The attorneys at Montgomery & Ponder, LLC are investigating lawsuits related to Monsanto’s popular weed killer, Roundup. Monsanto was acquired by Bayer last year for $63 billion. CBS News reported “On Monday, May 13, 2019, a jury in Oakland, California awarded a couple $2 billion in punitive damages after concluding that sustained exposure to Monsanto Co.’s popular Roundup weed killer led to their cancer diagnoses. The couple will receive another $55 million for pain and suffering and to cover medical expenses.” The plaintiffs in this suit were Alva Pilliod, 76, and Alberta Pilliod, 74. The couple had used Roundup for about 30 years for residential landscaping, and developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2011 and 2015.
This is the third lawsuit related to Roundup that Monsanto has lost in the state of California. A groundskeeper who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was awarded $78.5 million, and a home owner that used the product on his property for 25 years and was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was awarded more than $80 million. Monsanto has denied allegations that its product causes cancer, saying that decades of studies show that the weed killer is safe.
The active ingredient in Roundup is Glyphosate, which works by inhibiting a specific enzyme required for plant growth. Over the last 30 years, there have been numerous Glyphosate studies conducted by independent researchers showing a link between Glyphosate and various forms of cancer and other serious health risks. In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency within the World Health Organization (WHO), conducted an exhaustive analysis on the toxicity of Glyphosate. While Monsanto advertised that Glyphosate did not effect this enzyme in humans or pets, studies continue to suggest that it is a carcinogen. The state of California and numerous countries have elected to restrict or ban Glyphosate, including Roundup.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer as a result to exposure to Roundup products, please contact the attorneys at Montgomery & Ponder, LLC at (205) 377-5004.
