Monsanto Company is facing a new product liability claim from an Arizona woman, alleging she developed Roundup CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia). The claim alleges Monsanto Company either knew or should have known their weedkiller could be potentially carcinogenic, which allegedly resulted in the claimant developing Roundup CLL.

Plaintiff Valerie W. filed her complaint after she was diagnosed with Roundup CLL. She says she learned of recent studies observing the weedkiller increased the risk of cancer in farmers.

According to the Roundup lawsuit, Valerie began using Roundup in 1988 and used it through 2008 while she lived in Pennsylvania and again in Arizona between 2010 through 2017.

Valerie alleges she was diagnosed with Roundup CLL in April 2016, and has since had to contend with the disease. Valerie says she used Roundup for 27 years for typical treatment purposes, while following all safety instructions.

At no point during this time, alleges the complaint, did Monsanto Company warn Valerie or the general public against potential Roundup cancer and gave the impression that the product was safe to use with no safety equipment. In alleged result, Valerie sustained regular exposure and had developed Roundup CLL.

Valerie says she opted to file legal action after discovering that Roundup posed carcinogenic risks on July 29, 2015, when the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) released a report that concluded the weedkiller’s main ingredient was carcinogenic.

Overview of Roundup Cancer Risks

Roundup is a popular weedkiller that has been on the market for decades, with it being one of the most commonly used pesticides in the United States.

The product is used on commercial nurseries to suburban yards, with the main ingredient glyphosate selectively killing weeds. While glyphosate has proven to be very effective in destroying unwanted weeds, it has recently been shown to cause potential Roundup CLL in consumers.

The IARC recently announced that glyphosate and several other pesticides were potentially carcinogenic in nature, and posed significant health risks to consumers. The IARC report consisted of three studies from the United States, Canada, and Sweden with one of the studies spanning back to 2001:

• Canada Study: Published in the American Association for Cancer Research, which found that men exposed to glyphosate were at risk for developing non Hodgkin’s lymphoma in under 10 years.
• United States Study: Published in the Occupational and Environmental Medicine, which concluded that glyphosate and certain other pesticides were “potentially carcinogenic” and were associated with an increased risk of non Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
• Sweden Study: Published in the International Journal of Cancer, which found that consumers were at risk for developing non Hodgkin’s lymphoma in under 10 years if exposed to glyphosate.

Researchers had begun studying the carcinogenic risks of glyphosate and other pesticides, after noting a number of farmers had been diagnosed with non Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had suspected a correlation in the 1980s, with the pesticide being linked to a number of different cancers including:

• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Leukemia
• Multiple Myeloma
• B-cell Lymphoma
• Bone Cancer
• Renal Cell Carcinoma (kidney cancer)
• Skin Tumors
• Pancreatic Islet Cell Tumors

Even though their product poses serious health risks to consumers, says the Rounduo CLL lawsuit, Monsanto Company allegedly failed to warn the general public of the correlation. Valerie states she would not have used the product, if she had known the risk of Roundup CLL.

This Roundup Cancer Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-08069-DLR, in the U.S. District Court of Arizona.

If you or a loved one developed cancer after using Roundup as a farm worker or home gardener, you may have a legal claim. Legal migrant farm workers may also seek help. Learn more by filling out the form on this page for a FREE case evaluation.

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