A San Francisco resident has taken legal action against a major agricultural corporation, alleging that their widely-used herbicide caused his cancer. Stephen Bell filed the complaint in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Francisco on August 23, 2024, targeting Monsanto Company and other unnamed defendants.
The lawsuit traces back to Monsanto's discovery of glyphosate's herbicidal properties in 1970 and its subsequent marketing under the brand name Roundup® starting in 1974. Glyphosate quickly became a staple in American agriculture, with usage skyrocketing from 85-90 million pounds annually by 2001 to 185 million pounds by 2007. By 2013, it was the most widely used herbicide globally. Despite its widespread use, glyphosate has been at the center of controversy regarding its safety. In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans," linking it primarily to non-Hodgkin lymphoma and other cancers.
Stephen Bell alleges that he was first exposed to Roundup® around 1991 while using it at his home in Grizzly Flats, California, and later from 2004 to 2007 at Green Valley Community Church in Placerville, California. In September 2022, Bell was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma at San Francisco General Hospital. He attributes his cancer directly to his exposure to Roundup®, claiming that Monsanto failed to adequately warn users about the risks associated with glyphosate.
The plaintiff’s case is built on several accusations against Monsanto: strict liability for design defects and failure to warn, negligence, fraud, breach of express and implied warranties, and a demand for exemplary damages. The complaint argues that Monsanto knew or should have known about glyphosate's carcinogenic potential but continued to market Roundup® as safe for human use. It also points out instances where Monsanto allegedly falsified data and manipulated scientific research to downplay health risks associated with their product.
Bell seeks compensatory damages for his physical injuries, pain and suffering, medical expenses, economic losses due to lifestyle changes necessitated by his illness, and punitive damages aimed at punishing Monsanto for their alleged misconduct. He demands a jury trial to resolve these claims.
Representing Stephen Bell are attorneys Benjamin Lin from Kessenick Gamma LLP based in San Francisco and Jason T. Brown along with Ziyian “Coco” Guan from Brown LLC based in Jersey City. The case is presided over by Judge [Judge’s Name] under Case ID CGC-24-617471.