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Paraquat Lawsuit Lawyers

Widely used herbicide, linked to progressive neurological disorder

Tell Us About Your Paraquat Parkinson’s Case – Free Consultations

If you or your loved ones were diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease you may qualify to participate in the Paraquat lawsuit. You should retain counsel right away to preserve your rights before it’s too late.

The Paraquat lawyers at Brown, LLC have successfully handled mass tort litigation like Paraquat for over a decade with over a hundred million dollars recovered for our clients. Contact us today at 1 (877) 561-0000 to speak with our Paraquat lawyers who are ready to fight for your rights. We handle cases nationwide and we’re only paid if we win the case. Past results do not guarantee future success and the success of your case may depend on your individual facts and circumstances.

Paraquat Linked to Parkinson’s Disease

In 1982, an experiment conducted in Southern California revealed the chemical compound MPTP caused its users to suffer from symptoms akin to Parkinson’s disease. Paraquat, a widely used, fast acting herbicide has a chemical structure very similar to that of MPTP. The Paraquat lawsuit claims that the use of Paraquat can cause Parkinson’s Disease.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Paraquat users were exposed to the harmful chemical primarily during the mixing, loading, and application process. Individuals who live near certain farms could also have been exposed to the herbicide.

Studies suggest that any exposure to this harmful product within 1,600 feet resulted in a 75% increased risk of Parkinson’s Disease. Additionally, pesticide applicators who directly handled Paraquat suffered twice the risk of Parkinson’s Disease than that of the general population.

According to the Unified Parkinson’s Advocacy Council, the economic costs of Parkinson’s disease estimated to be

  1. $26,400 per year for individual care for a person with the disease; and
  2. Up to $26.4 billion in economic costs per year nationally.

Effects of Paraquat Exposure

  • Farmers, farmworkers, agricultural workers and landscapers
  • Residents of areas living near the farmlands sprayed with paraquat
  • Anyone who works with or around professional-grade pesticides

To prevent its accidental or unintended use, paraquat herbicide is provided with blue dye to make it easily distinguishable. It has a strong odor to warn you, and the herbicide is mixed with a chemical agent that induces vomiting if drank.

When paraquat products are purchased from outside of the US, the herbicide may not have these additional safeguards, thus increasing your risk of inadvertent consumption and paraquat poisoning. But these safeguards can’t help if you have been exposed to paraquat on the job, or live or lived near a sprayed area. Of course, if you have short-term immediate inhalation or worse ingestion of this poison you should see a medical professional immediately!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Paraquat?

Paraquat herbicide is used to prevent the growth of weeds and grass near crops in commercial farms, plantations, estates and orchards. Paraquat products are sold under the brand names Gramoxone and Ortho Paraquat, which are commonly used as an alternative for weeds that have become resistant to other weedicides, such as Monsanto’s Roundup.

What is Paraquat used for?

Despite its known dangers, paraquat products are commonly used as herbicides to kill and prevent the growth of weeds in and around plantations. Even a brief exposure of this highly toxic paraquat herbicide can be harmful, its prolonged exposure can result in more severe long-term injuries. Exposure or ingestion of paraquat increases your risk of Parkinson’s disease. If you’re wondering does Paraquat kill you? Yes, even death can occur in some severe cases of exposure to paraquat products. The more prolonged and intense exposure to paraquat, the higher your chances are of developing Parkinson’s disease.

How does Paraquat work?

Paraquat can alter cell chemistry to the point that it can result in cell damage or death through a process called oxidative distress. When specific dopamine neuron cells in the brain are damaged or lose their ability to properly function, it may result in the development of Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that can lead to uncontrollable shakiness, stiffness and the general deterioration of the patient’s motor function and movement abilities.  There is currently no cure for the disease, but paraquat antidote treatments are available that may help lessen some of the motor and non-motor functions of the individuals affected by paraquat Parkinson’s commercial product uses.

What is Paraquat poisoning?

Paraquat short term poisoning can occur for many reasons – in contrast to long term health issues which are linked to Parkinson’s disease.  Short term poisoning can occur if you:

  • Inhale or ingest paraquat
  • Come into contact with sprayed plants
  • Get paraquat on the skin
  • Mix, load or apply paraquat

What are the common Paraquat poisoning symptoms?

  • Breathing difficulties or failure, increasing your risk of death
  • Elevated heart rate
  • Pain and swelling of the mouth and throat
  • Confusion
  • Dehydration
  • Gastrointestinal distress (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody stool)
  • Muscle fatigue
  • Seizures
  • Coma

What are the long-term health issues of Paraquat poisoning?

  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Atypical Parkinson’s
  • Multiple system atrophy, and
  • Progressive supranuclear palsy

According to a study published in 2012, people with certain genetic variations, when exposed to paraquat, are 11 times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, making them more at risk than others.

Parkinson’s disease affects your motor symptoms or your ability to walk, move or control body movements at will. Over time, people with Parkinson’s disease may experience difficulty walking and talking.

What are the common motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?

  • Slowness in the voluntary movement and reflexes (Bradykinesia)
  • Impaired balance or postural instability
  • Resistance to passive movement
  • Limb rigidity or stiffness
  • Resting tremors (shaking movement when the muscles are relaxed)

Non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and other paraquat side effects include:

  • Constipation
  • Apath
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Depression
  • Sleep behavior disorder (insomnia)

Is Paraquat still used?

While paraquat dichloride (commonly called paraquat) has been banned in 32 countries across the world including the European Union and China, it is still not banned in the USA. On the contrary, Paraquat products’ use continues to grow in the US. Nearly 11 million pounds of the highly toxic paraquat herbicide are commercially used on US crops each year, as per a recent report by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA has classified paraquat as a ‘restricted-use pesticide”, so it can only be used commercially by licensed applicators. It can’t be used domestically or recreationally by unauthorized persons.

Paraquat Parkinson’s Lawsuit Update

As of this writing hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against Paraquat for Parkinson’s disease, but there has been no Paraquat Parkinson’s settlement.  The Paraquat Parkinson’s disease lawyers can help you file a lawsuit to try and recapture medical expenses, lost wages and more. If you have worked with paraquat or lived near a farm or have developed paraquat Parkinson’s disease, you may be entitled to compensation with this mass tort litigation if the case succeeds.

There is no Paraquat Parkinson’s class action that is likely to succeed for physical injuries like Parkinson’s sustained due to exposure to Paraquat. Instead, cases like this are known as a mass tort, and after a few representative trials, if the case progresses that far and the juries believe the plaintiff’s theory of the case and render a Paraquat Parkinson’s verdict – then there is often talks to globally resolve the litigation. In mass torts, the plaintiff receives the lion-share of the award, with the mass tort lawyer receiving a percentage if the case is successful.  In contrast to a class action, where the class action lawyers may, through fee shifting mechanisms, receive more than the class.

A paraquat Parkinson’s lawsuit settlement is reached when the plaintiff and defendant determine a fair paraquat lawsuit settlement amount for the extent of losses versus the risk and cost of litigation, including the challenges of collecting if there is too much liability. If a Parkinson’s lawsuit settlement is not reached then the paraquat lawsuit is tried before a jury for the verdict if the Court does not throw out the case along the way – there are many challenges in mass tort litigation.

You Won’t Pay Anything If You Don’t Win Your Paraquat Lawsuit

Brown LLC will not charge you anything for your Paraquat suit because its paraquat lawyers work on a contingency basis, meaning you don’t have to pay any fee upfront. Your Parkinson’s lawyer will receive a portion of your paraquat lawsuit settlement amount only if there is a Paraquat Parkinson’s disease settlement or verdict and we win your case.

You worked hard and now are suffering from Parkinson’s because of exposure to Paraquat.  You deserve the chance to receive compensation for your injuries. Call the mass tort Paraquat lawyers at Brown, LLC today at 1 (877) 561-0000 to learn your rights.