Have You Experienced Health Issues After Using Roundup? Our Roundup Lawyers Can Help You Understand Your Legal Rights.
Bayer continues to face accusations that its Roundup weed killer causes cancer. The notorious German pharmaceutical company acquired the product from Monsanto, Roundup’s manufacturer, after a $63 million deal in 2018. Currently, more than 18,400 plaintiffs are claiming Bayer and Monsanto failed to properly warn Roundup users of the increased risk of developing cancer.
If you or a loved one became ill as a result of years of Roundup use, you may be entitled to compensation for damages. At Long & Long, we know that large corporations often put profits before people. However, our team always places people first. Our Roundup lawyers are driven to fight against negligent companies, like Bayer and Monsanto, that promote and distribute products that cause harm to consumers.
The Most Commonly Used Weed Killer Worldwide
Roundup, one of the most common weed killers in the world, is known for effectively killing unwanted plants without causing much harm to the surrounding environment. According to Weed Killer Crisis, “More than 288 million pounds of glyphosate were sprayed on U.S. crops in 2016 alone.”
The popular product is used industrially across the U.S. and by non-professionals, such as homeowners. While Roundup is effective, its key ingredient, glyphosate, is potentially dangerous to humans.
Glyphosate: The Harmful Chemical Used in Roundup
Glyphosate, the most widely used chemical in herbicides and the main ingredient found in Roundup, attacks a particular enzyme known as EPSP synthase. Without this vital enzyme, a plant is unable to produce the key proteins that promote growth.
While this chemical is beneficial to the agricultural industry, it’s potentially harmful to humans. The World Health Organization’s Cancer Research Agency (IARC) classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
Despite this statement and the results from several other studies showing increased rates of cancer associated with extensive exposure to glyphosate, Bayer has continuously defended the safety of both the chemical itself and Roundup.
Back in April 2019, Bayer said, “Glyphosate-based products can be used safely and glyphosate is not carcinogenic.” However, people affected by continuous usage of glyphosate-based herbicides continue to file lawsuits claiming the opposite.
The most frequent cancer found among those with high exposure to this chemical is non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. This form of cancer affects the body’s lymph system, which helps the body fight infections and diseases.
If you or a loved one used Roundup frequently and was later diagnosed with this rare form of cancer, contact our team of lawyers to discuss your legal rights.
Did Monsanto Try to Cover Up the Dangers Behind Glyphosate?
According to an article by Fortune, “Employees of Monsanto ghostwrote scientific reports that U.S. regulators relied on to determine that a chemical in its Roundup weed killer does not cause cancer.”
Court documents, which were made public, revealed that Monsanto had ghostwritten parts of a scientific report that was published under the names of several academic scientists. “Plaintiffs claim that Monsanto’s toxicology manager ghostwrote parts of a scientific report in 2013, and his boss ghostwrote parts of another in 2000.” Both reports were used by the EPA to conclude that glyphosate was a safe chemical.
A spokeswoman from Monsanto denied that their own scientists wrote the 2000 report, however, she never directly addressed the 2013 report.
While there are limited scientific findings on the dangers of glyphosate in humans, Monsanto’s attempts to mask the effects of the chemical have caused serious concern about Roundup’s safety.
Who’s at Risk?
Roundup has been used in homes and farms across the U.S for many years, making exposure to glyphosate easy. Some of the individuals that may be at risk of suffering negative effects from Roundup include but are not limited to:
- Home gardeners
- Commercial farmers
- Farmworkers
- Landscapers
- Groundskeepers
- Nursery employees
- Homeowners who regularly use the product around the house
Roundup Lawsuits
Thousands of individuals have filed lawsuits claiming their illnesses were directly caused by Roundup. As of now, there have been several verdicts against Bayer/Mansanto, including:
- $289 million in damages awarded to Dewayne Lee Johnson, a school groundskeeper. However, this verdict was eventually reduced to $78 million.
- An $80 million verdict for Edwin Hardeman, who used Roundup on his personal property.
- An $87 million verdict awarded to couple Alva and Alberta Pilliod, who also used the herbicide on their property for decades.
The number of lawsuits filed against the company are increasing, as people continue to be diagnosed with cancer after heavy use of Roundup.
What Types of Compensation Are Available for Damages?
If you or a loved one used Roundup for a significant amount of time and suffered an illness as a result, you may be entitled to financial compensation to cover damages related to your sickness. Compensation can include the following:
Medical Treatment
You may be compensated for any medical treatment you received for health problems linked to using Roundup. This can include costs such as testing, prescription medications, surgeries, and other treatments associated with your sickness.
Loss of Income and Lost Earning Capacity
An illness can result in time spent away from work and/or affect your ability to earn a living in the future. If you have to miss work to attend appointments related to your illness, then you could be compensated for any lost wages.
In some cases, your illness can significantly impact your ability to make an income. This is known as lost earning capacity, also referred to as future loss of earning. If you qualify for this form of compensation, it will be calculated based on the specific details of your case.
Pain and Suffering
While economic losses, such as medical bills, are typically easy to calculate, it’s difficult to assign a dollar amount to the overall impact your illness has had on your life. Non-economic losses are known as “pain and suffering,” which is usually broken into two types: physical and mental.
The physical pain and suffering you’ve endured is based on the actual pain you feel from your illness, such as discomfort. Mental pain and suffering, on the other hand, includes emotional distress, anxiety, anguish, and any other emotional damages you’ve felt as a result of your sickness.
Can I File a Roundup Lawsuit?
If you were diagnosed with an illness, such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, after frequent use of Monsanto’s Roundup products, you may have the opportunity to file a lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit against a big corporation, like Bayer and Monsanto, is not easy, especially if you don’t have strong legal representation.
Large corporations will try a number of tactics to avoid paying for lawsuits, so without a tough and experienced Roundup lawyer on your side, your chances of obtaining fair compensation are significantly less.
Call Long & Long
At Long & Long, we are advocates for holding large corporations legally responsible for their negligent actions. For this reason, our team of Roundup lawyers is dedicated to helping people who suffered health issues related to the use of this weed killer receive justice.
Call our law office at (251) 432-2277, or fill out our free case review form. Don’t wait to contact us. These cases are time sensitive. Allow our experienced attorneys to fight for your legal rights!
