The manufacturer of the popular weed killer, Roundup, has already paid out an $11 billion settlement as part of a mass tort lawsuit for people diagnosed with certain blood cancers after using their product. In 2023, they will pull some formulations of the product’s consumer version off the shelves. If you think this settlement applies to you, find out if you qualify for compensation before it’s too late!
The world’s highest-selling weed killer, Roundup, used an active ingredient called “glyphosate,” which was effective in killing more than just weeds. In fact, it killed every plant it touched so much so that the parent company, Monsanto, had to generate seeds resistant to their own product.
Once this advancement happened, sales of Roundup exploded in the home gardening market, but as time went on, people started to see patterns between exposure to Roundup and blood cancer. Since then, glyphosate has been linked to Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Follicular Lymphoma, Hairy Cell, Mantle Cell, Small-Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL) Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Burkitt, and other blood cancers. The International Agency for Research on Cancer rates glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
Monsanto failed to do their due diligence and study the physical and environmental ramifications of its product. Had Monsanto discovered the potential dangers of using Roundup and issued the proper warnings, people could have made informed decisions as to how to safely use the product.
In 2018, Bayer purchased Roundup and vowed to remove glyphosate from all Roundup products. However, the damage was already done and thousands of people developed cancers that link back to the weed killer.
As of May 2022, Bayer/Monsanto has settled more than 100,000 cases to the tune of $11 billion. Right now, there are still 30,000 active cases. If you or a loved one developed cancer after using Roundup, you could be entitled to a large settlement. The window for this opportunity could be closing faster than you think. You and your loved ones deserve justice which is why it is so important to see if you qualify right now.
Farmers, landscapers, groundskeepers, home gardeners, and other agricultural workers who have repeatedly used Roundup over long periods of time are the most likely to be affected by glyphosate-induced cancer. However, some plaintiffs have had as little as two exposures to Roundup with resulting cancer.
The trial in St. Louis lasted for nearly a month and the jury found the plaintiff failed to prove that Roundup was responsible for his cancer. While this was unfortunate for the plaintiff, it was a foreseeable part of Bayer/Monsanto’s strategy. With ten new cases set for trial, Bayer will settle many of them and only challenge the weakest ones.
Over in California, juries have already awarded billions of dollars to plaintiffs in the Roundup case. While the decision in St. Louis could be seen as disheartening for plaintiffs overall, Langford has a much stronger chance of winning over juries. He used Roundup on his property over a thirty-year period and continued to use it after his diagnosis of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma because the product did not display an adequate warning. The judge required the trial to be fast-tracked due to Langford’s failing health.
The Journal of Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology published a new study that links prenatal and perinatal exposure to glyphosate with Hemochromatosis in offspring, which can lead to permanent liver damage. This disease is caused by excessive storage of iron in the body. Usually thought to be genetic, a team of researchers in Brazil found a higher occurrence of this condition in baby rats whose mothers were exposed to the chemical.
A study published by The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found a link between Thyroid Cancer and exposure to glyphosate. The UCLA researchers found over a period of twenty years, California saw an increase in commercial and consumer herbicides with glyphosate, as well as an increase in Thyroid Cancer that warrants further study. They conclude that glyphosate, which is also used in serval other herbicides and pesticides, can induce DNA cell damage and increase hormone production in the thyroid. The latter is associated with cancer risk.
Bayer announced they will be pulling their glyphosate residential products from shelves in 2023 to reduce future litigation risk. They claim this action is due to the majority of claims being filed from residential users, despite many being filed by professionals in the agricultural space. At this time they have no plans to change any of their agricultural or professional formulations.