Roundup Linked to Increased Risk of Lymphoma
In 2015, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate, Roundup’s main ingredient, as “probably carcinogenic in humans” based on various human, animal, and in vitro studies. Specifically, exposure to glyphosate was linked to an increased risk of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system. Researchers have observed anywhere from a 41 to 70% increased risk for Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after prolonged exposure to Roundup.
Our law firm handles Roundup cancer lawsuits in all 50 states. Our lawyers continue to seek new Roundup Cancer Lawsuits after the Roundup settlement. Our top priority is ensuring you get the answers you’ve been looking for and the compensation you deserve. If we take on your case, you won’t be charged anything unless you win.
A Brief History on Roundup
Roundup, one of the most popular weed-killing products in the U.S. and the world, relies on the active ingredient glyphosate, a chemical compound discovered in the early 1970s. Glyphosate is fairly unique among herbicides (vegetation-killing chemicals) in that it doesn’t target weeds or any other specific kind of plant. Instead, glyphosate is a “non-selective” herbicide, meaning it kills all plants or crops it comes into contact with.
Monsanto started manufacturing Roundup in the mid-1970s, but it wasn’t until 1996 that product sales really took off. That’s when the company started marketing seeds that were genetically modified to resist glyphosate. This meant Roundup could be used on and around crops, ornamental plants, and flowers, which could continue to thrive while weeds and other invasive kinds of vegetation were eliminated. For now, Roundup can be found on the shelves of most “big box” home improvement centers and neighborhood hardware stores—favored by farmers, groundskeepers, and backyard gardeners alike. Changes are on the way in 2023 (more on this below).
In 2018, German pharmaceutical giant Bayer bought Monsanto and ended up inheriting all of Monsanto’s emerging Roundup-related legal problems. The safety of pesticides and herbicides has been under scrutiny for decades, but in 2015 the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) announced a new classification of glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic”. This means it likely causes cancer.
Roundup Cancer Lawsuits
By the time Bayer bought Monsanto in 2018, thousands of lawsuits linking Roundup to the development of a form of cancer known as Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma had been filed in courts nationwide. (The business entity known as “Monsanto” no longer exists, though the name appears to live on in court filings related to Roundup litigation.)
That same year, in the first of these cases to go to trial, a California jury found in favor of Dewayne Johnson, a 46-year-old groundskeeper who worked at a number of California schools. Johnson argued that he developed Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after using Roundup on the job, and alleged a scientific connection between the product and the illness. Bayer/Monsanto was ordered to pay $289 million in damages.
Soon, two more Roundup lawsuits also ended in big wins for the plaintiffs. In March 2019, a jury awarded $80 million (including $75 million in punitive damages, later cut to $20 million) to a plaintiff who had used Roundup in his yard for over 25 years before developing Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In May 2019, a California jury ordered Bayer to pay $2 billion in punitive damages in a lawsuit filed by a couple who both developed Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after using Roundup for over 30 years. The couple was also awarded another $55 million in compensatory damages.
A few months later, this massive award was reduced to $86.7 million after the judge concluded that the original judgment was significantly out of step with legal precedent. In May 2021, a federal appeals court ruled that the judge had properly allowed the case to proceed to trial over Bayer/Monsanto’s objections; the appeals court also upheld the reduced award.
Do You Qualify for a Roundup Cancer Lawsuit or Settlement?
If you or a loved one have used Roundup and suffered from Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma or Leukemia, financial compensation and settlement benefits may be available. Call or text us today at 214-210-2100, or complete the form below to request a free case review. The information you provide about your Roundup Cancer Claim will be reviewed, and if it is determined that you may be eligible for a settlement, we can discuss moving forward with a potential lawsuit.
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