Farm-workers with Parkinson’s disease are filing lawsuits blaming their illness on exposure to the toxic herbicide Paraquat (Gramoxone®).
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Parkinson’s Disease induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease from the toxic herbicide Paraquat (Gramoxone®), you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Disease Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Paraquat Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuits Centralized in MDL
In June 2021, a panel of federal judges decided to centralize all Paraquat Parkinson’s Disease lawsuits nationwide into a MDL (Multi-District Litigation) — The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois under Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel.
Crop-Duster Files Paraquat Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuit
In December 2020, a former crop duster filed a Paraquat Parkinson’s disease lawsuit. The man, Michael K., claims that from 1969-1981 he was “repeatedly exposed” to Paraquat.
He claims he “inhaled, ingested or absorbed” Paraquat that was sprayed on farm fields near Edgerton, Wisconsin, and Danville, Illinois. The lawsuit accuses Chevron, Syngenta, and Growmark of failing to warn about the risk of Parkinson’s disease from Paraquat.
The Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuit (PDF) was filed by Michael J. K. on December 21, 2020 in St. Clair County, Illinois — Case No. 20L1006.
The 1st Parkinson’s Disease Class Action Lawsuit
The first lawsuit was a class action lawsuit that was filed in October 2017 in St. Clair County, Illinois, by three farmers who developed Parkinson’s disease after years of spraying paraquat herbicides.
Other Examples of Recent Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuits
In January 2019, a Parkinson’s disease lawsuit was filed by Marvin W., a man from Illinois who blames his illness on exposure to Paraquat (St. Clair County Circuit Court Case Number 18-L-805).
Another group of Parkinson’s disease lawsuits were filed in California state court in April 2019. The plaintiffs include 10 men with Parkinson’s disease who were exposed to paraquat while working in agriculture.
Paraquat (Gramoxone®) — Toxic Pesticide Linked to Parkinson’s Disease
In 2011, a major study by the National Institute of Health (NIH) called the Farming and Movement Evaluation investigated the risk of Parkinson’s disease from Paraquat herbicides.
Shockingly, scientists discovered people who sprayed Paraquat pesticides on crops were 250% more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.
In another alarming study in 2012, researchers found that agricultural workers in Central California who were exposed to paraquat herbicides on crops were 11X more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than people who were not exposed to paraquat. Source: “Traumatic brain injury, paraquat exposure, and their relationship to Parkinson disease.”
Does Paraquat Cause Parkinson’s?
No one knows what causes most cases of Parkinson’s disease, but scientists use Paraquat to cause animals to develop Parkinson’s disease when they want to study the illness. Despite a clear link to Parkinson’s, the EPA still lets farm-workers in the U.S. spray this toxic herbicide on food crops.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease causes progressive damage in the part of the brain that controls movement. The characteristic signs of Parkinson’s disease include involuntary shaking while at rest (tremors), stiff or rigid muscles, slow movements, and poor balance.
What Happens in the Brain?
The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are caused by damage to the nerve cells in the brain that make dopamine and norepinephrine, which are chemical messengers that transmit electrical signals from the brain to the body. The lack of these neurotransmitters causes movement problems, but also many non-motor symptoms, such as mental changes, problems sleeping, depression, memory loss, fatigue, constipation, and other problems.
How Many People Have Parkinson’s?
Approximately 1 million Americans have Parkinson’s disease, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. It is much more common in people over the age of 70. Men are more likely to have Parkinson’s disease than women. There is no cure for Parkinson’s, but treatments can relieve many of the symptoms.
What Causes Parkinson’s Disease?
Some of the risk-factors for Parkinson’s disease include toxic chemical exposures, herbicides, pesticides, heavy metal, and head injuries. Genetics are a primary factor in only 10% of Parkinson’s cases, which means that the other 90% of cases were probably caused by things that a person was exposed to in their environment during their lifetime.
Do I have a Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Parkinson’s Disease induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease from the toxic herbicide Paraquat (Gramoxone®), you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Disease Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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