You may have an extremely limited time to seek compensation for Paraquat™ exposure resulting in Parkinson’s disease.

If you worked around Paraquat™ or lived near an area that was exposed to Paraquat™ and you have since developed Parkinson’s disease, please contact our Law Firm as soon as possible.

Some of the most common type of Paraquat™ exposure affected:

• farmers
• farmworkers
• herbicide applicators
• chemical mixers
• tank fillers
• people living around farming communities

Paraquat™ dichloride (Paraquat™™) is one of the chemical agent most commonly used as a herbicide. Paraquat™ is currently used as a herbicide in more than 100 different types of crops.

Is Paraquat™ Safe?

As indicated by data from the American Council of Science and Health, Paraquat™’s glyphosate is another commonly used known toxic herbicide with relative toxicity of 33-250. Exposure to Paraquat™ is also associated with adverse health effects, including Parkinson’s disease.

The degree of poisoning linked to Paraquat™ depends on the amount, route, duration of exposure, and the person’s health at the time of exposure.

Paraquat™ can cause direct damage when it comes in contact with the lining of the mouth, stomach, or intestines.

After Paraquat™ enters the human body, it is distributed to all areas of the human body. Paraquat™ causes toxic chemical reactions in many parts of the body, mainly the lungs, liver, and kidneys.

Cells in the lungs may selectively accumulate Paraquat™ through active transport.

Paraquat™ poisoning is a rare but potentially fatal clinical presentation.

Paraquat™ poisoning usually comes from swallowing chemicals. This can happen after eating contaminated food or beverages. Workers who often work with chemicals are also susceptible to poisoning, which can cause lung damage. In the past, some batches of marijuana were found to contain traces of Paraquat™, which may cause poisoning when inhaled.

Poisoning can also occur after skin contact. This is most likely to happen after long-term exposure and when the chemical concentration of Paraquat™ is high. It is also common if the chemical comes into contact near cuts, sores, or rashes.

Symptoms of Paraquat™ poisoning will develop rapidly. Individuals may experience swelling and pain in the mouth and throat immediately after ingesting or inhaling Paraquat™. Direct contact with Paraquat™ can cause immediate damage. Before long, they may encounter:

• nausea
• stomach ache
• vomiting
• diarrhea, possibly with blood

Paraquat™ is used to control weeds for more than 100 crops, including field crops, orchards, fruits, and vegetables. It can also be used as a desiccant and used on some crops before harvest to kill green substances and help harvest. It is also used to kill weeds; that is why it is known as a Paraquat™ weed killer.

• Acute renal failure
• Confusion
• Coma
• Rapid heartbeat
• Heart injury
• Liver failure
• Scarring of the lungs (which develops faster than in the case of ingesting small to moderate amounts)
• Muscle weakness
• Pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs)
• Respiratory failure, which may lead to death
• Seizures

Paraquat™ is one of just two pesticides utilized in the United States that is prohibited or eliminated in the European Union, China, and Brazil.

In October 2020, EPA took an essential step in the regulatory review of Paraquat™. Paraquat™ is only used in agricultural and commercial environments. The proposed interim decision is based on the draft risk assessment findings and comments submitted during the public comment period. It proposes new mitigation measures to reduce potential ecological risks and protect public health. The proposed interval decision is the next step in the registration review process of the Federal Insecticides, Fungicides and Rodenticides Act (FIFRA) and is not a denial or approval of herbicides.

Paraquat™ is banned in Switzerland and EU countries (and other countries/regions) due to its high toxicity. But Syngenta continues to sell this pesticide in many countries. Since 2002, the Citizen Action Movement “Stop Paraquat™” has been calling for a ban on the use of this highly toxic herbicide.

The Paraquat lawsuit claims that the use of Paraquat herbicide causes Parkinson’s disease.

In the 1980s, an experiment in Southern California showed that the heroin contaminant MPTP caused users to suffer symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease. Experiments have shown that heroin pollutants destroy dopamine neurons, which are the same as those damaged by Parkinson’s disease patients. MPTP and Paraquat™ have similar chemical structures.

In 1997, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Paraquat™ was the main route of exposure to the compound during the mixing, loading, and application of herbicides and during the post-application process. The agency further recommends that although the herbicide is not registered for residential use, such exposure may still occur to individuals living near the farm where the herbicide is used.

Manufacturers may have known the link between Paraquat™ and Parkinson’s disease for many years but never made it public. This means that companies that manufacture and sell Paraquat™ may be liable for selling dangerous products without proper warning. Individuals who have used or been exposed to Paraquat™ and subsequently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease may be entitled to substantial financial compensation.

The first lawsuit for Paraquat™ products was filed in Missouri in 2017 against Syngenta™ and Growmark™ (another company that produces Paraquat™ products). The plaintiffs in the lawsuit included farmers and agricultural laborers who either used Paraquat™ or worked on a farm that used Paraquat™ and later developed Parkinson’s disease.

Paraquat™ chemical can cause direct damage when it comes in contact with the lining of the mouth, stomach, or intestines. After the Paraquat™ chemical enters the human body, it is distributed to all areas of the human body. Paraquat™ chemical causes toxic reactions in many parts of the body, mainly the lungs, liver, and kidneys.

Cancers and Illnesses linked to Paraquat™ Chemical:

• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Heart failure
• Lung scarring
• Respiratory failure
• Failure of multiple organs

Paraquat™ produces reactive oxygen species, which cause cell damage through lipid peroxidation, NF-KB activation, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis of many organs. It actively responds to the concentration gradient in the lung tissue, leading to pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis.

If you have been exposed to Paraquat™ and developed Parkinson’s Disease or Parkinson like symptoms you should contact a Paraquat™ Attorney to discuss your legal rights.

PARAQUAT™ IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK. NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES ARE IMPLIED OR MADE BY THE AUTHOR.