May 9, 2016 — In what could become a landmark case, the family of a California farmer who died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using Roundup has filed a lawsuit against Monsanto.
The lawsuit (PDF) is Teri McCall v. Monsanto, Case No. 2:16:cv-01609 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
The family of 69 year-old Anthony “Jack” McCall say Monsanto sold a dangerous product and failed to warn about the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
What makes the lawsuit unique is that McCall never smoked, stayed in shape, and had no family history of cancer. As a self-proclaimed “hippie,” he never used pesticides on the farm — only Roundup, which was marketed as safe.
Monsanto still insists Roundup is safe for people — safer than table salt. The company has aggressively fought against cancer warnings for decades, beginning in the 1980s when Monsanto convinced the EPA to downgrade the classification from a “possible human carcinogen” to “non-carcinogenic.”
That position became harder to defend after an agency of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Roundup a “probable human carcinogen.” The conclusions were based on three major studies in the United States, Canada, and Sweden that confirmed an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Earlier this year, Monsanto filed a lawsuit against environmental authorities in California who tried to list Roundup as a carcinogen, which would have required “clear and reasonable” warning labels under Prop 65.
That case is still pending. However, about a dozen lawsuits have been filed against Monsanto by farm-workers in California, Florida, Hawaii, and other states. As the size of the litigation grows, it becomes more likely that Monsanto will have to defend itself in front of a judge and jury.
The size of the litigation could skyrocket if a jury awards compensation to the McCall family. Since the 1970s, millions of agricultural workers have been exposed to Roundup. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is one of the most common cancers, with about 72,000 new cases expected this year, according to the American Cancer Society.
Do I have a Roundup Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Roundup induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Toxic Chemical Exposure Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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