Roundup Herbicide Linked to Blood Cancer

I’m Katelyn Holub, an attorney focusing on personal injury law in northwest Indiana.

Welcome to Personal Injury Primer, where we break down the law into simple terms, provide legal tips, and discuss topics related to personal injury law.

Today’s question comes from a listener who said:

“I heard that people have developed blood cancer after exposure to the herbicide Roundup and that there are several suits pending, I used the Roundup product, but I am not ill what does it all mean?”

The listener is correct, there have been several lawsuits filed alleging a link between the herbicide called Roundup and blood cancer.

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup has, in these lawsuits, been linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The trials, which now have taken place in different courts across the country, all allege that exposure to Monsanto’s weed killer Roundup causes non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The Bayer company acquired the agrochemical company Monsanto in 2018, and after several trials where juries have found a link between Roundup and this specific cancer, at last report there was an effort by the company to discuss settlement.

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is cancer that originates in the lymphatic system. In non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, tumors develop from lymphocytes — a type of white blood cell.

In an early trial involving plaintiff Edwin Hardeman, in phase 1 of his lawsuit against Bayer, a jury determined that glyphosate use was indeed a “substantial factor” in causing his cancer. A study referenced in the trial concluded that people exposed to glyphosate at high levels have a 41 percent higher risk of contracting non-Hodgkin lymphoma than people not exposed to the chemical.

Chemical exposure can lead to other illnesses. Lead exposure is particularly harmful to the health of people if it is contained in water that they drink and use in their households.

Petroleum based chemicals leaching from underground storage tanks can destroy a person’s health.

Bottom line, if you believe that chemical exposure has lead to an injury, the development of a cancer, or other adverse health consequence, reach out to an attorney for advice.

I hope you found this information helpful. If you have questions about your legal rights if you get hurt due to the carelessness of another person, or as a result of substandard medical care, or due to a product defect, construction injury, or any other type of personal injury, please give us a call at (219) 736-9700. You can also learn more about us by visiting our website at www.DavidHolubLaw.com – while there make sure you request a copy of our book “Fighting for Truth”.