A Monsanto wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the widow of a man who started using Roundup weed killer in 1976 and developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

John V.’s diagnosis “was proximately and actually caused by exposure to Defendant’s Roundup products,” says the Monsanto wrongful death lawsuit.

Monsanto is the leading producer of glyphosate in the world. The company discovered the herbicidal properties of glyphosate in the 1970s, and the substance is the active ingredient in Roundup. John V. allegedly used Roundup according to the label’s directions for years.

Nearly 250 million pounds of glyphosate are sprayed on crops, commercial nurseries, lawns, parks and golf courses. Because glyphosate indiscriminately kills all plants, the increased use of Roundup sparked “the proliferation of genetically engineered crops, specifically tailored to resist the activity of glyphosate.”

Monsanto helps develop and market genetically modified (GMO) crops that are often advertised as being resistant to Roundup and are even nicknamed “Roundup Ready” crops. In 2010, nearly 70 percent of corn and cotton and 90 percent of soybean fields in the U.S. contained Roundup Ready seeds.

According to the Monsanto wrongful death lawsuit, “[f]or nearly 40 years, consumers, farmers, and the public have used Roundup, unaware of its carcinogenic properties.”

Monsanto Wrongful Death Lawsuit Alleges Herbicide is Dangerous

The New York Attorney General filed a lawsuit against Monsanto in 1996, alleging the company used false and misleading advertising to sell its Roundup products. Monsanto said Roundup, with its glyphosate base, was “safer than table salt” and “practically non-toxic” to mammals, birds and fish.

Monsanto agreed to an Assurance of Discontinuance with the New York Attorney General in November 1996. Monsanto agreed it would cease and desist from advertising any claims that its glyphosate-containing products were safe or non-toxic or biodegradable. Advertising in other states has never been modified from the original claims of how “safe” the products are.

In 1985, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Toxicology Branch declared glyphosate a Category C oncogene, which means it is a “possible human carcinogen with limited evidence of carcinogenicity.”

Mix of Roundup’s Ingredients Allegedly More Toxic than Glyphosate Alone

A 1991 study gave the impression that glyphosate formulations “were significantly more toxic than glyphosate alone,” says the Monsanto wrongful death lawsuit.

In 2002, a study by Julie Marc found that “Roundup caused delays in the cell cycles of sea urchins, while the same concentration of glyphosate alone proved ineffective and did not alter cell cycles.” She followed that up in 2004 with another study that linked Roundup with cell-cycle dysregulation, which “is a hallmark of tumor cells and human cancer.”

In 2005, a study published by Francisco Peixoto found “that Roundup’s effects on rat liver mitochondria are much more toxic and harmful than the same concentrations of glyphosate alone.”

The Monsanto wrongful death lawsuit points to other studies that have found glyphosate alone is not as dangerous as when it is mixed in an alleged toxic soup called Roundup.

The Monsanto Wrongful Death Lawsuit is Case No. 1:17-cv-01438-RM in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado.

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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