Paraquat Herbicide Lawsuit

What is Paraquat?

Paraquat (“Gramoxone”) is herbicide, or weed killer, and is primarily manufactured by Syngenta and Chevron Chemical Company. It was introduced to the market in 1961 and is used by farmers and agricultural workers throughout the United States as an all-purpose weed killer. Due to its toxicity, Paraquat is available for use only by commercially licensed users. Paraquat is sold in two forms – concentrate and granules.

How Does Paraquat Herbicide Work?

As a herbicide, Paraquat acts by inhibiting photosynthesis. In simple terms, Paraquat binds to the leaf of the weed, penetrates the surface, and then kills the weed from the inside out.

How Can I Be Exposed to Paraquat?

Paraquat herbicide exposure is most common among farm and agricultural workers. Exposure to Paraquat herbicide can happen in a number of ways, including:

• Contact with skin by mixing or applying paraquat
• Inhaling during usage (mucous membrane)
• Swallowing (if you have not properly washed your hands after usage)
• Respiration

Paraquat penetrates the blood-brain barrier and infects the healthy brain cells (neurons), which causes cell death. Unfortunately, neurons do not regenerate.

What is Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement. Symptoms generally develop slowly over years. The progression of symptoms is often a bit different from one person to another due to the diversity of the disease. People with Parkinson’s Disease may experience:

Could You Have A Claim Against Paraquat?

1. Do You Have a History of Exposure to Paraquat Weed Killer?

If you are an individual who has regular use of this chemical, you could be at a higher risk for developing Parkinson’s Disease. It is more likely that Paraquat caused your Parkinson’s if you have worked as a:

• Farmer
• Landscaper
• Groundskeeper
• Agriculture worker
• Pesticide and herbicide applicator

If you have any reason to believe that you have a higher-than-average rate of Paraquat exposure – even if you haven’t worked in these occupations – it’s worth finding out more.

2. Have You Been Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease or Suffer from Parkinson’s Symptoms?

Gramoxone, the chemical used in Paraquat, has been linked to a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease. Researchers have investigated a possible link between Paraquat and Parkinson’s Disease in a study of 80,000 farmers and found them 2.5 times more likely to get Parkinson’s if they used the weed killer Paraquat.