Chlorpyrifos Parkinson’s Disease Lawyers Investigating Insecticide Exposure Lawsuits

Understanding Chlorpyrifos Exposure

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide that was widely used throughout the United States to control insects on agricultural crops, in homes and buildings, around construction sites, on golf courses and at military locations.

The chemical blocks an enzyme needed for normal nervous-system function, overstimulating the nervous system of insects until paralysis and death occur, and was commonly applied to:

• Corn, soybean and wheat fields
• Fruit and nut trees
• Vegetable crops
• Golf courses and landscaped properties
• Soil, trenches and foundations at construction sites
• Commercial and industrial buildings
• Homes, apartments, schools and other structures
• Areas treated for termites, roaches, ants, mosquitoes and other insects
• Military bases, encampments and facilities where pesticides were used for pest control

Chlorpyrifos may have been inhaled as spray droplets, mist or pesticide dust, absorbed through the skin or encountered through residue left on crops, soil, equipment, clothing and treated surfaces. However, exposure was not limited to farmers or agricultural workers who personally sprayed the pesticide.

Residential exposure may have occurred when insecticides were sprayed inside a home or applied during pest treatments. Both residents and workers may have encountered the chemical by entering or living in recently treated areas.

Chlorpyrifos Exposure During the Gulf War

Chlorpyrifos was among the organophosphate pesticides documented by the Department of Defense as being used during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991.

Military pest-control programs used pesticides in the Kuwaiti Theater of Operations to control mosquitoes, flies, sand flies, fleas, lice and other pests capable of spreading diseases such as malaria, sand fly fever, typhus and leishmaniasis. Potential exposure may have occurred through:

• Area spraying or fogging around troop quarters and field encampments
• Pesticides applied to tents, buildings, clothing and other treated surfaces
• Working near spraying performed by trained military pesticide applicators
• Handling or applying pesticide products as part of preventive-medicine or field-sanitation duties
• Inhaling pesticide mist or dust, absorbing residue through the skin or contacting treated surfaces

As a result, our lawyers are also pursuing Gulf War Parkinson’s disease lawsuits against chlorpyrifos manufacturers, alleging that earlier warnings and information cold have prevented veterans from developing this devastating condition.

Given that pesticide use, training and recordkeeping varied between units and locations, many Gulf War veterans may not remember a particular product name or individual spraying event. Lawyers evaluating these claims may rely on deployment records, unit assignments and historical Department of Defense pesticide-use reports to investigate whether chlorpyrifos exposure may have occurred.

Chlorpyrifos Products Linked to Parkinson’s Disease Claims

Chlorpyrifos was sold under a number of different agricultural, commercial and residential product names. Products being investigated in Chlorpyrifos lawsuits include:

• Lorsban
• Dursban
• Cobalt
• Nufos
• Bolton
• Stallion
• Lock-On
• Other agricultural or commercial Chlorpyrifos insecticides

Many individuals may remember using a particular pesticide without knowing that it contained Chlorpyrifos. Others may have handled several different insecticides throughout their careers.

Our Parkinson’s disease lawyers can investigate employment records, pesticide application logs, purchase records, product labels, photographs and information from coworkers to identify the chemicals involved.

Individuals should not assume they are unable to pursue a lawsuit merely because they no longer possess the pesticide container or cannot immediately remember the product’s name.

Chlorpyrifos Exposure and Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuits

Chlorpyrifos Parkinson’s disease lawsuits allege that manufacturers failed to adequately warn users about the neurological risks associated with routine or long-term exposure.

The claims maintain that exposure to the insecticide may contribute to biological changes associated with Parkinson’s disease, including inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and the loss of dopamine-producing neurons.

These neurological effects may develop gradually, meaning a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis may not occur until years after the individual’s heaviest Chlorpyrifos exposure.

Lawsuits allege manufacturers knew or should have known that a chemical designed to disrupt the nervous system could pose serious risks to individuals who repeatedly mixed, handled and sprayed the product.

How Chlorpyrifos Lawsuits Compare to Paraquat Litigation

The emerging Chlorpyrifos litigation closely resembles the Paraquat lawsuits pursued by farmers, agricultural workers and pesticide applicators who developed Parkinson’s disease.

Paraquat and Chlorpyrifos are different chemicals used for different purposes. Paraquat is an herbicide used to kill weeds and unwanted vegetation, while Chlorpyrifos is an insecticide used to kill insects.

However, both litigations involve allegations that manufacturers sold chemicals capable of causing damage to the human nervous system without adequately warning users about the potential Parkinson’s disease risk.

The Chlorpyrifos and Paraquat lawsuits also involve many of the same challenges:

• Exposure frequently occurred over several years or decades
• Parkinson’s disease may have been diagnosed long after the exposure
• Workers may have used several pesticides during their careers
• Product containers and purchase records may no longer be available
• Former employers may have closed or changed ownership
• Manufacturers may dispute the frequency or intensity of the exposure
• Complex scientific evidence is necessary to establish causation
• Detailed medical records are needed to confirm the diagnosis

Hundreds of Paraquat claims were filed throughout the federal court system before the cases were consolidated in June 2021 as part of a multidistrict litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

The MDL allowed the parties to conduct coordinated discovery, obtain internal company records, examine scientific evidence and prepare representative cases for early trial dates.

After years of litigation and thousands of filed cases, agreements were reached to resolve substantial portions of the Paraquat claims. The settlement will provide substantial financial compensation to individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease from Paraquat, and highlights the importance of thoroughly investigating pesticide exposure and protecting legal interests as soon as possible after learning you or a loved one may have a claim.

Saiontz & Kirk’s experience with Paraquat gives our attorneys important insight into how Chlorpyrifos claims should be investigated and developed.

Saiontz & Kirk Involvement in Paraquat Parkinson’s Disease Litigation

Saiontz & Kirk began investigating and pursuing Paraquat Parkinson’s disease lawsuits before the federal MDL was established.

In early 2021, our lawyers were warning that even trained and certified pesticide applicators may have faced an unreasonable risk of developing Parkinson’s disease while using Paraquat.

At that time, the litigation was still developing and many farmers and agricultural workers were only beginning to learn that their Parkinson’s disease diagnosis may have been connected to years of herbicide exposure.

As additional lawsuits were filed, Saiontz & Kirk continued helping individuals understand their legal rights, the difference between an MDL and a class action lawsuit and the evidence necessary to pursue an individual claim.

That early involvement provided our lawyers and co-counsel with extensive experience addressing the issues commonly disputed in pesticide-related Parkinson’s disease lawsuits, including:

• Reconstructing exposure that occurred decades earlier
• Identifying herbicides and insecticides used throughout a career
• Establishing how frequently a pesticide was mixed or sprayed
• Obtaining records from farms, employers and commercial applicators
• Confirming a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis
• Reviewing other possible sources of pesticide exposure
• Preserving claims before applicable filing deadlines expire
• Responding to manufacturers’ challenges to scientific causation

Our experience also demonstrates why individuals should not wait until thousands of lawsuits have been filed or a settlement program has been announced before speaking with an attorney.

Investigating early provides lawyers with more time to locate records, contact witnesses and identify the pesticide products involved.

Why Paraquat Experience Matters in a Chlorpyrifos Lawsuit

Large chemical manufacturers frequently defend pesticide lawsuits by questioning whether the individual used their product, whether the exposure was substantial enough to cause an injury and whether the scientific evidence supports a connection to Parkinson’s disease.

These defenses may be particularly difficult to overcome when the exposure occurred many years ago.

A Chlorpyrifos lawyer must understand how to build an exposure history using information that may be scattered across employment records, agricultural documents, pesticide licenses, product invoices and the memories of former coworkers. The attorney must also understand how a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis is documented and how the medical evidence may distinguish the condition from other movement disorders.

Saiontz & Kirk’s experience investigating Paraquat claims allows our lawyers to recognize these issues at the beginning of a Chlorpyrifos case.

While the chemicals and scientific evidence are different, the fundamental process of identifying the product, reconstructing the exposure and documenting the neurological injury remains similar.

Parkinson’s Disease Can Permanently Change a Family’s Life

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement, coordination, balance and other essential functions. Symptoms frequently become more severe over time and may include:

• Tremors in the hands, arms, legs or jaw
• Muscle stiffness and rigidity
• Slowed movement
• Difficulty walking
• Balance problems and falls
• Speech and swallowing difficulties
• Cognitive changes
• Depression and anxiety
• Sleep disorders
• Loss of independence

As the disease progresses, individuals may no longer be able to work, drive, operate equipment or perform ordinary activities without assistance. Spouses and family members may also become caregivers, or be forced to reduce their working hours and make substantial modifications to the family home to accommodate the diseases’ side effects.

The financial impact may include medications, neurological care, physical therapy, mobility equipment, home health assistance and long-term residential care.

A Chlorpyrifos lawsuit may allow individuals and their families to pursue compensation from manufacturers that failed to adequately disclose these risks.

Who May Qualify for a Chlorpyrifos Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuit?

Saiontz & Kirk is investigating potential lawsuits for individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after routine occupational, agricultural, residential or environmental exposure to Chlorpyrifos. Potential claims may involve:

• Farmers and farm owners
• Agricultural laborers
• Licensed pesticide applicators
• Pest-control employees
• Landscapers and groundskeepers
• Golf course workers
• Nursery and greenhouse employees
• Individuals who mixed or loaded pesticides
• Workers who cleaned spraying equipment
• Individuals living near frequently treated agricultural fields
• Family members exposed through contaminated work clothes or equipment

Every claim is different. A free consultation allows our attorneys to review the diagnosis, products involved and the location, frequency and circumstances of the exposure.

Evidence That May Support a Chlorpyrifos Lawsuit

Evidence used to investigate a potential Chlorpyrifos claim may include:

• Medical records confirming Parkinson’s disease
• Records from a neurologist or movement-disorder specialist
• Employment and union records
• Pesticide applicator licenses
• Spraying and application logs
• Product invoices and purchase receipts
• Agricultural and crop records
• Safety data sheets
• Photographs of pesticide containers or equipment
• Statements from coworkers and supervisors
• Information about protective equipment
• Records identifying other pesticides used at the same location

Our lawyers may also examine when symptoms first developed, when the diagnosis was made and whether the individual experienced other occupational or environmental exposures.

The absence of a product container does not automatically prevent a claim. Other records and witness testimony may establish which Chlorpyrifos products were regularly used.

Compensation Available Through a Chlorpyrifos Lawsuit

A Chlorpyrifos Parkinson’s disease lawsuit may seek compensation for the medical, financial and personal impact of the neurological injury. Depending on the facts of the case, recoverable damages may include:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Parkinson’s disease medications
• Neurological treatment
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Lost wages
• Reduced future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of mobility and independence
• Home modifications
• In-home nursing assistance
• Assisted-living expenses
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• A spouse’s loss of companionship and services
• Wrongful death damages

The value of an individual claim will depend on the evidence, the nature of the exposure, the progression of the disease and the effect Parkinson’s disease has had on the individual and their family.

How Our Chlorpyrifos Parkinson’s Disease Lawyers Can Help

Saiontz & Kirk has decades of experience representing individuals in complex product liability and mass tort litigation, and our attorneys have the resources necessary to investigate claims against major chemical manufacturers and prepare each case for settlement negotiations or trial.

When you contact our Chlorpyrifos Parkinson’s disease lawyers, we will:

• Provide a free and confidential consultation
• Review the Parkinson’s disease diagnosis
• Document where and how the exposure occurred
• Investigate the Chlorpyrifos products involved
• Obtain medical and employment records
• Locate pesticide application and agricultural records
• Interview witnesses familiar with the exposure
• Work with qualified medical and scientific experts
• Monitor developments in the Chlorpyrifos litigation
• Pursue the maximum compensation available

There are no upfront legal fees or expenses. Saiontz & Kirk handles Chlorpyrifos lawsuits on a contingency fee basis, meaning our attorneys are paid only if compensation is obtained for your claim.

Speak With a Chlorpyrifos Parkinson’s Disease Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one developed Parkinson’s disease after routinely mixing, spraying, handling or working around Chlorpyrifos insecticides, contact Saiontz & Kirk to determine whether you may qualify for compensation.

Our attorneys were at the forefront of the Paraquat Parkinson’s disease litigation and have extensive experience investigating claims involving pesticide exposure and permanent neurological injuries. Call 1-800-522-0102 or complete our free case-evaluation form to speak with a Chlorpyrifos Parkinson’s disease lawyer today.

SPEAK WITH A CHLORPYRIFOS PARKINSON’S LAWYER TODAY