A Louisiana resident has taken legal action against a major agricultural corporation, alleging that the company's herbicide product is responsible for his development of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Altheus J. Berard filed the complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana on February 24, 2025, targeting Monsanto Company as the defendant.
The lawsuit centers around allegations that Monsanto's widely used herbicide, Roundup, which contains glyphosate as its active ingredient, is defective and dangerous to human health. Berard claims that his prolonged exposure to Roundup from the 1970s through 2024 led to his diagnosis with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2024. The plaintiff argues that Monsanto failed to provide adequate warnings about the risks associated with Roundup and accuses the company of negligence in its design, manufacture, and marketing practices. According to Berard, "Roundup is unfit and unsuitable to be marketed and sold in commerce," citing studies and evaluations by organizations like the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" in 2015.
The complaint outlines a history of alleged scientific fraud and misinformation campaigns by Monsanto aimed at downplaying the dangers of glyphosate-based products. It details incidents where laboratories hired by Monsanto were found guilty of falsifying data related to glyphosate's safety. Furthermore, it highlights how Monsanto allegedly influenced regulatory assessments and engaged in ghostwriting scientific studies to support its claims about Roundup's safety. Despite mounting evidence suggesting a link between glyphosate exposure and cancer, Berard contends that Monsanto continued to market Roundup as safe for human use.
Berard seeks compensatory damages for his injuries, including medical expenses and diminished quality of life. He also demands punitive damages against Monsanto for what he describes as reckless disregard for public safety. The lawsuit calls for a jury trial to address multiple counts against Monsanto under Louisiana law, including negligence, breach of duty under the Louisiana Products Liability Act (LPLA), manufacturing defects, inadequate warnings, non-conformity to express warranty, fraud, misrepresentation, and suppression.
Representing Altheus J. Berard are attorneys from various law firms specializing in personal injury and product liability cases. The case has been assigned Case ID 6:25-cv-00225 in front of judges from the Western District of Louisiana.