Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. The product has been globally used by farmers, landscaping workers, nursery workers and home gardeners to get rid of pesky weeds. However, over the years, thousands of lawsuits have been filed against Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, alleging that glyphosate, the active ingredient in this herbicide, causes a number of cancers including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma, T-Cell lymphoma among others.
Here are four things you should know if you believe you’ve been exposed to Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer.
1. Roundup contains glyphosate. It is important to note that glyphosate has been shown to cause harm in large doses. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer says glyphosate “probably” causes cancer. Roundup works to eliminate weeds by inhibiting the function of the plants’ shikimic pathway. Once this occurs, the plant or weed starves to death, withers and dies.
2. Some face a higher risk of exposure. The groups of individuals exposed to Roundup face a much higher risk of toxic exposure to the chemical glyphosate. Those who are at the highest risk for Roundup exposure include professional gardeners, landscapers, farmers, agricultural workers, herbicide applicators and groundskeepers. Even though it seems to have the most dangerous effects from chronic use, Roundup may be hazardous for homeowners who engage in gardening as a hobby as well.
Exposure to Roundup occurs when you breathe in glyphosate through your nose or mouth; when we eat food treated or contaminated with glyphosate; or when we absorb the chemical through our skin. The other fact is that Monsanto also produces genetically modified seeds that are specifically designed to survive heavy applications of Roundup.
3. Roundup exposure has symptoms and side effects. Side effects of Roundup exposure can range from stomach problems to cancer and a lot more in between. If you are experiencing any symptoms of toxic exposure, it is extremely important that you seek medical attention immediately. Symptoms of exposure to glyphosate include eye irritation, blurred vision, skin rashes, nausea, sore throat, asthma, breathing difficulties, headache, lethargy, nosebleeds and dizziness. Glyphosate and glyphosate-containing herbicides caused genetic damage in lab tests with human cells as well as in tests with lab animals, studies show.
A recent study that was published in the journal Mutation Research also shows that glyphosate raises the cancer risk of those exposed to it by 41 percent. Researchers from the University of Washington evaluated existing studies into the chemical and concluded that it significantly raises the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system. The authors wrote that all of the meta-analyses conducted to date, including their own, consistently reported the same key finding – that exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides are associated with an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
4. You have legal rights to compensation. A victim who has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma or other types of cancers as a result of exposure to Roundup weed killer may be able to file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer, Bayer (Monsanto), seeking compensation for damages including medical expenses, permanent injuries, lost income and benefits, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. A family that has lost a loved one as a result of these products may also be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the manufacturer seeking compensation.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has developed cancer and/or other adverse health effects from using products containing glyphosate, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
Our firm recovered $1,162,500 for a child who suffered lead poisoning from paint in her apartment. The child’s injuries were subtle and difficult to recognize. We recovered $162,500 above the $1 million dollar total insurance policy in this case. Despite the judge’s efforts to settle the case for $950,000, we fought hard and recovered $162,500 more than the insurance policy of one million dollars. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
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