Paraquat (also known as paraquat dichloride) is an herbicide used to kill unwanted weeds and grass. Exposure to paraquat is linked to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease.
If you or a loved one was exposed to paraquat and recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills and pain and suffering, among other damages. An attorney with the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can help you understand your rights in a paraquat lawsuit.
Is there a Paraquat Lawsuit?
A 2011 study in Environmental Health Perspectives found that 80,000 American agricultural workers and farmers were more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than people who were not constantly exposed to paraquat.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive, incurable disorder of the central nervous system that affects movement, including walking.
Many people have come forward to tell their stories about paraquat exposure and Parkinson’s disease. A paraquat lawsuit may allege that:
- Manufacturers did not disclose important health information to paraquat users, including information from the NIH of a probable link between the herbicide and Parkinson’s disease
- Manufacturers are liable for damages resulting from an individual or a loved one being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
It is unclear how many paraquat lawsuits are currently pending throughout the United States.
Sick and Injured Individuals May File a Lawsuit
Anyone who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after exposure to paraquat may qualify as a plaintiff in a paraquat lawsuit.
Paraquat is manufactured and sold by many companies, including Syngenta AG, Syngenta Crop Protection, and Chevron USA. These powerful companies have teams of lawyers who deflect, deny, and downplay the risk of Parkinson’s disease after using paraquat.
A paraquat lawsuit attorney with the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can help you or a loved one recover compensation and hold these manufacturers accountable.
Who Qualifies for a Paraquat Lawsuit?
Anyone who used or was exposed to paraquat and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease may qualify for a paraquat lawsuit.
Because paraquat kills unwanted weeds or grasses, certain individuals may be more at risk to develop Parkinson’s disease, including:
- Farmers
- Farm and agricultural workers
- Orchard workers
- Vineyard workers
- Nursery or horticulture workers
- Gardeners
- Groundskeepers
Individuals in constant contact with paraquat may be at an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease than the general population.
A Lawyer from Our Firm Can Help You with Your Paraquat Lawsuit
It is your right to seek damages when someone’s negligence or intentional wrongdoing caused you to suffer a bodily injury with resulting financial losses.
Your case must also meet certain thresholds to qualify, including:
- Establishing that the paraquat manufacturer owed you a duty of care to provide a safe herbicide or to include health warnings about the possible increased risk of developing Parkinson’s d
- Showing that the manufacturer breached this duty of care.
- Determining that this breach caused you or a loved one to develop Parkinson’s d
- Supporting your claim of damages from these injuries with evidence, testimony, and documentation.
Each state has a statute of limitations for injured people who want to seek compensation for personal injuries. Your case will likely fail if you try to file a personal injury lawsuit after the statute of limitations has expired.
Can I File a Lawsuit Against Paraquat for a Loved One’s Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis?
Can I File a Paraquat Lawsuit?
You might be entitled to damages if a loved one was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease related to paraquat use or exposure. This progressive disorder affects the entire family’s emotional and financial well-being.
A lawyer from our team can help you understand your legal rights if your loved one’s diagnosis caused you to suffer financial damages such as:
- Medical care and treatment
- Lifecare costs
- Loss of income, especially if your loved one was the primary breadwinner
- Loss of consortium, companionship, or protection
- Emotional trauma
- Funeral or burial costs
An attorney with our firm can help you pursue these money damages while you focus on your loved one. The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine will take care of the many details in a paraquat lawsuit.
Family Members Who Could File a Lawsuit
Depending on your state’s specific laws, you could be entitled to wrongful death or survivors benefits if you are:
- The spouse of the diagnosed individual
- The parent of the diagnosed individual
- The child of the diagnosed individual
Some states allow siblings, aunts, uncles, or grandparents to pursue damages if there are no primary family members or if there are affected children who are not yet legal age.
What Compensation may be Available to Victims of Paraquat?
According to the Mayo Clinic, people with Parkinson’s disease may need regular medications, physical therapy, and other clinical treatment as directed by their physician to manage their symptoms.
This care can be expensive. Our legal team at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine believes that you should not have to suffer financially for a paraquat manufacturer’s negligence or wrongdoing.
We will help you recover compensation for such illness-related damages as:
- Diagnostic tests
- Neurologists and other specialists
- Prescription medicine
- Physical therapy
- Counseling to help with the mental and emotional effects of a chronic disease
- Lost wages
- Diminished quality of life
- Pain and suffering
- Modifications and equipment necessary for your care and treatment, such as installing a wheelchair ramp or “crash” bars if you become unsteady or lose your balance
Parkinson’s disease can progress slowly in some people and more quickly in others. While there are effective medicines to help slow its progression, reduce tremors, and improve muscle control, Parkinson’s is an incurable disorder.
We Help You with Your Case on a Contingency Basis
You do not pay an attorney with our firm until we successfully recover compensation from your paraquat case. This allows you to enjoy strong legal representation without the worry of attorney fees or upfront costs.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients. We welcome the opportunity to help you and your loved ones in a paraquat lawsuit.
Has Anyone Won a Lawsuit Against Paraquat?
There are many potential victims exposed to paraquat who are filing lawsuits against manufacturers and other stakeholders. While the outcome of many of these cases is still unknown, there may be a precedent for paraquat plaintiffs from other similar legal actions, such as the lawsuits against the makers of Roundup, another controversial herbicide.
If you believe that you or a loved one is entitled to compensation for damages related to paraquat and Parkinson’s disease, you can take certain steps to help you recover compensation:
- Keep medical test results or other diagnostic evidence that you received from a licensed healthcare professional showing a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.
- Establish that you have a history of using paraquat or being exposed to paraquat as a farmworker, orchard worker, or another affected individual.
- Hire an attorney who accepts paraquat lawsuit clients, such as the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine.
It is daunting to try and collect damages from a giant corporation. We will fight for your financial recovery while you focus on your health and well-being. You should not have to deal with an aggressive attorney for the other side when you are battling Parkinson’s disease, either as the patient or a family member.
What is Paraquat?
Paraquat is an herbicide used to destroy weeds and grasses.
Like other herbicides, paraquat works by:
- Causing dangerous substances to build up inside a plant.
- These substances eventually damage the plant by interfering with its natural processes of growth and nutrients.
- Some herbicides cause abnormal, excessive cell growth that outpaces the plant’s ability to survive.
Herbicides are not always selective, meaning they may kill all plants, not only those targeted for destruction. Paraquat may also make its way into the soil, water, and air. These particulates can sicken people who live close to a farm, orchard, or vineyard that regularly sprays with paraquat.
Several Brands Sell Paraquat
Gramoxone, manufactured by the Syngenta company, is one of the best-known brand names for paraquat.
Paraquat is also sold under these brand names:
- Weedol
- Dextrone X
- Esgram
- Priglone
- Preeglone
No matter the name of this herbicide, regular use or exposure may increase your risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. We can hold manufacturers accountable if they mislead or fail to inform the public about potential hazards. You could be entitled to damages from a paraquat lawsuit.
How and Why is Paraquat Used?
Paraquat is primarily used to kill weeds in several agricultural businesses, including:
- Farmers and other food growers
- Orchards
- Vineyards
- Nurseries and sod suppliers
Paraquat is classified for restricted commercial use only. You cannot buy paraquat at your local gardening or home improvement center. The government requires that people obtain a license to purchase and use this herbicide.
How Paraquat is Used
Paraquat is a liquid herbicide that is available in varying strengths. Users spray the product onto unwanted weeds or grass. This liquid seeps into the plant and interferes with its natural growth and life processes.
Paraquat is used for:
- Killing weeds
- Eliminating grass or plant life on walkways, driveways, roads, and sidewalks
- Maintaining lawns, golf courses, parks, highway medians, and other places where plant life must be carefully monitored
- Clearing land for crops, fruit trees, and other food-producing vegetation
Is Paraquat Safe to Use?
Paraquat is a highly toxic substance that can cause death when ingested or inhaled. It is available only to commercial users who have a special license to buy and use paraquat for legitimate purposes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cautions those who use or are exposed to paraquat to follow specific health and safety protocol, including:
- Wear protective gear and clothing when applying paraquat, including goggles, gloves, face mask or ventilated mask, and protective clothing.
- Wash your hands with soap and hot water after applying paraquat or encountering plants sprayed with paraquat.
- Use extreme caution when applying paraquat. It can absorb through the skin or by breathing fumes through the mouth or nose.
There are several health risks associated with paraquat, including an increased chance of developing Parkinson’s Disease.
Paraquat is Poisonous to Humans
The CDC notes that “the extent of poisoning caused by paraquat depends on the amount, route, and duration of exposure and the person’s health condition at the time of the exposure.”
Paraquat’s toxicity causes massive damage to the mouth, stomach, and intestines. Once this deadly substance enters your body, it creates fatal interactions in the lungs, kidneys, and liver.
Does Paraquat Cause Parkinson’s Disease?
There are undocumented self-reported cases of Parkinson’s disease in individuals who extensively used paraquat, but it was not until a 2011 study that a more definitive link appeared.
Researchers studied over 80,000 farm workers who used paraquat in weed reduction, crop growth, and other agriculture uses. Their conclusions indicate that paraquat exposure may interfere with normal processes in the central nervous system. This may lead to an increased number of positive Parkinson’s disease diagnoses compared to the general population.
Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease
You may be entitled to compensation if you used paraquat and have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
The following are symptoms to look out for. If you have any, see a doctor because you may have Parkinson’s disease:
- Tremor or shaking that usually begins in the fingers or hand
- Changes when walking, such as shorter steps or shuffling your feet
- Muscle stiffness not associated with over-exertion
- Problems with balance
- Changes in speech, such as slurring your words
- Difficulty writing or changes in handwriting appearance
A paraquat lawsuit lawyer from our legal team can help you with the legal proceedings, but we encourage you to see your doctor if you experience these symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. This will ensure you are well taken care of and document your diagnosis, which will be useful as evidence if you decide to file or join a paraquat lawsuit.
Is there a Safe Paraquat Alternative?
Paraquat’s potential health hazards outweigh its effectiveness as an herbicide. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says there is currently no direct alternative to paraquat.
Still, you can try these different methods to avoid paraquat:
- Use weed-free plant and seed sources
- Use containers, potting substrates, and fertilizers that do not contain weed seeds
- Clean equipment
- Apply barriers such as mulch
- Suffocate weeds using plastic, cloth, cardboard, or cloth that traps sunlight and destroys weeds through intense heat
- Use natural substances such as salt, soap, oil, and acid
- Remove weeds manually (by hand)
If you do not remove the root, the weed will return. Weeds also may become resistant to natural herbicides. You may have to repeatedly apply safe alternatives to paraquat to control and maintain a weed-free environment.
Consider Using a Weed’s Natural Enemies
Goats, sheep, deer, rabbits, and other animals feed on weeds. It is possible to control weeds and unwanted plants simply by allowing these weed eaters unlimited access to their primary food source. Other animals, such as moles, destroy weeds by burrowing into their root systems.
Why is Paraquat still Being Sold?
Paraquat is still sold and used in the United States despite research that indicates it increases the likelihood of developing Parkinson’s disease.
However, many countries no longer authorize paraquat sales, including:
- Finland
- Kuwait
- Syria
- Cambodia
- Sweden
- Austria
- Denmark
- Slovenia
- Norway
- Dominican Republic
- Hungary
Other countries have banned specific applications of the herbicide, such as aerial spraying.
Paraquat has Powerful Allies
Although studies link paraquat to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, it is still sold in the United States. Unfortunately, some companies that sell paraquat views profits as more valuable than health and safety.
However, there are legal remedies for people who are adversely affected by paraquat. An attorney from our team who handles dangerous product lawsuits can help you understand your rights and how you could recover compensation. Our law firm has obtained settlements and judgments for our clients who have also suffered from a manufacturer’s negligence or wrongdoing.
Call Today for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one used paraquat and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease by a licensed healthcare provider, you could be a plaintiff in a paraquat lawsuit. You may be able to recover damages for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering related to a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis and treatment.
Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine at 1-800-747-3733 for a free consultation. The sooner you call, the sooner you could recover damages if you qualify.
