Paraquat is a weed-killing chemical used commonly in U.S. commercial agriculture. It is also highly toxic and has been linked through research to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease. To date, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against companies like Syngenta, Growmark, and Chevron which manufacture, market, and sell products containing Paraquat.
At Frost Law Firm, PC, we are currently representing clients who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after Paraquat exposure. Schedule a free consultation with our office to speak with a Paraquat lawsuit lawyer about your case.
For those seeking information about the process of receiving Paraquat compensation after an injury or illness, here is how to file for a Paraquat settlement and why it is important.
How Do I File a Paraquat Lawsuit?
Filing a Paraquat lawsuit requires the help of an experienced attorney with knowledge of the current litigation news surrounding Paraquat lawsuits. As Paraquat lawsuits first began to be filed over the past year, they were generally filed on an individual basis. However, because of the large numbers of plaintiffs (people filing lawsuits) with similar and related cases, the Paraquat lawsuits have been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (MDL). This is a way for multiple related cases to be handled in a single court, and allows lawyers nationwide to work together to gather evidence against these powerful corporations.
Based on updates current as of October 2021, there are nearly three hundred actions pending in the Paraquat MDL. In this MDL, Judge Nancy Rosenstengel of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois will be overseeing the trial set for November 2022.
If you have not yet filed for a Paraquat settlement but believe that you are eligible, reach out to your Paraquat lawsuit attorney immediately. At this point, there is still time for you to file for a Paraquat settlement before the trial date. One of the actions your lawyer will help you complete is submitting a Plaintiff Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ), as all individuals seeking to join the Paraquat MDL are being asked to do.
In order to begin filing for a Paraquat settlement, you will need to first work with your lawyer to determine if you are eligible to file a Paraquat lawsuit.
Am I Eligible to File a Paraquat Lawsuit?
Paraquat exposure leading to a Parkinson’s disease (PD) diagnosis is most often seen in individuals who were exposed to the herbicide over an extended period of time. This is most common among people who live on or near farms where Paraquat was sprayed regularly as a weedkiller. However, there are still many people who were exposed to the chemical through different means and were later diagnosed with PD or another neurological disease. Your lawyer will help you determine if you are eligible for Paraquat compensation, no matter the circumstances of your exposure. Many plaintiffs have had Paraquat contact through one of the following means:
- Working directly with Paraquat-containing herbicides on farms
- Living on or near farms which use Paraquat
- Living in rural areas
- Drinking well water
- Handling Paraquat as part of a transportation, sales, or manufacturing job
- Having exposure to farm animals
- Frequently visiting commercial farming areas
- Using illegally-grown marijuana (in rare cases)
Why Should I File a Paraquat Lawsuit?
Filing a Paraquat lawsuit is a way to bring attention to a severe problem in the United States. Let’s briefly discuss some of the dangers associated with Paraquat use to better understand why the Paraquat MDL is such an important legal step.
Throughout the history of Paraquat usage, more and more facts have come to light which speak of the dangers of this chemical. There are known links between Paraquat and Parkinson’s disease. And, more recently, evidence of Paraquat’s link to prenatal defects was made public in a 2021 research report.
While the long-term effects are still being researched, it is clear that Paraquat has immediate and deadly effects on the human body. With fatality rates of over 70% when ingested, this chemical has even been abused as a means to death by suicide. It’s estimated that at least tens of thousands of people have died from Paraquat ingestion since the product first became available on the market.
Because of its toxicity, the chemical has been banned in over 30 countries, including China, the country in which it is manufactured. Unlike many parts of the world, the United States has not made the decision to ban Paraquat. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies Paraquat as “restricted use,” meaning that it can only be used by commercial farmers with licenses. This is why illness after Paraquat exposure is most common in the agricultural sector.
Filing a lawsuit against a company which has allowed its products to end thousands of lives is a way to increase public awareness and corporate accountability. The current legal actions being taken against multibillion-dollar corporations like Syngenta emphasize the following ways these companies have failed their consumers:
- Not sufficiently researching the long-term effects of Paraquat exposure
- Failing to study or publicize Paraquat’s link to Parkinson’s disease
- Covering up the health risks of Paraquat
- Marketing products without adequate warning labels
- Ignoring research findings about Paraquat health risks
- Denying claims that Paraquat exposure led to a plaintiff’s disease diagnosis
To learn more about Paraquat lawsuits, please visit our Paraquat lawsuit FAQs page. If you believe you may be eligible for Paraquat compensation, reach out to our office as soon as possible. We will begin immediately by scheduling a free consultation to discuss how you or a loved one has been affected by Paraquat.
