Weeds have the potential to cause widespread crop loss and massive losses for farmers. In the 1960s, an herbicide known as Paraquat was developed by a Swiss chemist that showed promise in the killing of all green plants upon contact. The US government used it in its war against drugs coming out of South America, successfully decimating whole fields of marijuana and poppy flowers, both used to make drugs that have negative and addictive properties. However, as the decades wore on, individuals working in agriculture and in close contact with this chemical started to develop Parkinsonian symptoms, affecting their movement and cognition. Over time, thousands of individuals suffered Parkinson’s until it was discovered that the active ingredient in this herbicide had the potential to kill of dopamine neurons. Over the last few years, individuals have come forward to report that they were affected, or that their loved ones who had once worked in farms and vineyards had developed Parkinson’s. If you were affected, you may be able to recover substantial financial compensation due to the failure by the makers of this herbicide to warn you about the deleterious health effects of their medication, and we’re here to help.
Did you or someone you know develop Parkinson’s disease after being exposed to Paraquat in a farming setting? The experienced Paraquat class action lawsuit attorneys at McCready Law have over 90 YEARS of experience helping individuals just like you get the justice and compensation they deserve. Please reach out to use NOW at (773) 900-5566 to file your Paraquat lawsuit in 2021. We take on cases on contingency fee basis, which simply means that we don’t charge you ANYTHING when we initially take on your suit, and work on it to successful completion and only levy our fees once we’ve successfully recovered substantial compensation on your behalf. if you were injured by the herb Paraquat, please reach out to us NOW by calling (773) 900-5566 to learn more about how we can help you recover money damages after suffering or developing Parkinson’s disease due to the harmful effects of this chemical on dopamine brain cells.
Syngenta Paraquat – What You Need to Know
Paraquat is a product that was developed by the Swiss agrochemical company Syngenta, and it was used all over the world in the 1960’s and 1970’s, ushering in a new era of crop abundance and health, and improving the GDPs as well as spearheading the food security goals of developed countries. It was a massive success when it came to eradication of invasive weeds, but it soon fell out of favor when it was discovered that it could negatively affect the health of humans that came into close contact with it.
While sales of Paraquat were still strong in the US as late as last year, the EPA decided to assign it a designation of “Restricted Use Pesticide” about 6 years back in order to prevent its widespread use, and limit its use to individuals who possess special certification with regard to its use as well as in commercial and agricultural settings.
What Crops is Paraquat Used On?
Paraquat’s popularity grew not only because of its efficacy, but also due to its cost-effective nature as well as its limited resistance when used on many weeds, most of which had developed resistance towards common pesticides. In fact, so popular was Paraquat that it was used in the cultivation and growth of over 100 crops meant for human consumption such as coffee, oranges, nuts, fruits and even grapes meant for the production of wine.
According to the CDC, Paraquat contact can occur in the following ways:
- Via inhalation
- Via ingestion or swallowing
- Due to food contamination
- Due to exposure via one’s skin especially if one has sores or cuts
Paraquat Side-Effects and Dangers
Paraquat exposure and the development of Parkinson’s concerns reached a crescendo when it was revealed in a 2012 study that certain individuals possessing specific genetic markers were up to 11 TIMES more likely to develop Parkinson’s when exposed to the herbicide.
In addition, back in 2011, The National Institutes of Health or NIH did a study named Farming and Movement Evaluation in order to establish links between Paraquat use and the development of Parkinson’s. The study released its results, stating that those who were exposed to Paraquat were twice as more likely than those that weren’t to develop Parkinson’s disease.
In 2018, research published by a Canadian university showed that a small amount of Paraquat exposure had the potential to cause cellular changes that were only seen in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
Lastly, a bombshell investigation by the New York Times showed that despite the pesticide being banned in the UK, Paraquat was still being used in the U.S.
After all the studies and exposes, one thing is certain: the evidence is unassailable, and Paraquat is not only harmful to human health, but it also has the potential to cause a terrifying neurodegenerative disease for which there is no known cure.
Some of the most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include:
- Tremor
- Confusion
- Violent behavior
- Speech impairment
- Muscle rigidity
- Slow movement
- Awkward gait
- Balance problems
- The individual may seem catatonic, unable to move or emote
- Cognitive impairment
- Anxiety and depression
- Difficulty falling and staying asleep
It is alleged that the makers or Paraquat were aware of the negative health effects of this pesticide as early as the 1970s, but they chose to not inform the public about the same, and instead put profits over the lives of people. By doing this, they failed in their duty of care to protect the lives of the public, making them open to litigation under product liability law.
Syngenta Paraquat Lawsuit Help
If you were harmed by Paraquat as a commercial user or a farmer, you may be able to recover compensation for things like past and future medical care costs, pain and suffering, mental anguish, lost wages, legal fees, loss of quality of life, emotional distress, loss of consortium, wrongful death, funeral expenses, loss of wage earning ability, and so much more.
Experienced Paraquat Lawsuit Attorneys – Call Us NOW!
Paraquat lawsuits are currently in the preliminary stage, with a committee of experienced individuals already hired to oversee the class action lawsuit. There has never been a better time to file a Paraquat lawsuit in 2021 than NOW – call us NOW at (773) 900-5566 to file your Paraquat legal claim. Thanks for choosing McCready Law, and we look forward to helping you.