The latest lawsuit against Monsanto brought out a brand new wrinkle to the myriad of legal conflicts the producers of Roundup has faced over the past several years – internal emails reportedly showing how the company worked to suppress evidence and “bully scientists” over its product’s alleged links to cancer.
DeWayne Johnson, a former school groundskeeper and father of three, brought a lawsuit against Monsanto in California after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014. One of Johnson’s duties at work was to apply Roundup to the school grounds. During the trial, the jury was shown photos of the rashes and lesions on Johnson’s skin after he was regularly exposed to the chemical.
In addition to the internal company emails, Johnson’s lawyer stated that the trial will include commentary from 10 current and former employees of Monsanto and documents that reportedly show how the company came up with plans to ghostwrite research that produced favorable results for their product. Some of these emails, reportedly sent in the 1990’s, include discussions over the findings of a genotoxicity expert who raised concerns over the potential impact of Roundup on human beings and suggested researching the issue further. In response, Monsanto representatives allegedly started to consider finding a different expert and began working on a press statement about how there was no risk in using the product.
While Monsanto claims that its product is safe for general use, recent research has raised enough doubt for a number of countries, including England, Germany, Italy, and more, to introduce policies restricting or even outright banning the sale and use of this chemical. Our attorneys at the Domina Law Group have been investigating the harmful effects of Monsanto’s product Roundup for years, and are committed to providing farmers in Nebraska with the dedicated legal representation they require to secure the compensation they deserve.
Read more about the potential dangers of Roundup here.
Back in 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report that stated “Roundup is probably carcinogenic to humans”. Other agencies, including the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) have also looked into the potentially harmful effects of this product, and have determined that exposure to glyphosate, the generic name of Roundup, is a probable cause of cancer.
In addition to cancer, specifically non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, glyphosate has been potentially linked to a number of serious diseases, including:
- Diabetes
- Pulmonary edemas
- Kidney failure
- Parkinson’s disease
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Alzheimer’s disease
While Monsanto has put in considerable effort to combat any links between their multi-billion dollar product and cancer or other diseases, a group of independent scientists recently came together to urge the EPA to ban the product over its possible risk to humans, animals, and the environment as a whole.
“Glyphosate negatively affects the soil microbiome,” said Dr. Stephen Frantz, Pathobiologist Research Scientist and leader of the team of scientists. “It is destroying the ability of soil to be a nutritive medium for producing crops. Organic or biological regenerative agriculture is the solution for the sustainable agricultural sector and will conserve soil, air and water quality, and sequester carbon that helps to mitigate the climate crisis. We call for a ban on glyphosate.”
The Domina Law Group represents four farmers who contracted non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which they argue is due to glyphosate exposure.
“Monsanto championed falsified data and has attacked legitimate studies that revealed Roundup’s dangers,” the lawsuit states. “Monsanto led a campaign of misinformation to convince government agencies, farmers and the general population that Roundup is safe. Its continuing denial extends to the date of this Complaint.”
Monsanto, as a multi-billion dollar corporation, is by no means a timid opponent in the courtroom. Neither are we. At the Domina Law Group, our attorneys have decades of experience handling cases of all shapes and sizes. We’ve successfully secured more than $2 billion in verdicts and settlements, some of which came in cases against some of the largest and most powerful companies and organizations in the world. If you contracted non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and were exposed to glyphosate, you may be able to file a claim against Monsanto. Discuss your potential legal options by giving our Monsanto Roundup lawyers a call at (888) 387-4134, or fill out this form (PDF) so we can assess your potential claim.
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