Paraquat Attorneys 

File a Paraquat Lawsuit 

Paraquat is a highly toxic and poisonous compound that is used to kill weeds, grass, and other unwanted vegetation. Paraquat is a non-selective herbicide introduced to the market in 1962 and to the U.S. market in 1964. It is commonly sold under the trade name Gramoxone, but the herbicide is also sold under many different names such as Gramoxone S.L, and S.L. 2.0, Firestorm, Cyclone, Helmquat, Parazone. 

Known to be extremely toxic, contact with concentrated solutions such as Paraquat causes irritation of the skin, cracking and shedding of the nails, delayed healing of cuts and wounds, and even a small sip of it can be fatal. For these reasons, it was a restricted-use licensed chemical, meaning the average person could not buy it. 

Paraquat was manufactured by Syngenta (formerly known as Imperial Chemical Industries) and distributed by Chevron. It was used primarily for no-till farming or as a commercial herbicide by individuals in a lot of different ways, such as in tractors, aerially, crop-dusters, and backpack sprayers. 

Parkinson’s Disease and Paraquat Litigation 

Researchers and scientists established that normal occupational exposure to Paraquat can cause Parkinson’s Disease. The litigation for Paraquat is related to the damages of those who were diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. 

Parkinson’s Disease is an incurable progressive nervous system disorder that affects movements. The most common symptoms are tremors, impaired posture and balance, loss of automatic movements, speech changes, and writing changes, such as small handwriting.  

It is important to establish the plaintiff's year of exposure when taking on litigation against those responsible for the Paraquat product. For pre-1986 exposure, Chevron would be named as the defendant, while for post-1986 exposure Syngenta would be named as the defendant. 

The multidistrict litigation for Paraquat was formed in the Southern District of Illinois in front of Judge Rosenstengel. As of this publishing, there are 1,153 claims pending in the Paraquat class-action lawsuit.  The first week of May 2022 saw 57 new Paraquat Parkinson’s disease lawsuits added to the MDL, making it the highest number of new Paraquat lawsuits filed or transferred into the MDL in a single week.  

If you should be part of this litigation, contact our Paraquat lawsuit attorneys online or by dialing (800) 689-8552.