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October 7th, 2019
A new front has potentially opened up in the battle against Monsanto and Bayer over their Roundup weed killer product and its potential to cause harm. A retired Manitoba farmer from Canada filed a proposed class action last month in Manitoba's Court of Queen's Bench against Bayer, the German multinational company that now owns Monsanto, which created the herbicide Roundup, alleging he developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cancer after using Roundup on his yard and field. The lawsuit seeks damages for personal injury, costs, and economic loss.
The lawsuit says the farmer used Roundup on a weekly basis on his family farm as directed. Despite being “particularly careful while mixing and spraying it and using protective gear,” the farmer says he developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cancer in 1996 and underwent nearly ten (10) years of chemotherapy and radiation treatments until 2006, only to see his cancer return once again.
Believed to be the first class action lawsuit of its kind filed in Canada over Roundup, the Court documents allege claims similar to those that Bayer and Monsanto have been facing domestically, namely that these companies failed to warn consumers and end-users about potential risks and endangered the farmer and other class members by continuing to claim that “Roundup creates no unreasonable risks to human health.” The lawsuit also alleges that the Roundup manufactured and supplied by the defendants was defective in its manufacturing. Roundup’s key ingredient – the broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate - has been classified by the World Health Organization as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
The proposed class action lawsuit has yet to be certified by a Manitoba court. However, its filing is a clear indication that Bayer/Monsanto could be facing litigation throughout the developed world over its sale and distribution of Roundup. Roundup and glyphosate products are currently registered for use in approximately 130 different countries. If you believe you have contracted non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma from exposure to Roundup you should contact an experienced law firm right away to explore your rights.
