuit.

What is Roundup?

Roundup is a non-selective herbicide used to kill weeds that compete with agricultural crops. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, works by inhibiting a specific enzyme required for plant growth.

By 2001, Roundup weed killer was the most-used active ingredient in American agriculture, with an estimated 85-90 million pounds used each year. In 2007, that number reached 185 million pounds annually and today, Roundup remains the most widely used herbicide in the United States and worldwide.

Monsanto Roundup Weed Killer Safety

Roundup weed killer was first discovered by Monsanto in the 1970s. At the time, public awareness about the toxic effects of pesticides and herbicides was at an all-time high, Monsanto being at the heart of the controversy. Monsanto’s blockbuster pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), which became a mainstay in American agriculture throughout the early 1900s, was shown to be toxic to humans. The U.S. banned DDT in 1972.

Between 1961 and 1971, Monsanto was the key developer and supplier of Agent Orange to the military during the Vietnam War. In the late 1970s, after veterans returned from the war, Agent Orange was shown to cause serious health conditions, including increased rates of cancer, along with nerve, digestive, skin and respiratory disorders. It was also shown to cause higher rates of leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, throat cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, soft tissue sarcoma and liver cancer. It is in the aftermath of the DDT and Agent Orange fiascos that Monsanto first launched glyphosate as an all-purpose Roundup weed killer in 1974.

Use of Monsanto Roundup skyrocketed in the 1990s when Monsanto introduced Roundup Ready crops. Roundup Ready crops come from genetically modified seeds that were specifically engineered by Monsanto to be resistant to Roundup weed killer.

According to Monsanto, Roundup Ready crops substantially improve a farmer’s ability to control weeds, since Roundup can be sprayed on plants during the growing season without harming the crop. Monsanto’s Roundup Ready marketing has been extremely effective, with an estimated 70 percent of corn and cotton and 90 percent of soybean production being genetically-modified Roundup Ready crops.

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Does Roundup Cause Cancer?

Scientific studies have shown a causal association between Monsanto Roundup weed killer and an increased risk of various forms of cancer. Mounting evidence shows that glyphosate, the active chemical in Roundup, is linked to a host of serious health conditions, including cancer.

In 1985, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified glyphosate as a Group C chemical, determining that glyphosate was possibly carcinogenic to humans. This finding was based on early animal studies, which showed increased incidence of cancer in mice exposed to glyphosate.

In 1991, however, after heavy lobbying by Monsanto, the EPA re-evaluated the animal data and re-classified glyphosate as a Group E chemical, indicating that there was no evidence that glyphosate herbicides like Roundup causes cancer in humans. This re-classification occurred shortly before Monsanto’s launch of Roundup Ready seeds and set the stage for what would become a $6 billion a year product for Monsanto.

Notably, on two separate occasions, the EPA determined that laboratories hired by Monsanto to conduct Roundup studies committed fraud.

In the early 1970s, Monsanto hired Industrial Bio-Test Laboratories (IBT) to study Roundup’s toxicity levels. IBT conducted 30 separate tests on Roundup weed killer, including 9 of the original 15 studies conducted to register glyphosate with the EPA. When the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) performed an inspection of IBT in 1976, the agency discovered discrepancies between the raw data obtained in the studies and final reporting of the toxicological effects of glyphosate to the EPA.

This led to an EPA audit of all IBT data, which found that numerous toxicology studies of glyphosate were invalid. One EPA reviewer commented as part of the audit that there was “routine falsification of data” and that it was “hard to believe the scientific integrity of the studies[.]” As a direct result of this audit, in 1983, three top executives at IBT were convicted of fraud.

In 1991, Monsanto hired Craven Laboratories to perform various pesticide and herbicide studies, including studies for Roundup. Later that year, the owner of Craven Laboratories and three of its employees were indicted for fraudulent laboratory practices.

In 1996, the New York Attorney General filed a Roundup lawsuit against Monsanto for falsely advertising the weed killer as being “safer than table salt” and “practically non-toxic” to mammals, birds and fish. The New York Attorney General alleged in the Roundup lawsuit that Monsanto was falsely telling farmers and agricultural workers that Roundup was non-toxic.

This Roundup lawsuit led to an agreement between Monsanto and the New York Attorney General, whereby Monsanto agreed to stop falsely advertising Roundup weed killer as safe within the state of New York. Unfortunately, the Roundup lawsuit agreement was limited to New York, and Monsanto continued to falsely market Roundup as being non-toxic in other states.

WHO Glyphosate Cancer

Over the last 30 years, there have been numerous glyphosate studies conducted by independent researchers showing a link between glyphosate and various forms of cancer and other serious health risks. Most recently, in March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency within the World Health Organization (WHO), conducted an exhaustive analysis on the toxicity of glyphosate.

The IARC convened a panel of 17 international scientists from 11 countries to conduct a systematic review of all publicly available information about glyphosate. The year-long glyphosate study resulted in the publication of an IARC Monograph—the authoritative standard for cancer hazard assessment around the world.

The IARC typically categorizes agents into four categories: Group 1 (known human carcinogens), Group 2A (probable human carcinogens), Group 2B (possible human carcinogens), and Group 3 (not classified).

After its comprehensive glyphosate study, the IARC concluded, among other things, that glyphosate is probably a human carcinogen (Group 2A). For an in-depth review of the IARC’s monograph click here.

Glyphosate Ban

As a result of the IARC’s glyphosate study, the State of California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has determined to list glyphosate as an agent “known to the state to cause cancer” pursuant to Proposition 65.

Due to the mounting scientific evidence indicating that glyphosate is a carcinogen, numerous countries have elected to restrict or ban glyphosate, including Roundup:

• Argentina: Over 30,000 health care professionals have advocated for a glyphosate ban.

• Belgium: Environmental ministers are seeking a ban on glyphosate, calling the herbicide “a real risk for human health and the environment.”

• Bermuda: Outlawed private and commercial sale of all glyphosate-based herbicides.

• Brazil: Federal prosecutor requested that the Brazilian Justice Department outlaw the use of glyphosate out of concern the herbicide causes health problems.

• Colombia: Outlawed the use of glyphosates to destroy illegal plantations of coca, the raw ingredient for cocaine, out of concern that glyphosates cause cancer.

• El Salvador: Banned glyphosate over links to deadly kidney disease.

• France: Banned the private sale of Roundup and glyphosate.

• Germany: German government officials have called for an EU ban on glyphosate.

• Italy: Raised concerns about glyphosate safety and has pushed against relicensing the herbicide in the European Union.

• Malta: An Environmental Ministry spokeswoman confirmed that Malta has begun the process of banning glyphosate. At least 25 local councils in Malta have already banned glyphosate in their regions.

• Netherlands: The Dutch Parliament voted to ban all glyphosate-based herbicides including Roundup.

• Portugal: President of the Portuguese Medical Association called for a worldwide ban of glyphosate.

• Sri Lanka: Banned the private and commercial sale of glyphosate.

• Sweden: Raised concerns about glyphosate safety and has pushed against relicensing the herbicide in the EU.

• Switzerland: Concerned about public wellbeing, the Swiss supermarket chains Migros and Coop removed glyphosate-based products from their shelves due to health risks.

Does Roundup Cause Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?

In the IARC Monograph on glyphosate, the researchers conducted a systematic review of over 15 studies designed to assess whether there was an association between Roundup exposure in agricultural workers and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

The researchers reviewed each study, identified the results and assessed each study’s strengths and weaknesses. After the evaluation, the IARC concluded that despite the limited evidence concerning the carcinogenicity of glyphosate in humans, a “positive association has been observed for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.”

In addition to the IARC’s assessment, in 2014, scientists published a systematic review and meta-analysis on the relationship between non-Hodgkin lymphoma and occupational exposure to agricultural pesticides, including glyphosate, in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The study showed a statistically significant association between farm workers exposed to Roundup and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The glyphosate study confirmed two smaller studies from 2002 and 2008, published in the journal Leukemia & Lymphoma (2002) and the International Journal on Cancer (2008), both of which also showed a statistically significant increase in non-Hodgkin lymphoma among agricultural workers exposed to glyphosate.

Collectively, these studies suggest that Monsanto Roundup causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma, especially in agricultural workers.

How Does Glyphosate Herbicide Cause Cancer?

Recent studies, including a glyphosate study published in the Journal of Environmental & Analytical Toxicology in 2014, indicate that “chronically ill humans showed significantly higher glyphosate residues in urine than healthy population.” Glyphosate has been detected in the blood and urine of agricultural workers, indicating that agricultural use of Roundup leads to its absorption.

The IARC Monograph specifically evaluated farm workers in the United States, finding that within days following the application of Roundup to a crop, approximately 60 percent of farm workers tested positive for glyphosate in their urine. In fact, in 1995, the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides reported that, in California, which has the most comprehensive program for reporting pesticide-caused illness, glyphosate was the third-most reported cause of pesticide illness among agricultural workers.

If you are a farmworker harmed by Roundup exposure, protect yourself and your family by finding out if you are eligible for a Roundup lawsuit.

Glyphosate Safety

Various studies have shown that exposure to glyphosate can cause DNA damage and DNA strand breaks, which is an important precursor to cancer. Indeed, the IARC specifically assessed the genotoxicity of Roundup (the property of chemical agents that damages the genetic information within a cell causing mutations, which may lead to cancer) and concluded that “[t]here is strong evidence that glyphosate causes genotoxicity.”

Additionally, the glyphosate herbicide studies have shown that that glyphosate exposure can induce oxidative stress, which is thought to be involved in the development of numerous conditions, including cancer, autism and Parkinson’s disease. When the IARC evaluated whether glyphosate was associated with oxidative stress, the agency concluded that “strong evidence exists that glyphosate . . . can induce oxidative stress.” This could be an important mechanism by which Roundup causes cancer.

In addition to DNA damage and oxidative stress, some scientists have suggested Roundup’s association with various serious health conditions is linked to the effect that Roundup has on the digestive system. Specifically, some scientists believe the same mechanism that makes Roundup toxic to weeds also makes it toxic to the microbes within the human gut. When humans are exposed to Roundup, it leads to a chronic inflammatory state in the gut, as well an impaired gut barrier, which can lead to many long-term health effects, including an increased risk of cancer.

How Do I File a Roundup Lawsuit?

The law firm of Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman is currently investigating and filing cases involving glyphosate-induced injuries. In order to find out if you are eligible for a Roundup lawsuit, just follow these three easy steps:

• Contact the Personal Injury Attorneys at Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman – To learn more about filing a Roundup lawsuit, call us at 800-827-0087 or fill out the case review form on this page.

• A Baum Hedlund Attorney Will Review Your Case for Free – During your free case consultation, our attorneys will review the circumstances that led to your injuries and determine if you are eligible to seek compensation by filing a Roundup lawsuit. During this time, feel free to ask any questions or raise concerns you may have about the process of filing a Roundup lawsuit.

• Talk to Your Family and Decide If Filing a Roundup Lawsuit Is the Right Decision for You – Even after our personal injury attorneys agree to represent you in a Roundup lawsuit, the choice of whether or not to pursue a claim is still yours to make.

Why Baum Hedlund Is the Right Law Firm to File Your Roundup Lawsuit

Baum Hedlund has successfully handled over 8,000 cases and secured over $1.5 billion in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients. With more than 40 years of experience handling personal injury and wrongful death cases, our firm has developed a reputation for holding Fortune 500 companies accountable, influencing public policy, raising public awareness and improving product safety.

*Past results are not a guarantee of future outcomes.

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