Plaintiffs in the recent Roundup lawsuit Canada class action claim that they developed cancer after using the weed-killing chemical.

Canada Roundup Lawsuit Claims

In the recent Roundup cancer class action, plaintiffs David M. and Gretta H. both claim that they developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after regularly using Roundup to kill weeds on their properties.

Gretta reportedly experienced problems after spraying Roundup on her horse farm starting in 2007. She said she purchased the popular weed-killer because it was the only herbicide she was familiar with at the time. Moreover, she had seen advertisements touting the product as safe.

Initially using Roundup’s hand-sprayer until it clogged, Gretta then switched to other hand-sprayers to apply the product. During the growing season, from about May to mid-November, she applied Roundup on an approximately weekly basis. In 2014, after years of regularly spraying the 46-acre Ontario farm, Gretta was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

David reportedly experienced similar problems after using Roundup on the 50-acre sheep farm he owned and operated between 1988 and 1994. From 1994 on, David worked on numerous dairy farms, orchards, and vineyards where he also frequently sprayed glyphosate-laden Roundup with a hand-sprayer.

While spraying the chemical, David claims that he wore protective clothing including gloves, rubber boots and a fully sealed suit. Despite taking these voluntary safety precautions, David says he was also diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2014. Like Gretta, David blames Roundup for causing his cancer.

The Roundup cancer class action, like thousands of other Roundup claims in the U.S., claims that the plaintiffs’  cancer was a direct result of the glyphosate contained in Roundup.

Both plaintiffs in the Roundup lawsuit Canada say they have experienced serious side effects as a result of the cancer and the subsequent treatments.

Gretta and David seek to represent a primary Class of Canadians who were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using Roundup since 1976. They also seek to represent a Class of family members of primary Class Members, including spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, and siblings.

The Class Action Roundup Lawsuit Canada is Mitchell, et al. v. Bayer Inc., et al., Case No. 489864 in the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia.

Roundup Cancer

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the United States and is similarly used in Canada and other countries. The chemical works to kill weeds by blocking enzymes in the plants which help to regulate growth.

More recently, experts have been concerned that the chemical can cause cancer in humans. Evidence of the link reportedly led the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to classify glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen.

Manufacturer Monsanto and parent company Bayer dispute this claim and maintain that the product is non-carcinogenic. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Health Canada have reportedly agreed with this stance, but people who use the chemical allegedly continue to develop cancer after exposure.

Emboldened by successful lawsuits filed in the United States, Canadian consumers have started to take legal action against Monsanto and Roundup. The first Canadian class actions were filed in 2018, with aditional cases filed this year, including the recent Nova Scotia complaint.

In late 2019, another group of lawyers filed three proposed class action lawsuits on behalf of Canadians who allege that they developed cancer as a result of exposure to Roundup.

According to those Roundup lawsuits, filed in Alberta, Ontario, and British Columbia, the pharmaceutical giant and its related subsidiaries acted with reckless disregard for Canadians’ safety by selling Roundup.

Other international lawsuits have already been filed and Monsanto and Bayer have vehemently denied the allegations. Together, those three suits are seeking more than $500 million in damages. The lawsuits specifically point to concerns over ghostwritten scientific journal articles that were submitted to Health Canada.

According to the lawsuits’ allegations, studies that were provided to regulatory authorities were misleading, falsified, and even incorporated manipulative control groups. The suits also allege that the manufacturer failed to test the product and warn consumers about its risk. The ghostwriting allegation first surfaced in United States courts in June 2017.

According to those involved, the lawsuit was filed both to hold the company accountable for the damage done in terms of cancer diagnoses, but also to set a precedent for other products sold in Canada.

Plaintiffs in the most recent suit claim that they have been diagnosed with various forms of cancer, including lung and brain cancer. Some of the plaintiffs’ cancers are in advanced stages and they may not live to see their case make it to court.

Canadians who have developed cancer after using Roundup products may be able to speak to a lawyer about the Roundup lawsuit Canada. Experienced professionals can help evaluate individual situations to see if consumers may be eligible to seek compensation by filing a lawsuit or joining a pre-existing Class.