As of January of 2023, there were over 2,300 lawsuits citing the link between the use of (or exposure to) paraquat dichloride and developing Parkinson’s disease.
Additional updates in regard to paraquat lawsuits and potential settlements include the following:
- On August 20, 2023, an important Daubert hearing began in paraquat’s MDL. The credibility of Dr. Martin Wells, the plaintiff’s expert epidemiologist, is being contestec by Syngenta and Chevron. Dr. Wells has come to the conclusion that paraquat probably has a significant role regarding the causation of Parkinson’s disease. Syngenta and Chevron are criticizing Dr. Wells as well as experts Peter Spencer and Anthony Lang, highlighting previous courts have excluded Dr. Wells from some cases. Syngenta and Chevron are claiming Parkinson’s is mostly caused by genetic factors.
- On August 21, 2023, hearings will be held in the paraquat MDL which will consider how admissible the proposed expert witnesses are for each side and will end up with rulings on summary judgment motions. The reliability and strength of experts opinions will be evaluated to make sure that each expert’s methodology is scientifically sound enough for testimony to be allowed at trial.
- 353 new paraquat cases were added to the paraquat multidistrict litigation in May 2023, and 223 new paraquat cases were added to the paraquat MDL in June 2023.
- In June 2023, Chevron and Syngenta urged a judge in Illinois to grant summary judgment motions in the paraquat MDL. The companies argued that the plaintiffs’ claims that their Parkinson’s disease was caused by paraquat aren’t backed by peer-reviewed science.
- May 2023 update: MDL proceedings continue, and Judge Nancy Rosenstengel has selected plaintiffs regarding trials which might shape a paraquat settlement. It was announced that hearings will take place in August 2023 where expert testimony’s admissibility will be challenged. The expert testimony is related to establishing that paraquat exposure caused the plaintiffs’ Parkinson’s disease.
- In April of 2023, a Philadelphia judge approved a short-form complaint which will help with filings by plaintiffs. The order allows additional plaintiffs to file claims about paraquat allegedly causing Parkinson’s disease. Short-form complaints are often approved in large cases involving large numbers of plaintiffs who are expected to file similar claims. These complaints let future plaintiffs join lawsuits as long as their circumstances and claims are similar. The paraquat short-form complaint will claim plaintiffs developed a neurological injury such as Parkinson’s disease after being exposed to paraquat. Plaintiffs claim that Chevron and Syngenta did not adequately warn farm workers and farmers that using paraquat could lead to neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. The risk of developing Parkinson’s disease still exists even when following the instructions on the labeling of products containing paraquat, according to plaintiffs. In addition, internal documents which the discovery process revealed showed that Syngenta knew that paraquat was dangerous as far back as the 1950s. These documents also contained evidence and notes indicating that Syngenta knew about the link between Parkinson’s disease and paraquat since at least 2001. The claims related to the short-form complaint mirror pending claims in the multidistrict litigation taking place in the Southern District of Illinois. If this MDL is dismissed or stopped, numerous claims will return to their original states, leading to thousands of plaintiffs who might have to use a short-form complaint to refile a case in a state court.
- In May of 2022, six paraquat cases were selected to participate in bellwether trials.
- In May of 2022, the number of paraquat Parkinson’s disease lawsuits increased by 35 to 1,150 plaintiffs.
- On May 11, Bayer filed an appeal citing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) continuing to allow paraquat and similar products. This appeal is expected to be rejected and allow pending lawsuits to move forward.
- In April of 2022, 982 cases were part of the multi-district litigation (MDL) class action lawsuit. This number represents several cases that were transferred into the MDL action.
- In July 2022, the date of the first paraquat trial in the MDL was pushed back until 2023.
- As of October 2022, around 2,000 cases were part of the paraquat MDL.
- The date for the first federal paraquat jury trial has been set for October 16, 2023.
- In July 2021, Syngenta paid $187.5 million into a paraquat settlement fund.
The MDL paraquat case is being handled in the Southern District of Illinois.
Paraquat Lawsuit History
A paraquat Parkinson’s disease lawsuit filed in federal court in California on March 19 claims that a Tennessee man developed Parkinson’s disease due to his exposure to paraquat while working on farms in California in the 1980s.
Syngenta AG, Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC and Chevron U.S.A. Inc. are named as defendants in the paraquat exposure lawsuit.
The complaint alleges that the plaintiff was exposed to the herbicide paraquat:
- When paraquat or its equipment was cleaned, applied, loaded, or mixed;
- When the wind caused sprayed droplets of paraquat to drift to unintended places, and/or;
- When he came into contact with plants, which had been sprayed with paraquat.
The paraquat litigation claims that the defendants knew or should have known about the above exposure methods, as well as about paraquat being able to enter the human body by:
- Penetrating or being absorbed by the skin, mucous membranes, and other tissues, especially where tissue damage is located;
- Entering the olfactory bulb;
- Being inhaled into the lungs; or,
- Getting ingested after entering the mouth or nose.
Paraquat, once it gets into the body, according to the complaint, can then be reasonably expected to enter the brain and cause Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s disease happens when oxidative stress kills dopaminergic neurons, which produce dopamine. Dopamine is critical to the brain’s motor control, and these neurons are not replaced when they die, so when too many of these neurons die, the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are the result.
The complaint claims that paraquat can create or aggravate oxidative stress through its “redox cycling” properties. Paraquat, according to the lawsuit, can undergo redox cycling indefinitely once inside the brain, continuing to kill dopaminergic neurons for as long as the victim is alive.
The lawsuit makes the argument that the defendants knew or should have known that paraquat was dangerous, since science has known since 1933 about paraquat’s redox properties and has known that paraquat is toxic since the 1960s.
The lawsuit seeks to recover damages based on the defendants failing to warn about how dangerous paraquat really was on its labeling, as well as failing to provide good enough instructions as to how farm workers could protect themselves from paraquat with equipment, such as gloves and masks.
The complaint also accuses the defendants of inadequately testing the safety of paraquat, and inadequately testing how likely exposure farm workers’ exposure to paraquat was.
The lawsuit seeks punitive damages to punish the defendants for “deliberately” crafting their labeling to “mislead” the public and deter others from doing the same.
Our Lawyers Advocate for People Harmed by Defective Products
Our paraquat attorneys are committed to helping clients who suffered harm from paraquat. If you entrust your case to a paraquat lawyer at Nadrich & Cohen, we will:
- Read and review your medical records
- Review your potential case at no cost
- Assess the financial value of your case
- Consult medical professionals and other experts
- Ensure your case is filed on time
Our paraquat lawyers explain all your options for financial recovery and take appropriate action to meet your legal goals and help you obtain a paraquat settlement.
Our Team Pursues These Damages for the Victims of Paraquat Exposure
If you or a loved one develop Parkinson’s disease (or another health condition) due to paraquat exposure, you can recover the following in a paraquat Parkinson’s lawsuit:
- Pain and suffering
- Past, present, and future healthcare expenses
- Lost income and other job-related benefits
- Childcare costs
- Emotional trauma
- Rehabilitation expenses
Living with Parkinson’s disease can transform your quality of life. You may need help eating, drinking, dressing, and performing other day-to-day tasks. Compensation in your case could account for the cost of living in an assisted living facility or hiring in-home help.
We Encourage You To Take Prompt Legal Action
There are many time-sensitive aspects surrounding your case. For instance, evidence only lasts a certain amount of time, and you reasonably want as much supporting evidence as possible. Also, the state could impose deadlines on your lawsuit’s filing.
We can manage each of your case’s deadlines and advocate for what you need.
EPA Reconsidering Re-Approval Of Paraquat
The EPA, in a September 2022 filing with the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, said they wish to re-examine paraquat’s risks before they renew the long-term approval of its use and sale in the United States. The EPA requested that the court allow paraquat to be used while the EPA reconsiders its approval, noting that those against re-approval had no objections to letting it be used for now.
Letter Urges California Regulators To Ban Paraquat
California regulators were recently urged to ban paraquat in a letter sent by The Center for Biological Diversity and Californians for Pesticide Reform. The letter notes that paraquat has been linked with Parkinson’s disease by numerous scientific studies.
Documents Claims To Be Protected By Work-Product Doctrine
On January 26th, 2023, non-party Exponent, Inc. filed a response to Paraquat plaintiffs’ discovery request in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, claiming that several documents requested by plaintiffs’ counsel are protected by the work-product doctrine. Exponent, Inc. also noted that the Plaintiffs’ request created “an undue burden” on Exponent because the “vast majority of the documents requested could have been produced by defendant Syngenta.”
Get Your Free Paraquat Case Evaluation Today
If you or someone you love was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after being exposed to paraquat, you could join others who are seeking paraquat lawsuit settlements by suing the product’s manufacturer for damages.
Explore your financial recovery options and get a free review of your case by contacting one of our Nadrich & Cohen consultation team members. Today, we can explore your options, update you further on the ongoing paraquat lawsuits, and help you obtain a paraquat lawsuit settlement.
