Freddie O’Neal has filed a lawsuit against Monsanto Company, alleging that the company’s herbicide, Roundup, is responsible for his development of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The complaint was filed on October 22, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana. O’Neal claims that Monsanto’s negligence in the design, manufacture, and marketing of Roundup led to his illness.
According to the complaint, Freddie O’Neal was exposed to Roundup over a decade while residing in Louisiana. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma around 2023. The lawsuit alleges that Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate, is defective and dangerous to human health. It further accuses Monsanto of failing to provide adequate warnings about the risks associated with its use. O’Neal argues that Monsanto has long been aware of these dangers but chose to downplay them through misleading advertising and fraudulent scientific studies.
The complaint details how glyphosate was discovered by Monsanto in 1970 and marketed under the brand name Roundup starting in 1974. By 2013, glyphosate had become the most widely used herbicide globally. Despite its popularity, concerns about its safety have persisted. In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans,” linking it to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other cancers.
O’Neal’s lawsuit highlights several instances where Monsanto allegedly manipulated scientific data and misled regulatory agencies about glyphosate’s safety. For example, it cites fraudulent practices by laboratories hired by Monsanto to conduct safety tests on Roundup. Additionally, it accuses Monsanto of ghostwriting studies and articles that downplayed glyphosate’s risks while presenting them as independent research.
The plaintiff seeks compensatory damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other related costs resulting from his illness. He also demands punitive damages against Monsanto for their alleged willful misconduct and seeks a jury trial.
Representing Freddie O’Neal are attorneys whose names were not provided in the document excerpt available here. The case is being presided over by Judge Brian A. Jackson with Magistrate Judge Erin Wilder-Doomes assisting in proceedings under Case ID: 3:25-cv-00960-BAJ-EWD.
Source: 325cv00960_ONeal_v_Monsanto_Company_Complaint_Middle_District_Louisiana.pdf
