Paraquat Class Action Lawsuit

Farmers, agricultural workers, and people in rural areas are filing lawsuits after developing Parkinson’s Disease from Paraquat, a toxic weed-killer.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Paraquat induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease from Paraquat (Gramoxone®) toxic pesticide exposure, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Class Action Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

UPDATE: Paraquat Lawsuits Centralized in Illinois MDL

In June 2021, with nearly 80 Paraquat lawsuits pending nationwide, federal judges created a Multi-District Litigation (MDL) that will centralize the cases in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois under Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel. All of the lawsuits were filed against Syngenta and Chevron by farm-workers with Parkinson’s disease who were exposed to Paraquat herbicides.

Iowa Farmer Files Paraquat Class Action Lawsuit

In May 2021, a farmer in Iowa filed a Paraquat class action lawsuit that is seeking ongoing medical monitoring for farm-workers who may be at risk of Parkinson’s Disease. Click here to read more.

Did You Develop Parkinson’s Disease After Using Paraquat?

Paraquat dichloride is a weed-killing chemical (“herbicide”) that is linked to higher rates of Parkinson’s Disease in farmers and farm-workers, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Farm-workers exposed to Paraquat were 2.5-times more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease than non-exposed people, according to a study launched by the NIH in 2011.

Despite growing evidence linking Paraquat and Parkinson’s Disease, the U.S. EPA has not banned this extremely dangerous herbicide — unlike 32 countries where Paraquat is banned, including China, Brazil, and Europe. Instead, Paraquat use in the U.S. is at a 25-year high because farmers are struggling to control Roundup®-resistant weeds.

What is Paraquat?

Paraquat is a weed-killing chemical that is made by Syngenta, a Switzerland-based chemical company. It is sold under many brand-names, including Gramoxone, Firestorm, Parazone, and Helmquat. It is used on more than 100 different crops, including corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, fruit, coffee, cotton, sugarcane, vegetables, and more.

How Toxic is Paraquat?

Paraquat is tasteless, and just a single sip can be deadly. Once it gets into the body, there is no antidote, which is why it is sometimes used in suicides. It is extremely toxic when breathed, swallowed, comes in contact with the skin, or if it accidentally contaminates foods or water.

What Are Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s Disease is a devastating, incurable, progressive neurological condition that occurs when dopamine-producing neurons in the brain die. Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Shaking hands, fingers, or limbs
• Rigid muscles
• Slow movements (bradykinesia)
• Problems speaking
• Poor balance
• Non-motor symptoms (depression, cognitive impairment, constipation, sexual dysfunction, etc.)

Studies Linking Paraquat and Parkinson’s Disease

Concerns about the link between Paraquat and Parkinson’s Disease exploded in 2011 when the NIH conducted a major study of farmers called the Farming and Movement Evaluation (FAME), which linked Paraquat exposed to a 2.5X higher risk of Parkinson’s.

Breathing Paraquat Gives It Direct Pathway to Your Brain

Another recent study found that breathing Paraquat gives it a direct pathway to the brain. Male mice lost their sense of smell (a common early symptom of Parkinson’s Disease) and had high levels of Paraquat in their brain after routinely breathing low-levels of Paraquat in the air. The study was published on December 29, 2020 in the journal Toxicological Sciences

Can I Join a Class Action Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is nationally recognized as a class action law firm, but we are not filing a Paraquat class action lawsuit at this time. Instead, we are filing individual lawsuits for people with Parkinson’s Disease who were exposed to the pesticide Paraquat (Gramoxone®).

About Class Actions

Class actions are not typically used to seek compensation for a lot of people who have developed severe health problems from exposure to toxic chemicals, such as Paraquat. Instead, class actions are primarily used when a lot of people are seeking a relatively minor payout, such as a reimbursement after buying a product that was falsely advertised.

Why Our Law Firm is Filing Individual Paraquat Lawsuits

Our law firm is filing Paraquat lawsuits for people with Parkinson’s Disease so that we can focus on maximizing compensation for individuals who have suffered severe health problems, medical expenses, decreased quality of life, or the tragic death of a loved one.

How Much Money is a Paraquat Lawsuit Worth?

Syngenta and other companies that sell Paraquat are responsible for warning people about the serious risks of their product. When they intentionally fail to warn about these risks, they may face lawsuits.

If you or a loved one have suffered as a result of Paraquat exposure, we may be able to help you seek financial compensation for:

• Medical bills (past, present and future care)
• Lost wages or earning ability
• Physical & emotional pain and suffering
• Loss of quality of life
• Wrongful death of a family member
• And more

Have Paraquat Lawsuits Already Been Filed?

Yes. A growing number of Paraquat lawsuits are being filed nationwide. The first lawsuit was filed in September 2017 by a farmer with Parkinson’s Disease who had been exposed to Paraquat since he was a child. Another lawsuit was filed in 2018 in the same court in Illinois, again by a farmer with Parkinson’s Disease.

Do I have a Paraquat Class Action Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Paraquat induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease from Paraquat (Gramoxone®) toxic pesticide exposure, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Class Action Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

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