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Paraquat is a commonly used weed killer that has been sold since 1961 for commercial purposes. In the last decade, however, the popular herbicide has been under the spotlight for its dangerous neurological effects and other health risks such as kidney failure, heart failure, and liver failure. Multiple studies have shown that repeated exposure to Paraquat can cause an individual to be 2.5 times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.
While more and more countries ban the herbicide every year in response to this alarming data, it is still one of the most widely used weed killers around the world—and the United States is no exception. As U.S. agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency continue to turn a blind eye to Paraquat’s dangers, agricultural laborers are taking matters into their own hands by filing lawsuits against chemical corporations like Syngenta for manufacturing and selling Paraquat.
The first of these lawsuits have already been settled outside of court. To see if you may qualify to file a Paraquat lawsuit and receive potential compensation for a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, review the lawsuit eligibility requirements below.
More than 150 Paraquat Lawsuits Have Been Filed
In the U.S., Syngenta and Chevron have been hit with more than 150 lawsuits for manufacturing, selling, and distributing Gramoxone—an herbicide that contains Paraquat.
These disease lawsuits have been consolidated in multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the Southern District of Illinois. More farmers are pursuing justice in a separate class-action lawsuit that was filed in Iowa against Syngenta AG and Chevron USA.
These lawsuits allege some combination of the following:
- Paraquat weed killers are defective in design.
- Paraquat was designed in such a way that made it likely to be inhaled, ingested, and absorbed by anyone nearby.
- Manufacturers and distributors failed to warn the public that Paraquat increases the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
- Manufacturers and distributors knew of the scientific studies that showed a relationship between Paraquat exposure and Parkinson’s disease but “actively and fraudulently concealed this information.”
- The “magnitude of [Paraquat]’s risks outweigh its utility.”
Were You Exposed to One of These Paraquat Weed Killers?
Paraquat is sold under numerous brand names. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Blanco
- Bonfire
- Bonedry
- Cyclone
- Devour
- Dexuron
- Firestorm
- Gramoxone
- Helmquat
- Parazone
- Para-SHOT
- Pillarxone
- Quik-Quat
- VECOL
Who is Eligible to File a Paraquat Lawsuit?
If you qualify as one of the following, you may have been exposed to one of the Paraquat products listed above:
- A current or former commercial farm or agricultural worker
- A current or former resident of an agricultural community—i.e., you lived near large crops where pesticides and herbicides were regularly sprayed
If you directly handled Paraquat or lived or worked in an area where it was sprayed and you have since been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, you may be eligible to file a legal claim. Contact the Paraquat Attorneys at The Ferraro Law Firm for a free legal consultation if you have any questions about eligibility or the next best steps to take to pursue compensation.
Types of Paraquat Lawsuit Compensation
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that has no cure. As such, most patients gradually require more and more care as the disease progresses. When they reach the final stages of the disease, most Parkinson’s patients are no longer able to work and require 24/7 care.
Anyone who suffers from Parkinson’s disease not only faces considerable financial hardships due to the costs of medical care and the inability to work but their quality of life is dramatically affected as well.
If you were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease because a corporation failed to warn you of Paraquat’s dangers, you should be compensated for the harm you have suffered as a result of their negligence.
A Paraquat lawsuit may help recover result in compensation for the following losses:
- Medical expenses (past and future)
- Lost wages (past and future)
- Pain and suffering
Why File a Paraquat Lawsuit?
Paraquat-containing herbicides do not include a warning that they may cause Parkinson’s disease. In fact, manufacturers are still denying that their products are unsafe.
While countries around the world have banned this dangerous chemical, American agricultural workers and residents continue to be exposed to its harmful effects.
In addition to recovering financial compensation for the losses you may have suffered as a result of a manufacturer’s negligence, filing a lawsuit can also help put pressure on these chemical companies to publish safety warnings on their products or stop selling them entirely. Sadly, legal action is often the only means of removing unsafe products from the market and ensuring safer manufacturing in the future.
Our Paraquat Lawyers Can Help You Fight Back
The Ferraro Law Firm has helped injured workers and consumers stand up to large corporations for decades. Large chemical companies often try to hide behind large legal teams when injured consumers stand up to them. Few law firms have the skills and resources that it takes to challenge these corporations: The Ferraro Law Firm does.
Over the last 30 years, our environmental toxic tort attorneys have helped consumers seek justice against large chemical companies like DuPont for manufacturing and selling dangerous chemicals. They are prepared to do the same for you.
Contact an experienced Paraquat lawyer today for a free legal consultation. Our services are free unless you win your case.
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