Exposed to Roundup Weed Killer and Diagnosed With Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma or Leukemia?

Summer is ending, and millions of Americans have taken advantage of the warmer months to tackle property improvement projects—including ridding their gardens and yards of weed infestations.

Many of these Americans have deployed the popular chemical herbicide ‘Roundup’ in their efforts to combat invading weeds, not knowing that the product has been found to be highly toxic and carcinogenic by the World Health Organization (WHO).

What is ‘Roundup’?

‘Roundup’ is the consumer-facing brand name of an herbicide with the chemical glyphosate as its primary active ingredient, manufactured in the United States by Monsanto.  Roundup has remained the most widely used herbicide in America since 2001, with nearly 200 million pounds of the product used annually in American agriculture.  It is marketed and used by both individual gardeners and in massive industrial agriculture.

What are the Health Risks of Roundup?

Roundup has been linked with a variety of health risks, ranging from acute toxicity to cancer.

Accidental ingestion of the substance has been shown to result in gastrointestinal corrosive effects, kidney and liver impairment or failure, respiratory distress, impaired consciousness, pulmonary edema, infiltration on chest x-ray, shock, arrythmias, metabolic acidosis and hyperkaliemia.

Dermal exposure can result in irritation and photo-contact dermatitis.  Eye exposure can result in mild conjunctivitis and corneal injury.  These reactions are likely due to the inactive ingredients in Roundup, rather than glyphosphate.

Glyphosate and Cancer

By far the most serious disease that has been linked to Roundup exposure is Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.  Several studies have produced evidence to suggest a relationship specifically between glyphosate and the disease, culminating in the International Agency for Research on Cancer—an arm of the WHO—to conclude that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic in humans.”

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is a cancer that originates in the lymphatic system, the primary disease fighting system of the body.  The disease is caused by the production of too many abnormal T-cells—a type of white blood cell critical to the body’s immune response.

Symptoms of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma include:

• Painless swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, or groin
• Abdominal pain or swelling
• Chest pain, coughing, or trouble breathing
• Persistent fatigue
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Unexplained weight loss

A recent study of diseases of pesticide applicators identified a possible association between glyphosate use and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The study, called the Agricultural Health Study (AHS), “found some evidence of a possible association between glyphosate use and AML.”

Other studies have suggested the possibility of a link between glyphosate and other forms of cancer, such as breast cancer and B-cell lymphoma—however, more research must be done before a causal relationship can be established.

Roundup Lawsuits

In a recent Roundup lawsuit against Monsanto, a former groundskeeper who was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma was awarded $289 million by a jury.  The case revealed that Monsanto has been aware of the carcinogenic effects of Roundup for decades, and took steps to conceal this fact from the public.  The lawsuit and publication of the dangers of Roundup has sparked thousands of Monsanto Roundup cancer lawsuits, as agricultural workers, people living in agricultural areas, recreational gardeners, and others who have worked with Roundup in the past begin to realize negative health effects may be attributable to Monsanto’s negligence.

Experienced Roundup Lawyers Who Are Ready to Fight For You!

If you have been exposed to Roundup or glyphosate and been diagnosed by a doctor to have Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma or Leukemia, contact The Dominguez Firm to discuss your options for legal recourse.  Our Los Angeles product liability lawyers stand ready to get you the justice you deserve.  Call today for a free consultation at (800) 818-1818.