Monsanto the industrial pesticide behemoth is under fire over allegations that its blockbuster weedkiller Roundup causes a fatal form of cancer.
$239 Million Verdict in first California Roundup trial
Recently in the first trial, a California jury awarded $289 million to a school groundskeeper who was felled by terminal blood cancer.
A California Superior Court jury found Monsanto liable for damages and ordered the company to pay DeWayne Johnson $39 million in compensatory damages, and $250 million in punitive damages. Punitive damages were awarded against Monsanto to punish them for withholding critical information from the users about the increased risk of cancer from long-term exposure to Roundup.
According to Johnson, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2014, after years of exposure from spraying Roundup.
Monsanto denies liability
Monsanto denies any liability, vows to appeal the verdict and fight the more than 4,000 piled up Roundup cases.
What is Roundup?
The key ingredient in Roundup is the herbicide glyphosate, which has been used since the 1970s, when introduced by Monsanto. Glyphosate the most widely used herbicide in the world.
Monsanto has genetically engineered crops and grasses to be glyphosate-resistant, leading farmers to douse their crops with the poisonous herbicide to get kill off the competing weeds. The weeds through mutation adapt to the glyphosate poison, and then more heavy spraying is required increasing the farmers and agricultural workers exposure over time.
Roundup classified as “likely carcinogen”
The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified the key ingredient glyphosate in Roundup as a likely cancer-causing agent in mid-2015.
According to plaintiffs’ allegations the company knew or should have known about the cancer risk, and it failed to conduct adequate testing or issue safety warnings.
What is Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma?
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (also known as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, NHL, or sometimes just lymphoma) is cancer that starts in cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the body’s immune system. Lymphocytes are in the lymph nodes and other lymphoid tissues (such as the spleen and bone marrow).
Once non-Hodgkin lymphoma has been diagnosed and staged, several different types of treatment can be used against non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The treatment options depend on the type of lymphoma and its spread or stage.
The main types of treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma are:
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
- Targeted therapy
- Radiation
- Stem cell transplant
Roundup State and Federal Litigation
The state Roundup cancer cases are organized in California state court and Missouri state court, and all the federal cases are centralized and consolidated as part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the Northern District of California.
If you or a loved one has used Roundup long-term and developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and/or died as a result may have an injury claim or wrongful death claim against Monsanto. To learn more about your legal rights, call Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm at 888-210-9693 for a free case review. Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm is based in Dallas, Texas and is investigating and accepting Roundup cancer injuries nationwide.
Shezad Malik is an Internal Medicine and Cardiology specialist, a Texas Medical Doctor (retired) and Defective Medical Device and Dangerous Drug Attorney. Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm has offices based in Fort Worth and Dallas and represents people who have suffered catastrophic and serious personal injuries including wrongful death, caused by the negligence or recklessness of others.
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