Paraquat Parkinson's Disease Litigation
Fighting for Farmers & Agricultural Workers Exposed to Paraquat
Titan Legal LLC represents individuals nationwide who developed Parkinson's disease or related neurological conditions after exposure to the toxic herbicide Paraquat. Once marketed as an efficient weed killer, Paraquat has now been linked by decades of research to irreversible neurological damage and long-term disability among farmworkers and rural residents.
Practice Areas: Toxic Torts | Product Liability | Agricultural Law | Personal Injury | Wrongful Death
Who May Have a Claim
You may be eligible to file a Paraquat claim if you:
- Worked as a farmer, pesticide applicator, crop duster, or agricultural worker
- Lived near farmland or areas where Paraquat was sprayed
- Experienced direct or indirect exposure through drift, contaminated clothing, or groundwater
- Have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease or similar neurological disorders after exposure
Important Note:
Our firm also represents families of deceased individuals who may have been harmed by long-term Paraquat exposure. Because symptoms often appear years after exposure, many victims remain unaware that Paraquat may be the underlying cause of their illness.
What Is Paraquat?
Paraquat dichloride is a highly toxic herbicide widely used in U.S. agriculture for decades on crops such as corn, soybeans, and cotton.
Global Ban Status
Although banned in over 30 countries — including the European Union, China, and Brazil — Paraquat remains legal in the United States under strict "restricted use" guidelines.
Scientific studies have shown that exposure to Paraquat, even at low levels, significantly increases the risk of developing Parkinson's disease, a progressive brain disorder that affects movement, balance, and speech.
Health Risks Linked to Paraquat
Exposure to Paraquat has been associated with:
Parkinson's Disease
- • Progressive brain disorder
- • Irreversible neurological damage
- • Significantly increased risk even at low exposure levels
Motor Symptoms
- • Tremors
- • Rigidity and stiffness
- • Balance impairment
- • Difficulty with movement
Cognitive & Mood Changes
- • Cognitive decline
- • Memory problems
- • Depression and anxiety
- • Mood changes
Other Effects
- • Respiratory damage (high-dose cases)
- • Organ damage
- • Long-term disability
Federal Multidistrict Litigation
Paraquat cases are being coordinated in federal multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 3004) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Titan Legal actively participates in this national litigation framework.
Our Legal Approach
Titan Legal's attorneys work with medical and environmental experts to:
- Confirm exposure history through employment, product, and EPA records
- Review medical documentation and diagnostic timelines to establish causation
- Connect individual clients to ongoing federal multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 3004) in the Southern District of Illinois
- Hold manufacturers accountable such as Syngenta and Chevron Phillips Chemical for failing to warn about known neurological risks
We pursue full compensation for medical care, lost income, diminished quality of life, and pain and suffering.
No Upfront Costs — No Recovery, No Fee
Titan Legal represents clients on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we obtain a recovery for you. Our firm advances all case expenses and ensures that every client receives dedicated, compassionate representation.
Viable Legal Theories & Claims
Product Liability - Design Defect
Paraquat is unreasonably dangerous for its intended use
Safer alternative herbicides were available
Risks outweigh any benefits
Failure to Warn
Inadequate warnings about Parkinson's risk
Failed to disclose known neurological dangers
Insufficient safety instructions for applicators
Negligence
Manufacturers knew or should have known of Parkinson's link
Failed to conduct adequate safety testing
Breached duty of care to users and communities
Fraudulent Concealment
Companies possessed scientific evidence of neurological risks
Actively concealed dangers from users and regulators
Continued sales despite known hazards
Strict Liability
Product was defective and unreasonably dangerous
Defect existed when product left manufacturer's control
Defect caused plaintiff's Parkinson's disease
Punitive Damages
Willful disregard for user safety
Conscious indifference to known risks
Decades of concealment for profit
Evidence Collection & Preservation
Critical Evidence Categories
Exposure Documentation
Obtain and Preserve:
Medical Evidence
- Parkinson's disease diagnosis and date
- Neurologist evaluations and movement disorder specialist reports
- DaTscan or other imaging results
- Treatment records and medication history (levodopa, etc.)
- Progression notes and functional assessments
- Differential diagnosis ruling out other causes
Critical Practice Tip:
Establish a clear timeline showing Paraquat exposure preceded Parkinson's diagnosis by several years. Expert testimony from movement disorder specialists and toxicologists is essential to establish causation and rule out alternative explanations.
Discovery Targets Against Manufacturers
- Scientific Studies: Internal and external research on Paraquat-Parkinson's link
- Regulatory Communications: EPA correspondence, safety data submissions
- Warning Evolution: History of product labels and safety warnings
- Marketing Materials: Claims about safety and efficacy
- Alternative Products: Safer herbicide options available but not promoted
- Foreign Bans: Company response to international restrictions
- Corporate Knowledge: Executive awareness of neurological risks
Damages Framework
Economic Damages
- Medical Expenses: Neurologist visits, medications (levodopa, dopamine agonists), physical therapy
- Future Medical Care: Lifetime treatment costs, deep brain stimulation (DBS), long-term care
- Lost Wages: Inability to work due to motor impairment and disability
- Lost Earning Capacity: Permanent disability ending career in farming or other occupations
- Caregiver Costs: In-home care, assisted living, nursing home expenses
- Adaptive Equipment: Mobility aids, home modifications, assistive devices
Non-Economic Damages
- Pain and Suffering: Physical discomfort, tremors, rigidity, balance issues
- Emotional Distress: Depression, anxiety common in Parkinson's patients
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Inability to engage in hobbies, recreational activities, farm work
- Loss of Consortium: Impact on spouse and family relationships
- Diminished Quality of Life: Progressive nature of disease, loss of independence
Punitive Damages
Available when manufacturers demonstrated:
- Knowledge of Parkinson's link through scientific research
- Continued sale in U.S. despite bans in 30+ countries
- Failure to update warnings despite mounting evidence
- Prioritizing profits over farmworker safety
- Fraudulent concealment of known neurological risks
Maximizing Recovery
Parkinson's is a progressive, degenerative disease requiring lifetime care. Work with life care planners and economists to project future costs accurately. Expert testimony from movement disorder specialists is critical to establish both diagnosis and causation.
Client Intake & Case Evaluation
Initial Screening Questions
- Occupation and work history? (Farmer, pesticide applicator, crop duster, agricultural worker)
- Years of Paraquat exposure? (Dates, duration, frequency of use)
- Location of exposure? (Farm location, crops treated, residential proximity)
- Parkinson's diagnosis date? (Must establish exposure preceded diagnosis)
- Who diagnosed? (Neurologist, movement disorder specialist)
- Current symptoms and severity? (Tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, postural instability)
- Medications? (Levodopa response is typical in Paraquat-induced Parkinson's)
- Family history of Parkinson's? (May affect causation analysis)
- Other exposures or risk factors? (Head injuries, other pesticides)
Evidence Preservation Instructions
Immediately instruct clients to:
- Gather all employment and agricultural records
- Obtain complete medical records from all treating physicians
- Document timeline of exposure and symptom onset
- Preserve pesticide purchase receipts and application logs
- Identify witnesses to Paraquat use (co-workers, family)
- Collect photographs showing farm operations and equipment
- Maintain medication logs and treatment records
Strong Case Indicators:
- Documented occupational exposure to Paraquat for multiple years
- Parkinson's disease diagnosis from qualified neurologist
- Clear timeline showing exposure preceded diagnosis
- Employment records or farm logs confirming Paraquat use
- No strong alternative causation (no family history, head trauma, etc.)
- Progression consistent with typical Parkinson's disease
- Within applicable statute of limitations
MDL Considerations
Paraquat cases coordinated in MDL No. 3004 (S.D. Illinois):
- Centralized Discovery: Coordinated expert depositions, document production
- Bellwether Trials: Test cases to establish settlement values
- Pooled Resources: Shared expert costs and litigation expenses
- Settlement Facilitation: MDL structure often leads to global settlements
- Individual Fact Sheets: Each case maintains individual merits while benefiting from collective litigation
Contact Titan Legal LLC
If you or someone you love developed Parkinson's disease after Paraquat exposure, you may be entitled to significant compensation.
Contact Titan Legal LLC today for a free and confidential case evaluation.
- •Client Referrals: Connect qualified Paraquat clients with experienced litigation attorneys
- •Co-Counsel Arrangements: Partner on complex toxic tort and agricultural cases
- •MDL Coordination: Participate in federal multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 3004)
- •Expert Witness Resources: Movement disorder specialists, toxicologists, agricultural experts
- •Discovery Sharing: Access to manufacturer documents and scientific evidence
All consultations are strictly confidential and without obligation. No fees unless we win your case.
Disclaimer: Attorney Advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. All claims are evaluated individually. Titan Legal LLC is not affiliated with any government agency or manufacturer. All consultations are strictly confidential and without obligation.