Paraquat Litigation
Paraquat Lawsuit Signed Cases
If your firm represents victims of toxic chemical exposure, you should consider cases of those suffering from Parkinson’s disease and other paraquat effects. This is a widely used, highly toxic herbicide approved for use in the US fifty years ago. ZeroRisk Cases® can help your firm attract those dealing with severe illnesses caused by paraquat and build your practice.
What is Paraquat?
Paraquat is applied to control weeds and grass control, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It’s mostly available in liquid form in various strengths. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies paraquat as “restricted use” so its use should be limited to licensed applicators. Consumers shouldn’t have access to paraquat, though they may have exposure when it’s applied in their surroundings.
Paraquat was developed more 135 years ago, but wasn’t widely used as a herbicide until the mid-20th century, reports the New York Times. It’s used on more than 100 crops globally, including oranges, coffee, and sugar cane. It became infamous in the 1970s because, as part of the US federal government’s “war on drugs,” it paid the Mexican government to spray the herbicide on illegally grown marijuana plants. This caused concerns that paraquat-contaminated pot was being smoked in the US.
Because it’s highly poisonous, the form made in the US has a blue dye, so it won’t be confused with a beverage, a sharp odor that acts as a warning, and an added agent to cause vomiting if it’s ingested. Imported paraquat may not have these safeguards, according to the EPA.
Why is Paraquat Dangerous?
Paraquat is dangerous if it’s ingested (through drinking, inhalation, or through the skin) in the short term in large enough doses and due to chronic, low dose exposure. Paraquat is banned in at least 32 countries (including those in the European Union), mainly for health reasons, reports the Pesticide Action Network Asia & The Pacific (PANAP).
Its use is allowed in the US. The EPA considered further restrictions or a ban, according to the New York Times, but the Trump Administration, not surprisingly, chose to ignore its problems. Given its increasing ineffectiveness and the health concerns about RoundUp, ironically, the use of highly toxic paraquat is seen as an alternative. In 2015, about seven million pounds of paraquat were used in the US on an estimated 23,000 square miles of land. That’s slightly less than the area of West Virginia or about three times the size of Massachusetts.
Paraquat interrupts important biochemical processes and cell death because it damages the mitochondria of cells (which turns the energy we get from food into energy used by cells, it’s involved in signaling between cells, and cell death) through the production of:
- Free radicals (highly reactive and unstable molecules that have a short lifespan but can damage cell DNA), and
- Oxidative stress (an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants, which lessen the harm caused by free radicals)
Swallowing about a teaspoon of paraquat is lethal. Types of acute injuries due to lower exposure can cause:
- Mouth burns
- Acute respiratory distress
- Rapid heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Fever
- Muscle pain
- Nosebleeds
- Skin fissures, peeling, and burns
- Eye injuries
- Discoloration and temporary nail loss
Link Between Paraquat and Parkinson’s Disease
There is substantial evidence paraquat may cause or speed the development of Parkinson’s disease, according to PANAP. Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder causing shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with walking, balance, and coordination. The disease isn’t fatal, but complications from it can be.
The California Environmental Protection Agency states paraquat can penetrate the nervous system, is a neurotoxin (it can destroy nerve cells), and affects brain functions. Exposure to relatively low doses during childhood may adversely impact brain function development.
Research released by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2011 showed a connection between paraquat exposure and Parkinson’s disease. Those who used it developed Parkinson’s at about 2.5 times the rate of non-users. It was found paraquat increases the production of free radicals that may harm cellular structures. The study was done by NIH researchers and those from the Parkinson’s Institute and Clinical Center.
The authors studied 110 people with Parkinson’s disease and 358 matched controls from the Farming and Movement Evaluation (FAME) Study. FAME is part of the larger Agricultural Health Study, which follows the health of about 90,000 licensed herbicide applicators and their spouses.
We Can Help Your Paraquat Litigation Practice Grow
Our mass toxic tort division focuses only on generating leads for plaintiffs’ attorneys. All our energy and expertise is invested in attracting the highest quality leads for our clients. An inquiry is sent to one firm, reducing the chance that a prospect ends up with a competitor .
We focus our advertising efforts on TV, radio, organic SEO (Google, Bing, Yahoo), Google Maps, Google Ads, Bing, Facebook and Instagram, but depending on your ideal client profile, we may turn to other platforms. Unlike other mass tort ad agencies, we have experience with a number of different ad platforms, so we can use just the right one to get the job done. We focus on mobile marketing, utilizing Voice Search, to capture some of the best and highest converting leads.
We also use remarketing and behavioral targeting in our lead generation campaigns. Remarketing and behavioral targeting allow us to target the right people at the right time with the right message to get them on the phone.
Potential clients seeking help or information about their legal rights after paraquat-related injuries are thoroughly vetted based on your criteria before they’re provided to you.
Our latest technology utilizes our proprietary software that enables us to data mine information through third party vendors, resulting in cases where leads have been matched with their medical histories, diagnosis, drug prescription and treatments with exposure or usage of a caustic drug or chemical. This significantly reduces the cost of acquisition and provides a much higher value clients; one that has proof of usage or exposure; proof of diagnosis; and proof of treatment.
Why You Should Select Us As Your Mass Tort Case Acquisition Agency
Get started before your competitors do. There’s only so many clients we can serve.
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