Paraquat Lawsuits

Currently, almost 100 Paraquat lawsuits have been filed in various courts across the country. These suits accuse Syngenta, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company and Growmark Inc. of knowing exposure to their dangerous pesticide Paraquat has been linked with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Recent studies have linked long-term Paraquat exposure to developing Parkinson’s disease. These studies propose that Paraquat increases Parkinson’s disease risk by creating oxidative stress that damages and kills neurons that produce dopamine.

A 2009 study in the American Journal of Epidemiology revealed that any exposure to Paraquat within 1,600 feet of a home resulted in a heightened Parkinson’s disease risk of 75 percent. In 2011, the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, in association with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, published results from a robust study of Parkinson’s disease cases and pesticides. Within this study, Paraquat emerged as a significant concern.

These studies come as the use of Paraquat in the U.S. grows alarmingly. In the last ten years the estimated amount has tripled from slightly under 5 million pounds to an estimated 15 million pounds of Paraquat annually. This increase has been triggered in part by its use on superweeds that have developed resistance to glyphosate, commonly sold as Bayer’s Roundup. Commercialized farming and monocropping, that are reliant on the heavy use of herbicides, have driven the use of dangerous herbicides like paraquat to previously unthinkable levels. 

How dangerous is Paraquat? According to the Pesticide Action Network Paraquat is more poisonous than glyphosate and is 28 times more acutely toxic. Because of that toxicity Paraquat has been banned or phased out in the European Union, Brazil and China. However, in the United States Paraquat is more popular than ever and over 10 million pounds are being added to our ecosystems annually and in October 2020, the EPA again reapproved Paraquat for restricted use in the United States.

This wide use of Paraquat leads us to believe that there are thousands of potential claimants who have been harmed by this dangerous weed killer. Paraquat has been used in commercial farming and agriculture in the U.S. for decades. Agricultural workers use it on the job, while others live near farms that use the toxic weed killer. Untold numbers of people have been exposed to this toxic herbicide and have developed Parkinson’s disease or are at risk for doing so. 

At Saunders & Walker we have a long history of representing consumers harmed by dangerous and defective products. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and has been exposed to Paraquat, you might have a potential claim. Please contact us at 1-800-748-7115 for a free consultation and to learn more about case eligibility.