Merril Hoge, ESPN Announcer and NFL Player, Sues Monsanto
Merril Hoge, an NFL player and an analyst for ESPN, has filed a lawsuit against Monsanto in federal court, the company that manufactures the weed killer Roundup™. Hoge, 54, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2003. His lawyer said Hoge, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, worked on farms throughout his life in his native Pocatello, Idaho. Hoge mixed and used Roundup™ on a weekly basis, according to the federal claim. The lawsuit was filed in an Idaho district court on July 3, 2019. Hoge’s claim says that he incurred significant non-economic and economic damages due to the effects of exposure to glyphosate. He was treated for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and has since been in remission for 16 years.
Early Exposure
Hoge was exposed to Roundup™ initially in 1977, about 26 years before he was diagnosed with the disease. Although, there is a statute of limitations that rules that a plaintiff has two years to file a claim, Hoge’s attorney said that Monsanto hid the facts about the Roundup™ link to cancer. In this case, Hoge and others who were diagnosed with cancer before the limitation statute ran out should be able to file. The discovery rule, which extends the time a claimant has to file, may be useful. In this case, the plaintiff is granted a longer period to file based on the time the claimant found out about the negligence or should have been expected to know about it.
Effects of the Roundup™ Cancer on Hoge
Hoge’s attorney said that as with other individuals who have cancer, the former NFL player lives with the fear that it might return. Initially, Hoge faced the rigors of chemotherapy and focused on getting better. After rounds of chemo, his cancer went into remission. Developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after a lifetime of taking care of his body came as a shock.
What a Roundup™ Lawyer Can Do for You
If you have developed cancer or a loved one died after using Roundup™, you may be able to receive compensation. Our law firm is experienced in Roundup™ cases, and our investigators review your case along with medical experts as we gather evidence against Monsanto. We believe that no one, including large multinational companies, has the right to deceive consumers and cause them to suffer such a disease.
Chemotherapy for Roundup™ Cancer
Hoge was forthcoming about his ordeal with chemotherapy and spoke frankly about the hair loss, fatigue, and the pain he endured in a conversation with the Washington Post. Hoge said he did not wear gloves when mixing the weed killer because Monsanto provided no warnings to use gloves or wear a mask. According to his legal team, Hoge wants to shine a light on the fact that Roundup™ is still on the market, and the company is still not vocal about its dangers.
Study Shows Link Between Roundup™ and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
A study done at the University of Washington showed that the use of this herbicide increases the cancer risk. The World Health’s Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer called glyphosate a probable carcinogen in 2015. However, the new study ups the ante for developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In their report, researchers said that the use of Roundup™ caused a person to have a 41-percent risk of developing cancer. The study incorporates a large group of 54,000 licensed pesticide workers.
Glyphosate’s Legacy
Glyphosate was first introduced in 1974. Its use soared since then and reached new heights in the mid-2000s when growers began to apply it just before crops were harvested. Because of that, the amount of glyphosate residue is even greater now than it used to be. With Bayer/Monsanto denying the risks of the herbicide, the number of cancer cases is likely to increase.
Court Decisions
Lawsuits alleging the link between Roundup™ and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma have not ended well for Bayer/Monsanto. By March 2019, there were 11,000 lawsuits against the company. The last ended with a $2 billion verdict in the plaintiff’s favor. Although the amount was adjusted after the trial ended, this was a spectacular victory. Allegedly, Monsanto has been mulling settling the lawsuits for 8 billion dollars.
Sacramento Monsanto Roundup™ Cancer Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Monsanto Roundup™ cancer attorney. If you or a member of your family has been harmed by Roundup™, call me at (916) 921-6400 or at (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. You can reach me online too.
I’ve helped numerous residents of Sacramento and the surrounding area obtain compensation in all kinds of traumatic injuries and in wrongful deaths in the past 37 years.
I am a member of the following organizations:
Look over the following pages to learn more about my practice:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/agriculture-plant-protection-1359862/
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