A Louisiana resident has filed a lawsuit against a major agrochemical company, alleging that its widely-used herbicide is responsible for his cancer diagnosis. Larry Brister lodged the complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana on February 4, 2025, targeting Monsanto Company. The lawsuit claims that Brister's exposure to Monsanto's Roundup product led to his development of follicular lymphoma, a type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
According to the complaint, Brister was exposed to Roundup beginning in 1988 while residing in Choudrant, Louisiana. The lawsuit asserts that this exposure continued over several decades and culminated in his cancer diagnosis in 2022. Brister accuses Monsanto of negligence and wrongful conduct related to the design, manufacture, and sale of Roundup, which contains glyphosate as its active ingredient. The plaintiff argues that Roundup is "defective and dangerous to human health" and alleges that Monsanto failed to provide adequate warnings about its risks.
The case draws attention to longstanding controversies surrounding glyphosate-based products. Glyphosate has been classified as a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization. Despite this classification, Monsanto has maintained that its products are safe when used as directed. The complaint highlights numerous studies indicating potential health risks associated with glyphosate and accuses Monsanto of engaging in deceptive practices by promoting Roundup as safe.
Brister's lawsuit seeks compensatory damages for economic and non-economic losses resulting from his illness. He requests a jury trial and demands accountability from Monsanto for what he claims are deliberate misrepresentations about the safety of their product. The plaintiff also calls for punitive damages due to what he describes as Monsanto's reckless disregard for consumer safety.
Representing Larry Brister is attorney Eugene A. Ledet Jr., who aims to hold Monsanto accountable under various legal theories including negligence, failure to warn, and breach of implied warranties. The case is being overseen by Judge [Name] under Case ID 3:25-cv-00119.