Paraquat Exposure

SMB is actively representing victims who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after prolonged exposure to paraquat.

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Scientific research shows a clear link between a commercial herbicide known as “Paraquat” and Parkinson’s disease. SMB is actively pursuing litigation against the manufacturers of Paraquat to hold them accountable for the dangers which they hid from the public for years. Paraquat was first introduced to the global market in 1961 and the US market in 1964 and is among the most commonly used herbicides on farms throughout the United States. Paraquat is most commonly sold under the brand name Gramoxone, and is also sold under the following brand names:

  • Ortho-Paraquat
  • Paraquat Dichloride
  • Blanco
  • Cyclone SL 2.0
  • Firestorm
  • Helmquat 3SL
  • Bonedry
  • Devour
  • Para-Shot 3.0         
  • Quik-Quat
  • Bonfire
  • Parazone

Paraquat is a non-selective herbicide or weed killer, that is widely used to maintain crops on both commercial and smaller-scale farms. Farms that produce corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton, grapes, and other fruit are regularly sprayed with Paraquat or other non-selective herbicides. Those most often exposed to Paraquat are farmworkers. Paraquat is often sprayed on fields by hand, and only certified applicators, or users, can mix and apply the chemical. Certified applicators and those who regularly work fields that have been sprayed with Paraquat may have suffered prolonged exposure to the dangerous chemical.

PARAQUAT IS TOXIC

Paraquat is toxic. Ingesting the chemical can cause rapid death, and prolonged exposure over months and years can cause a number of neurological disorders, most notably Parkinson’s Disease. Despite being poisonous and toxic, makers of Paraquat have refused to provide appropriate warnings on the chemical. Manufacturers of Paraquat do not warn users that prolonged exposure may cause neurological disorders.

RESEARCH CONFIRMS THE LINK BETWEEN PARAQUAT AND PARKINSON’S DISEASE

In 2011, the National Institutes of Health revealed that those who used or came into close contact with Paraquat were 250% more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than the average American. The NIH explained that both farmworkers and those who live near large farms that use Paraquat may have suffered toxic exposure and may have developed Parkinson’s Disease as a result. Parkinson’s Disease is a nervous system disorder that progressively affects physical movement. Symptoms include: tremors, slowed movement, rigid muscles, impaired posture and balance, loss of automatic bodily movements, speech changes, and changes in handwriting. Parkinson’s Disease cannot be cured. For more information about Parkinson’s Disease, you can visit the Mayo Clinic’s website.

PARAQUAT IS BANNED AROUND THE WORLD

The makers of Paraquat have never warned users that Paraquat exposes them to a significantly increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The makers of Paraquat have also refused to warn the EPA of the science linking Paraquat to Parkinson’s disease. Other countries have already recognized the danger posed by Paraquat: the chemical has been banned in Europe since 2007, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency has released a recent report recognizing the scientific links between Paraquat and Parkinson’s disease.

JANUARY 2023 PARAQUAT LITIGATION UPDATE

Currently, Paraquat lawsuits have been consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois for pretrial proceedings in Multi-District Litigation (also known as an “MDL” or “Mass Tort”) No. 3004, In Re: Paraquat Products Liability Litigation. An MDL is formed when similar cases from across the country are consolidated and transferred to one court and a single judge. To date, there have been approximately 2,500 Paraquat Parkinson’s lawsuits filed in the MDL. While most Paraquat cases are being filed in the Federal MDL, there are some Paraquat cases being filed in state court in California, Illinois, Florida, Washington, and Pennsylvania.

Discovery in the MDL is well underway with dozens of depositions taken, including depositions of experts, and millions of pages of documents have been reviewed by the Plaintiffs. The Plaintiffs and Defendants recently selected sixteen (16) Paraquat cases to potentially go to trial, known as “bellwether” cases. The first trial is expected to take place in October 2023.

SMB IS REPRESENTING VICTIMS OF PARAQUAT EXPOSURE

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and believe you suffered from long-term exposure to Paraquat, contact SMB today. For nearly 25 years, SMB has been taking on massive corporations on behalf of injured victims—and we have recovered over $2 billion dollars for injured victims in the process.

COMPLAINTS FILED:

SMB is a firm of trial lawyers who have unique experience handling chemical and toxic exposure lawsuits, as well as high-profile cases. We have represented victims of asbestos, benzene, and lead poisoning, and have represented cancer victims who were harmed by weed killer’s like Roundup and toxins like PFAS. SMB also has significant experience representing victims in mass tort litigation. SMB’s partners currently sit on the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee in the PFAS Water Contamination Multidistrict Litigation and represent hundreds of plaintiffs in the 3M Combat Arms Military Earplug Litigation. SMB has been at the center of representing victims in major disasters including the Philadelphia Salvation Army Building Collapse ($227 million settlement) the Amtrak 188 derailment ($265 million settlement) and the Tropicana Garage Collapse ($101 million settlement). If you believe you may have been harmed by Paraquat exposure, call, email, or sign up with SMB today.

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