In a significant legal development, a Louisiana resident has taken legal action against a major agrochemical corporation, alleging that their widely-used herbicide is linked to serious health issues. Pearlie Spell filed the complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on September 27, 2024, targeting Monsanto Company. The lawsuit accuses Monsanto of negligence and wrongful conduct concerning their product Roundup®, which contains glyphosate as its active ingredient.
Pearlie Spell, residing in Bogalusa, Louisiana, claims that her exposure to Roundup® led to her diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2024. She argues that Monsanto's product is defective and dangerous to human health, lacking adequate warnings about its risks. The lawsuit outlines how glyphosate has been marketed since 1974 and became one of the most used herbicides globally by 2013. Despite its widespread use, Spell contends that Monsanto misrepresented the safety of Roundup®, even after studies suggested a link between glyphosate and cancer.
The complaint references several scientific evaluations, including those by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" in 2015. This classification was based on studies indicating an increased risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma among individuals exposed to glyphosate. Despite these findings, Spell alleges that Monsanto continued to promote Roundup® as safe.
Spell's legal team highlights multiple instances where they claim Monsanto engaged in fraudulent practices to downplay the risks associated with glyphosate. These include ghostwriting scientific papers and exerting influence over regulatory bodies like the EPA to maintain favorable assessments of their products. The complaint also mentions previous legal actions against Monsanto for misleading advertising practices related to Roundup®'s safety.
In her lawsuit, Pearlie Spell seeks compensatory damages for her medical expenses and suffering caused by non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She also demands punitive damages due to what she describes as Monsanto's reckless disregard for public safety. Additionally, she requests a jury trial to address these allegations comprehensively.
Representing Pearlie Spell are attorneys whose names were not disclosed in the document provided. The case is presided over by Judge BSL-JVM under Case ID 2:24-cv-02357-BSL-JVM.