Paraquat Lawsuit Lawyers
Paraquat may be linked to Parkinson’s disease.
Paraquat lawsuit
Paraquat lawsuits have been filed in California and across the United States alleging harm from exposure to the herbicide Paraquat. It is alleged that long-term exposure to Paraquat in agricultural workers, as well as people who live near the fields where it is sprayed from the air or by tractors, causes Parkinson’s disease.
Were you a licensed user or working for a licensed user of Paraquat and have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease?
If not diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, did you seek medical treatment for one of the following conditions after Paraquat use?
Motor Symptoms:
- Hand tremors
- Prolonged or extreme stiffness
- Difficulty with body movements
- Loss of Balance
- Difficulty walking
- Difficulty speaking
- Reduced facial expression, blank stare
- Drooling
- Small handwriting
- Trembling
- Whole body fatigue or dizziness
- Amnesia or confusion in evening hours
- Early awakenings or sleep disturbances
- Anxiety or apathy
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Paraquat Lawsuit Updates
Paraquat Lawsuit Update - May 12, 2021
Lawsuits have been filed in California alleging harm from exposure to the herbicide Paraquat. It is alleged that long term exposure to Paraquat in agricultural workers, as well as people who live near the fields where it is sprayed from the air or by tractors, causes Parkinson’s disease.
Paraquat is so highly toxic chemical that drinking a teaspoon is said to be toxic enough to kill an adult. 32 countries have banned the use of Paraquat, including Switzerland where the manufacturer Syngenta is headquartered! Nevertheless, the American food industry continues to spray Paraquat by the ton. Farmers in England and the EU, and even China, cannot use this toxic substance but million of kilograms a year are sprayed in the US.
Despite its ban across the world, Paraquat use in the U.S. has skyrocketed in recent years. As a consequence, people who work with Paraquat, or live near areas where it is used heavily remain at risk of exposure to it, most specifically farmers, farmworkers, farm residents, and farm neighbors.
California uses the most Paraquat in the US, than in any other state in the U.S, followed by Texas and North Carolina.
Studies have shown that exposure to the toxic chemicals in Paraquat can increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease. In fact, as Paraquat use has increased, so has the prevalence rate of Parkinson’s disease in the US.
Given the toxicity of Paraquat, it is believed that exposure to mist or microscopic droplets of Paraquat devastates the human nervous system. When a person breathes Paraquat mist, or Paraquat is absorbed through the skin, it travels through the lungs, the olfactory bulb, the skin, or the stomach and damages a part of the brain that creates dopamine. The reduction of dopamine-creating cells is one of the hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease, an incurable disease. As a consequence, lawsuits have been filed against Syngenta, Chevron U.S.A, Inc., and other companies that have manufactured, distributed, marketed, licensed, and sold Paraquat in the United States.
A diagnosis of Parkinson’s can be devastating, especially at a young age. And, despite what appears to be a clear connection to Parkinson’s disease, the American food industry continues to heavily use Paraquat. If you have been exposed to Paraquat and got Parkinson’s disease, please call us for a free consultation.
Paraquat Lawsuit Update
May 12, 2021
Author: Daniel Gala
Missouri Man Files Federal Paraquat - Parkinson's Lawsuit
A longtime Missouri resident has filed a federal lawsuit against Syngenta, maker of the herbicide Paraquat, alleging that decades of exposure to the company's product caused him to develop the serious neurodegenerative disorder known as Parkinson's Disease.
On April 14, J. Patrick Hays of Monroe County, Missouri filed a six-count complaint in the Eastern District of Missouri, alleging that 40 years of exposure to Paraquat-based herbicides manufactured, distributed, and sold by defendants Syngenta and Chevron Philips Chemical Company had caused him to develop Parkinson's.
"Plaintiff was regularly exposed to Paraquat for approximately 40 years as a result of direct exposure, pesticide drift, and contamination of his drinking water," says Hays' lawsuit, adding later that Hays had "applied Paraquat as a certified applicator on the farmlands where he lived and farmed in Monroe County."
From 1965 through 2005, Hays' lawsuit states, Hays was exposed to Paraquat more than 100 times.
"On numerous occasions, Plaintiff could feel the Paraquat on his skin during mixing and application of the Paraquat products," reads the complaint. "On multiple instances, Plaintiff remembers being coated with Paraquat while applying it."
Hays began to experience Parkinson's-like symptoms roughly a decade ago and was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2016.
Hays' lawsuit includes counts of negligence, design defect, failure to warn, and public nuisance, as well as an alleged violation of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act. It also claims that defendants breached the implied warranty of merchantability.
On May 10, the court in Hays' case issued an order granting a request by both parties that the case be stayed pending its potential transfer to multidistrict litigation (MDL). The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) presently is considering whether to establish an MDL to centralize proceedings for the growing number of federal Paraquat-Parkinson's cases.
The use of Paraquat as an herbicide was discovered in 1955, and the first commercial Paraquat herbicide product, GRAMOXONE, was introduced in 1962. However, an ever-growing body of research dating back at least to the early 1990s has shown evidence of a strong connection between Paraquat exposure and Parkinson's Disease, as well as Parkinson's-like symptoms in animals. The plaintiff's complaint includes a detailed chronology of the scientific literature, citing, for instance, a 2012 study that found those who possessed a particular genotype and were exposed to Paraquat "were 11.1 times more likely to develop Parkinson's Disease."
A number of countries already have banned Paraquat due to its health risks. Though Syngenta is headquartered in Switzerland, that country has banned Paraquat since 1989. The entire European Union issued a Paraquat ban in 2007. And, according to Hays' complaint, the "Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China classifies Paraquat as extremely toxic" and China has banned Paraquat's sale or use since September 2020.
If you have been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease after being exposed to Paraquat, contact TheLawFirm.com now for a free legal consultation!
Sources:
United States District Court Eastern District of Missouri Northern Division. (14 April 2021). Complaint. Case No. 2:21-cv-00031-MTS. J. Patrick Hays v. Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, et al.
United States District Court Eastern District of Missouri Northern Division. (10 May 2021). Order. Case No. 2:21-cv-00031-MTS. J. Patrick Hays v. Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, et al.
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Legal Disclaimer: The information in this article is not intended to be used as medical information or diagnosis. The sources of the information presented in the article have been researched and are linked within the article. Please seek out medical advice from a licensed medical professional if you are experiencing a problem with any of the drugs or devices mentioned in this article.
