South Carolina Paraquat Attorneys

Bell Legal Group is holding manufacturers responsible for the harm caused by their products 

Paraquat, also known as paraquat-dichloride, is a commercial strength herbicide used for weed and grass control. Research has identified that long-term exposure to paraquat, even at low levels, can increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Who Qualifies?

  • Farmers and agriculture workers who have been directly exposed to a paraquat-dichloride-containing herbicide by mixing, loading, or spraying it, and have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
  • Anyone with frequent direct exposure to the herbicide, including chemical manufacturing workers, landscapers, and groundskeepers.

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Firefighters spraying AFFF

Are Paraquat Lawsuits Legitimate?

Yes. These claims are brought against chemical companies that manufactured paraquat-dichloride commercial herbicides found to produce detrimental health effects. This poisonous herbicide has been linked to various ailments, including Parkinson’s disease.

Due to a resounding number of responses from people harmed by paraquat, the cases have been consolidated in two courts. The California Judicial Council Coordination Proceedings (JCCP) is hearing cases at the California state level, and the District Court of Southern Illinois has consolidated all federal claims into a multidistrict litigation (MDL). Though each legal proceeding differs slightly, they have the same goal: to hold the manufacturers of toxic commercial herbicides accountable for their roles in harming thousands of farmers, agricultural workers, commercial landscapers, and citizens.

Paraquat Lawsuit Defendants

The lawsuits name some of the biggest paraquat manufacturers and distributors as defendants, including Chevron, Syngenta, and Wilbur-Ellis. These corporations made and distributed paraquat-dichloride commercial herbicides knowing that the chemicals posed severe health risks. Paraquat lawsuits allege that chemical producers failed to adequately warn users of the product risks, leaving people to find out too late that special precautions were needed. These court proceedings offer anyone harmed the opportunity to be acknowledged by manufacturers who prioritized profits over people’s health.

Many agricultural businesses are family owned. Forcing commercial herbicide-producing companies to be transparent about product risks can help keep future generations safe. A product liability lawyer can advocate for your paraquat claim, giving you or your family a promising place to begin holding these corporations accountable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Qualifies?

Farmers and agriculture workers who have been directly exposed to a paraquat-dichloride-containing herbicide by mixing, loading, or spraying it, and have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease

Anyone with frequent direct exposure to the herbicide, including chemical manufacturing workers, landscapers, and groundskeepers and have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease

Who am I suing?

A lawsuit will be filed against the company or companies that manufactured paraquat-dichloride commercial herbicides found to produce detrimental health effects, including:

  • Chevron
  • Syngenta
  • Wilbur-Ellis.

Where is my case being filed?

Due to a resounding number of responses from people harmed by paraquat, the cases have been consolidated in two courts.

The California Judicial Council Coordination Proceedings (JCCP) is hearing cases at the California state level and the District Court of Southern Illinois has consolidated all federal claims into a multidistrict litigation (MDL). Though each legal proceeding differs slightly, they have the same goal: to hold the manufacturers of toxic commercial herbicides accountable for their roles in harming thousands of farmers, agricultural workers, commercial landscapers, and citizens.

Can surviving family members recover compensation on behalf of a Paraquat exposure victim?

Yes. Family members can continue the claims of their loved ones.

How much compensation could I receive?

Although there have not been any settlements in the California JCCP or the MDL, the compensation you could be entitled to would depend on the circumstances surrounding your claim:

  • how much paraquat you were exposed to
  • long-term prognosis and seriousness of your illness
  • the extent of pain and suffering
  • if you experienced lost earning capacity caused by any disability that you suffered as a result of exposure

The two basic types of compensatory damages are usually medical bills and pain and suffering.

Firefighters
Farm worker dispenses paraquat into a piece of machinery
Heavy machinery crawls rows of crops spraying herbicide on them
Bell Legal attorney Leslie LaMacchia poses with a client in the US Capitol at a Parkinson's briefing
Heavy machinery crawls rows of crops spraying herbicide on them
Farm worker dispenses paraquat into a piece of machinery

J. Edward Bell III

Founder and Senior Partner

South Carolina attorney Ed Bell founded Bell Legal Group more than 40 years ago. With offices in Georgetown, SC, and Raleigh, NC, he focuses his practice on a variety of cases that range from medical malpractice, personal injury, automobile safety and defects, product liability, environmental law, police misconduct, and prison abuse.

J.Edward Bell III

Awards & Accolades

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Georgetown, SC Office

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Georgetown, SC 29440
(843) 438-7480

Raleigh, NC Office

751 Corporate Center Drive, Suite 300
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 277-9299