In a high-stakes legal battle, a Florida couple has filed a lawsuit against two major corporations, alleging that exposure to a widely-used herbicide caused severe health issues. Nicola Rossi and his wife Maria Rossi have brought their case against Monsanto Company and Palm Beach Gardens Ace Hardware, Inc., claiming that the product Roundup led to Nicola's diagnosis of Follicular Lymphoma. The complaint was filed on December 30, 2024, in the Circuit Court of the 15th Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, Florida.
The plaintiffs argue that Monsanto Company, a Delaware-based corporation with its principal office in Missouri, and Palm Beach Gardens Ace Hardware, a Florida corporation, were negligent in their roles concerning the design, development, manufacture, testing, packaging, promotion, marketing, distribution, supply, and sale of Roundup products. According to the complaint filed by Nicola and Maria Rossi through their attorneys at The Ferraro Law Firm P.A., Roundup is described as "unreasonably dangerous" due to its active ingredient glyphosate. The lawsuit claims that from 1996 to 2016 Nicola Rossi used Roundup extensively without being warned of its potential carcinogenic effects.
Nicola Rossi's exposure allegedly resulted in his development of Follicular Lymphoma in 2023. The plaintiffs accuse Monsanto of failing to conduct adequate safety studies or warn consumers about the risks associated with glyphosate-based products. Despite being aware since at least 1985 of glyphosate's potential carcinogenicity following an EPA classification based on studies showing rare renal tumors in exposed mice, Monsanto continued to market Roundup without sufficient warnings or conducting further necessary research.
Palm Beach Gardens Ace Hardware is also implicated for selling these products without providing adequate warnings about their dangers. The Rossis claim that both defendants had substantial contacts within Florida and should have known about the risks associated with Roundup use. They are seeking damages exceeding $50,000 for negligence and strict liability related to defective design and failure to warn consumers about the product's risks.
The lawsuit seeks monetary compensation for past and future economic losses as well as non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. Additionally, Maria Rossi claims loss of consortium due to her husband's illness resulting from exposure to Roundup. This legal action highlights ongoing concerns over glyphosate-based herbicides' safety amid increasing scrutiny worldwide.
Representing the plaintiffs are attorneys Daniel J. Di Matteo and Nikki Nicole Hurtado from The Ferraro Law Firm P.A., while no defense counsel is listed yet for Monsanto Company or Palm Beach Gardens Ace Hardware. The case will be presided over by judges within the jurisdiction of Palm Beach County under Case Number: 502024CA012243XXXAMB Div: AG.