Homeowner Roundup Lawsuit Filed Over Multiple Myeloma Diagnosis
Like millions of other consumers nationwide, a Maine homeowner indicates that he regularly used Roundup to control weeds around his property, believing it to be safe. However, in a recent product liability lawsuit filed against Monsanto, the man indicates that exposure to Roundup at his home resulted in the development of multiple myeloma.
In a complaint (PDF) filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine on August 16, Michael Poulin indicates that Monsanto Company failed to warn him and other homeowners about the potential risk of cancer from Roundup and it’s active ingredient, glyphosate.
Poulin indicates that he used Roundup at his home starting in about 1986, and continued to spraying the weedkiller around his property and driveway until at least 2012.
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Exposure to RoundUp May Increase Risk of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and Other Cancers. Lawsuits Reviewed Nationwide.
Learn More About this Lawsuit See If You Qualify For CompensationIn 2011, Poulin was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He did not connect the condition with his use of Roundup until the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) listed glyphosate as a probable cancer-causing agent in mid-2015, linking it to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other forms of cancer.
The lawsuit indicates that Monsanto intentionally concealed the Roundup risks for homeowners and misled the public about the herbicide’s safety for years.
“Monsanto was under a continuous duty to disclose to consumers, users and other persons coming into contact with its products, including Plaintiff, accurate safety information concerning its products and the risks associated with the use of and/or exposure to Roundup and glyphosate,” Poulin’s lawsuit states. “Instead, Monsanto knowingly, affirmatively, and actively concealed safety information concerning Roundup and glyphosate and the risks associated with the use of and/or exposure to its products.”
The case joins a growing number of similar Roundup lawsuits that have been filed against Monsanto nationwide in recent years, each involving similar allegations that both homeowners and occupational users of the weedkiller may have avoided a cancer diagnosis if the manufacturer had provided proper warnings and safety instructions.
While Monsanto has continued to maintain that their weed killer is safe, denying that there is any link between Roundup and cancer, plaintiffs allege that the company either knew or should have known about the risk, and that it failed to conduct adequate testing.
The case will be consolidated in the federal court system with hundreds of other claims, which are currently centralized for pretrial proceedings as part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL) before U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in the Northern District of California.
Judge Chhabria previously determined that the Roundup litigation will be bifurcated, first addressing general causation about the link between the widely used weedkiller and non-Hodgkins lymphoma, as well as other forms of cancer, before addressing case-specific issues about whether Roundup caused cancer for each individual plaintiff.
Last month, Judge Chhabria ruled that plaintiffs had enough evidence to proceed to the bellwether trial phase, where a small group of cases will be selected to go before juries, to help gauge how juries are likely to respond to certain evidence and testimony that will be repeated throughout the litigation.
Following the coordinated MDL proceedings, if Roundup settlements or another resolution for the litigation is not reached, thousands of individual cases may ultimately be remanded back to U.S. District Courts nationwide for individual trial dates in the future.
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26 Comments
JohnnyOctober 4, 2022 at 2:51 pm
I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2020 October I'm I'm currently undergoing chemo and had a stem cell transplant I used Roundup for a number of years while I worked at a nursery as well as I did landscaping
MarshaJuly 31, 2022 at 8:05 am
My father used round up for years. And now he suffers with multiple myeloma.
PhilipJuly 25, 2022 at 7:31 am
I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma January 2020 while in the hospital suffering from double pneumonia. I had already been diagnosed with MGUS 3 years prior and told I had low odds of getting Multiple Myeloma. I have use Roundup around my property for about 20 years. I probably used a gallon or more a year. I have to admit I was not careful using the product never doing anything to protect mysel[Show More]I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma January 2020 while in the hospital suffering from double pneumonia. I had already been diagnosed with MGUS 3 years prior and told I had low odds of getting Multiple Myeloma. I have use Roundup around my property for about 20 years. I probably used a gallon or more a year. I have to admit I was not careful using the product never doing anything to protect myself. I just sprayed it in areas were overgrowth grew rapidly.
JamieMarch 30, 2022 at 9:17 am
My husband worked as a groundskeeper for 9 schools and used Roundup regularly. He was super healthy with perfect physicals and perfect blood work. He never drank or smoked and we ate mostly organic. March of 2021 he was diagnosed with MM and died May 2021. There is no doubt in my mind that it was the roundup that caused his death.
WalterAugust 6, 2021 at 3:57 am
My wife Karen S Dibert and I used Round Up around properties we have owned in Arizona. She was always in perfect health she got MM in 2011 and was treated by a specialist at Mayo Clinic and died in 2016
TerryFebruary 13, 2021 at 3:40 am
My husband was diagnosed with multiple myeloma after ending up in the ER with kidney failure on October 29, 2019. He died on October 26, 2020 almost a year from the date his kidneys failed due to multiple myeloma. Growing up on and living on a farm his entire life he regularly used Round Up. In fact, it landed him in the hospital as a small boy in the late 60s. He had helped his dad put out the po[Show More]My husband was diagnosed with multiple myeloma after ending up in the ER with kidney failure on October 29, 2019. He died on October 26, 2020 almost a year from the date his kidneys failed due to multiple myeloma. Growing up on and living on a farm his entire life he regularly used Round Up. In fact, it landed him in the hospital as a small boy in the late 60s. He had helped his dad put out the poison and became increasingly weak afterward. He was temporarily paralyzed because of it. We firmly believe that it played a hand in his multiple myeloma.
KennethDecember 30, 2020 at 12:31 am
I was a Monsanto employee for two years in the 80’s in Casper Wyoming in the oilfield. When a drill site was constructed Roundup was sprayed for weed control. Then we worked on these drill sites. I’ve had MM for three years now.
LornaDecember 15, 2020 at 5:21 pm
My husband and I have lived on the beautiful island of Kauai. Kauai has GMO fields that use round up and we have used round up as things become overgrown quickly and round up doesn't last long so it's far more often needed than other places. We also lived on Maui where Monsanto does work. Prior we lived in AriZona where my husband played a lot of golf and before that Washington state and the whea[Show More]My husband and I have lived on the beautiful island of Kauai. Kauai has GMO fields that use round up and we have used round up as things become overgrown quickly and round up doesn't last long so it's far more often needed than other places. We also lived on Maui where Monsanto does work. Prior we lived in AriZona where my husband played a lot of golf and before that Washington state and the wheat fields that used the large amounts of round up. My husband was diagnosed in August of this year with Multiple Myeloma at the age of 44 years old and died a month later. We are an organic diet, were active and healthy people. This made no sense until the hospital said most likely it was environmental or chemical introduction. My husband was a Real Estate Broker and did not have chemicals in his work. When I began looking into roundup this made s connection as a cause to his cancer. It saddens me deeply that these companies hide the truth for the sake of business.
maryDecember 13, 2020 at 7:13 pm
i sprayed roundup inmy home garden severaltinesaweek for several yrars inseptember2009 iwas fiagnosed with multiple myeloma and was immediately placed on amaintance therapy four months later i suffered a massive stroke leaving me unable to care for myself
PhyllisOctober 17, 2020 at 11:10 am
I use roundup on my lawn from 2002 - 2015 and then in 2015 got sick and found out I had multiple myeloma continue on chemo and other medication for this disease..
SarahApril 6, 2020 at 7:40 pm
My husband was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in May of 2018 after using Roundup on our yard since 2001.
KristiApril 3, 2020 at 5:47 pm
My dad used Roundup from the 70's till his death in 2014. He always had a large bottle of it in his truck for spraying around his farm. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 MM in late March of 2014 and died in June of the same year. He was 82 but, had always been active and very healthy until the MM was found. I believe if he had alerted of the danger of using this weed killer, he would most likely sti[Show More]My dad used Roundup from the 70's till his death in 2014. He always had a large bottle of it in his truck for spraying around his farm. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 MM in late March of 2014 and died in June of the same year. He was 82 but, had always been active and very healthy until the MM was found. I believe if he had alerted of the danger of using this weed killer, he would most likely still be with us today.
DanApril 3, 2020 at 11:46 am
I'm 68 was diagnosed 4 years ago with multiple myeloma . Painful tumors on my spine and left ribcage.i sprayed roundup commercial application on golf courses and on my own property for 15 years.The tv commercials concentrate on non hodgkin's lymphoma but dont include mm .I think its unfair.
PaulMarch 21, 2020 at 8:42 pm
My wife has severe Multiple Myaloma and is at Mayo Hospital. We attribute her condition to Roundup that was extensively used.
JamesFebruary 23, 2020 at 2:10 pm
I used roundup for years to kill weeds in yard in 2017 was diagnosed with multiple myeloma
BillyFebruary 21, 2020 at 4:21 pm
I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in may 2018 . I sprayed round up on the farm and oilfield since 1999 . Been treated in tyler texas and dallas texas
DonnaJanuary 4, 2020 at 3:17 pm
My Dear Mother died at the age of 60 from multiple myeloma as She used round up from 1983 until 2005 around their property.
DavidNovember 2, 2019 at 2:36 pm
I have used Roundup since 1989. From 2003 to 2017 used it very heavy with my landscaping company for customers. Last summer 2018 lost 30 pounds of muscle Dr’s did every test and procedure from May to November 22 when a hip bone biopsy was taken saying I have Multiple Myeloma Stage 3 and 6 months to live without chemo I was numb. The chemo is horrible and almost killed me twice this year with Stre[Show More]I have used Roundup since 1989. From 2003 to 2017 used it very heavy with my landscaping company for customers. Last summer 2018 lost 30 pounds of muscle Dr’s did every test and procedure from May to November 22 when a hip bone biopsy was taken saying I have Multiple Myeloma Stage 3 and 6 months to live without chemo I was numb. The chemo is horrible and almost killed me twice this year with Streph infection from ulcers in mouth and last month a brain bleed. The bone and soft tissue pain and inflammation from the chemo has been unbearable at times without any pain meds prescribed Dr says take more ibuprofen. I lived my entire life health lifestyle no smoke. Small drink in moderation. Worked out all the time. Am not working. Social Security has been reviewing my disability case since April 2019. If Monsanto can pay a couple 2 Billion dollars I should be entitled to several million with time I have left with this incurable disease.
NetreiaOctober 23, 2019 at 1:15 pm
I used roudup because weeds kept growing
LOctober 13, 2019 at 8:56 pm
My darling sister recently passed after battling multiple myeloma for five years. She was a user Roundup in her gardens for 15+ years. A life long vegetarian and non smoker, she firmly believed Roundup was the cause of her disease.
JohnOctober 9, 2019 at 4:24 pm
I am a homeowner who used roundup and was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2012.
DEBRASeptember 10, 2019 at 2:25 pm
As a young girl we owned a farm my Dad used roundup every year sometimes 2 or 3 times a day. I have MM was diagnosed 2 years ago, Doctors say it is unusual for a woman to get this.. went through chemo and other treatments.. My Dad got back cancer from this at 75 and died. Now me at 64 having a cancer that can't be cured. I really think I got this from Roundup.This has affected my kidneys. A terri[Show More]As a young girl we owned a farm my Dad used roundup every year sometimes 2 or 3 times a day. I have MM was diagnosed 2 years ago, Doctors say it is unusual for a woman to get this.. went through chemo and other treatments.. My Dad got back cancer from this at 75 and died. Now me at 64 having a cancer that can't be cured. I really think I got this from Roundup.This has affected my kidneys. A terrible blood disorder. I have had many blood transfusions.
LisaSeptember 9, 2019 at 10:20 pm
My husband was diagnosed with late stage three multiple myeloma in August of 2016. I am a licensed pesticide applicator and have been for over three decades and I too was told and read the label thousands of times and believed round up was safe. We both sprayed it for years around our property and used it all our homes. My husband died on Oct. 31st 2018 of this terrible cancer. I am so angry that [Show More]My husband was diagnosed with late stage three multiple myeloma in August of 2016. I am a licensed pesticide applicator and have been for over three decades and I too was told and read the label thousands of times and believed round up was safe. We both sprayed it for years around our property and used it all our homes. My husband died on Oct. 31st 2018 of this terrible cancer. I am so angry that we were lied too and believe 100% that round up killed my best friend of over 30 years.
MarySeptember 6, 2019 at 1:57 am
Diagnosed with MM 3 yrs ago. Have played and still play golf on courses that probably use Roundup for 35 yrs.
RichardAugust 28, 2019 at 10:22 pm
As a homeowner, I regularly used Roundup starting in the mid-1970’s as a weed control agent for landscape areas of my various homes. I moved to Florida in 2000 and used professional lawn services then and until the present after having moved to Maine in 2002. I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma cancer in 2014.
JaeAugust 1, 2019 at 11:29 am
I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2014 after using Roundup for about 10 years.