Paraquat Lawsuit: Filing a Parkinson’s Disease Claim
Paraquat is a commercial strength herbicide used in commercial agriculture for weed and grass control. It is also a toxic chemical that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies as “restricted use”. Among many other health hazards, Paraquat exposure has been linked to Parkinson’s disease.
If you or someone close to you were diagnosed with Parkinson’s after being exposed to Paraquat, you may be entitled to compensation for your illness and other damages.
What is Paraquat and Where is it Used?
Paraquat, also known as Paraquat dichloride, is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. Its use has been banned in the European Union, Switzerland, and a few other countries but it is legal to use in the United States under some restrictions.
Paraquat is used on farms to kill grass, unwanted vegetation, and weeds. Because of the serious health risks associated with this toxic chemical, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has placed it on a list of “restricted use” chemicals. Only commercial farmers who have specific licenses are allowed to purchase, handle and use paraquat.
Despite the restrictions on Paraquat usage in the United States, people who work with the herbicide or live near farms where it is sprayed are still at risk of suffering from paraquat-related illnesses including Parkinson’s disease.
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How to Tell if You’ve Been Exposed to Paraquat?
Paraquat is often sold with a blue dye and an added agent to give it a sharp odor so that it is not confused with drinks. Despite these safeguards, it mixes easily with food and beverages.
Some common forms of exposure include:
- Swallowing
- Skin exposure
- Inhalation
- Paraquat-contaminated food or dring
Herbicides that Contain Paraquat
Products that contain Paraquat dichloride as an active ingredient include:
- Blanco
- Devour
- Firestorm
- Gramoxone
- Hemquat
- Para-Shot 3.0
- Parazone
- Tota-col
If you work with any of these products or live where these products are sprayed, you may have been exposed to this toxic chemical.
Parkinson’s Disease’s Links to Paraquat Exposure
Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the central nervous system that causes brain cells to progressively die off. It is one of the fastest-growing neurological disorders globally.
Although the link between Paraquat and Parkinson’s has not been definitively proven, scientists have suggested that people have an increased risk of developing it after contact with the herbicide.
Non-Motor Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease
Not all Parkinson’s disease symptoms are as easy to spot as the motor symptoms usually associated with the disease. There are many debilitating non-motor symptoms that can occur with Parkinson’s, such as:
- Anxiety
- Cognitive changes
- Depression
- Disturbances in the sense of smell
- Fatigue
- Pain
- Personality changes
- Psychosis
- Sleeping problems
- Sweating
- Weight loss
How Long Does it Take for Paraquat Exposure to Cause Parkinson’s?
Researchers have discovered that long-term exposure to Paraquat, even at low levels, can increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease. One study found that those who experienced prolonged exposure to Paraquat while they were still young have a 200-600% greater risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
It is difficult to predict how long it takes someone to develop Parkinson’s after exposure to Paraquat. Factors like the individual’s level of exposure and when they first began being exposed may affect the course of the disease’s development.
For example, people who eat foods sprayed with the herbicide Paraquat can face an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease. Workers in agricultural or food-related jobs are at the most risk. The more often someone is exposed to Paraquat, the greater their chance of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Countries Where Paraquat Usage Has Been Banned
Even though Paraquat is still legal in the United States, over thirty other countries have either banned it or, at the very least, restricted its use. In fact, nearly 15 million acres of the herbicide was used in the US in a recent year.
This chemical has been banned in the following countries:
- China
- Brazil
- The European Union
- Switzerland
Filing a Paraquat Lawsuit Claim
One of the first Paraquat lawsuits was filed in 2017 in Illinois against Syngenta and Growmark, two companies that make Paraquat products. The lawsuit was filed by a farmer who claims to have used Paraquat on his fields from the 1970s through the 90s and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 44 in 1998.
New Paraquat lawsuits have been filed in multiple states and cases are in various stages of the legal process. We are currently accepting new claims and evaluating cases for eligibility.