Roundup is a common herbicide used by consumers in Ohio and across the country. The active ingredient in this weed-killer is glyphosate, a chemical that Monsanto, the company who manufactures Roundup, has long touted as a technological breakthrough, alleging it kills essentially all weeds without harming the user or the environment. Unfortunately, a lawsuit filed last year claims that the opposite is true — that the toxic materials contained within roundup led to the death of a 48-year-old man.
The suit, filed by the man’s widow, alleges that the weed control product Roundup directly caused the death of the man. The complaint claims that the man was repeatedly exposed to the hazardous chemicals contained within the product for a period of nine years, ending with his diagnosis of lymphoma in 2012. For all those years preceding, the man had used Roundup on his bean and cornfields, never expecting that his exposure to the chemicals were hazardous to his own health.
In Feb. 2012, the man was diagnosed with a form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma known as Mantle cell lymphoma, from which he died approximately four years later in 2016. The suit alleges his fatal illness was caused by his exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup, as the main ingredient, glyphosate, is apparently a carcinogen. The lawsuit seeks a jury trial, as well as punitive and compensatory damages, all related fees and any other relief deemed just and proper, exceeding $75,000.
This case is one of many. An increasing number of product liability and personal injury lawsuits are being filed by farmers, agricultural workers, landscapers and others. The lawsuits come on the heels of the March 2015 announcement by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, revealing a link between the toxic materials in Roundup and an increased risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Anyone in Ohio who is suffering a similar situation may wish to exercise their right to seek legal advice from a professional with experience in product liability cases involving toxic chemicals or hazardous materials.
Source: madisonrecord.com, “Clay City man’s widow alleges his death was caused by Roundup exposure“, Karen Kidd, May 2, 2017
