As the controversy surrounding Roundup weedkiller increases, more and more individuals and families are making cases against the manufacturer of the popular herbicide, Bayer AG. Recently, two Maryland families joined the significant amount of individuals suing Bayer on the grounds that Roundup causes cancer, and one of these cases is being litigated by attorney Jay Miller of the Law Offices of Peter Angelos. Here, the consumer product liability attorneys at The Law Offices of Peter Angelos discuss recent updates on Roundup litigation and what you can do if you have been impacted by its active ingredient, glyphosate.
Roundup Litigation Has Steadily Grown Since the World Health Organization’s 2015 Finding
In 2015, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer found a link between glyphosate, Roundup’s active ingredient, and cancers including non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia. While spokespeople from Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup at the time, claimed that their product was safe, critics began to announce that Monsanto had possibly known for decades that their product was unsafe and continued to manufacture it for public use. Shortly after the report by the World Health Organization was filed, individuals began filing cases against Monsanto claiming that Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate, caused their cancer.
Significant Cases Have Been Won Against Bayer and Monsanto Regarding Roundup
Recent litigation has demonstrated the severity of Roundup’s effects. For example, a California couple was recently awarded $2 billion in compensatory and punitive damages in May 2019 on the basis that prolonged use of Roundup contributed to the development of their cancer. While this award was eventually lowered, it signifies the potential health hazard that Roundup has on the general population and the environment. In addition to the California verdict, Edwin Hardeman became the face of nationwide Roundup litigation when he became the first plaintiff to win a federal court case against Roundup by proving that his use of the weedkiller led to his cancer. These two significant cases represent thousands of lawsuits being brought up against Bayer around the nation.
Two Maryland Families Have Brought Cases Against Bayer’s Roundup
As of August 15th, more than 1,500 cases were pending in federal court as a part of multidistrict product litigation, and two Maryland families have joined the growing number of cases regarding Roundup. Monkton resident Susan McAllister, who is being represented by one of our own attorneys, attorney Jay Miller, filed a lawsuit on behalf of her late husband, Robert F. McAllister. McAllister died in 2016 from leukemia, but had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1996 after using Roundup. Regarding the case, Attorney Jay Miller stated that the goal of the lawsuits across the country is to get Roundup off of the market in addition to receiving compensation for victims. In addition to Susan McAllister vs. Monsanto Company, Claire and Francis Sigwart of Perry Hall have filed a claim against Monsanto after Claire Sigwart developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2017 after using Roundup regularly. Mrs. Sigwart claimed that, if she had known the dangers of Roundup, she would have never used it.
Speak to a Baltimore Consumer Product Liability Attorney at The Law Offices of Peter Angelos Today
The growing litigation against Bayer’s Roundup signifies the severity of the popular weedkiller and the potential nationwide health impacts it could have. If you are a Maryland resident and have developed cancer after prolonged use of Roundup, you may have a case against Bayer. The consumer product liability attorneys at The Law Offices of Peter Angelos have extensive experience representing victims of defective or harmful products and can provide you counsel. To schedule a consultation with a Baltimore consumer product liability attorney, contact The Law Offices of Peter Angelos today.