Herbicides are often used in agriculture to eliminate weeds, grasses, and other unwanted vegetation. Paraquat is a vital herbicide, approved by the EPA in the 1960s and has been used since then on many American farms.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder with no known cure. The condition occurs when nerve cells become damaged or die, resulting in the loss of muscle movement and speech control.
There have been numerous citations of the severity of the condition due to the herbicide positioning. This article helps you understand the critical aspects of such a condition.
Legal Options
A lawsuit is a legal action filed by one party against another party, claiming physical or financial damages. The damages claimed are a result of that party’s negligence.
A class-action lawsuit is a single lawsuit involving multiple victims who have all suffered damages due to the same actor’s negligence or wrongdoing. This legal action allows various plaintiffs to sue together, unlike bringing separate lawsuits against the defendant.
Paraquat’s Actions
Paraquat helps to kill weeds and plants. It gets used in agriculture and forestry, horticulture, and landscaping. Paraquat gets used in large quantities in the United States.
Previous lawsuits against Dow for its Paraquat product have been unsuccessful. A new study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows a strong link between people exposed to paraquat, even at low levels, and developing Parkinson’s disease later in life.
In fact, according to the study:
- Exposure to low levels of paraquat increases an individual’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease 2-3 times.
- The increased risk can continue decades after initial exposure.
- People exposed at younger ages are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease later than those who experienced exposure later in life.
Paraquat and Parkinson’s Disease
If you have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, you may be able to claim compensation. New research suggests that Paraquat (a toxic herbicide) gets linked to the onset of Parkinson’s in humans.
Paraquat is highly toxic and has been used extensively as an agricultural herbicide since its production began in the 1960s. When sprayed on crops, it kills everything green within hours.
It got banned by the EU in 2007 but gets still sold by Syngenta AG, a Swiss company, as Gramoxone SL 2.0 in many countries across Asia, Africa, and South America. The use of paraquat continues to grow globally despite its known toxicity.
The World Health Organisation recognized that paraquat exposure could cause Parkinson’s-like symptoms as early as 1983. However, it was not until 2011 that scientists at Johns Hopkins University studied rats exposed to paraquat. They found that these rats were more likely to develop Parkinson’s than unexposed rats due to damage inflicted on their brains and lungs.
Paraquat and Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuits
You can join a class-action paraquat Lawsuit or file an individual lawsuit if you explore your options under these scenarios. Also, if you get exposed to paraquat (or were diagnosed with Parkinson’s) before Jan. 17, 2020, state and federal statutes of limitations restrict the time you have to bring a claim.
These deadlines depend on where the exposure occurred and in which court the case will get filed. Because of these restrictions and other complexities, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible to ascertain your legal rights and any deadlines for filing a compensation claim.
Your attorney will review all relevant medical records, including
- Your work history
- Medical treatment records from before and after your diagnosis (including information about how much you used the product)
- Internal documents from Dow Chemical (or other companies involved in the manufacture or distribution of paraquat)
- Testimony from experts who may have encountered similar exposures in their work with chemicals during manufacturing processes or agriculture
Your attorney may also gather information about whether paraquat has got banned in other countries due to safety concerns or if this is an issue that frequently comes up when dealing with similar chemical compounds.
Precautions to Avoid Parkinson’s Due to Paraquat
There are numerous ways to avoid exposure to paraquat, but the most important is to follow the instructions on the packaging label. If you plan to use a product containing paraquat, you should take certain precautions.
Although some studies suggest that exposure to paraquat is a potential cause of Parkinson’s disease, you can take precautions to avoid exposure to this herbicide.
You can choose to wear protective clothing and gear. It includes long-sleeved shirts, pants, gloves, rubber boots, and goggles. If you are using a face mask, make sure it is an air-purifying respirator that has the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) approval.
Before eating, drinking, or smoking, you can wash your hands, face, and other exposed body parts. Rewash your hands when you finish applying paraquat. This approach will help eradicate any chance of contamination.
You can avoid inhaling paraquat dust by wearing a NIOSH-approved respirator instead of just covering your nose and mouth with a cloth.
Conclusion
You should determine whether you have Parkinson’s disease, paraquat exposure, or are eligible to file a claim. There is no time limit on filing for compensation. However, the longer you wait to file a claim, the more difficult it may be to prove that your Parkinson’s diagnosis and paraquat exposure are linked.
The faster you file a claim, the sooner you can take advantage of programs designed specifically for individuals with Parkinson’s. These resources will help improve your quality of life and reduce the stress that often comes with this condition.
Contact a law firm of repute today if you have any questions about filing for compensation due to paraquat poisoning and developing Parkinson’s disease after exposure. They will answer all your questions regarding compensation after being exposed to Paraquat.
Source: TorHoerman Law
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