A Gramoxone lawsuit may be an option for people who were exposed to the herbicide and suffered complications, including Parkinson’s disease. Widely used as an herbicide for weed and grass control, Gramoxone is one of the most commonly used herbicides in the world.
Studies suggest that exposure to herbicides containing paraquat, the key ingredient in Gramoxone SL 2.0 and SL 3.0, may be linked to the development of serious health complications, including Parkinson’s disease. People who have been adversely affected by Gramoxone, and the families of those who have died, may be able to pursue a claim and recover compensation with the help of a product liability attorney.
If you or a loved one were exposed to Gramoxone and suffered complications, including Parkinson’s disease, contact Attorney Group for more information about your options. We offer free, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Gramoxone?
Gramoxone SL 2.0 and Gramoxone SL 3.0 are common trade names for herbicides containing a highly toxic chemical known as paraquat dichloride (or simply, paraquat). Gramoxone is primarily used to control weeds and grass as well as a defoliant on crops prior to harvest.
In the United States, Gramoxone is available as a liquid in various strengths. The US Environmental Protection Agency classifies paraquat as “restricted use,” and only people who are licensed applicators are allowed to use it.
Gramoxone Exposure
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to herbicides containing paraquat can occur in a variety of ways, including the following:
- Ingestion or swallowing (most likely exposure route)
- Mixed easily with food, water, or other beverages – If some type of safeguard additive is not used (such as dye, odor, or vomiting agent), people might not know that the substance is contaminated.
- Skin exposure – Poisoning is more likely to occur if the skin exposure lasts for a long time, involves a concentrated version of paraquat, or occurs through skin that is not intact (skin that has sores, cuts, or a severe rash).
- Inhalation – Paraquat could cause poisoning leading to lung damage
Licensed applicators are most at risk for exposure to paraquat. Approximately two dozen deaths have been linked to the accidental ingestion and exposure to Gramoxone and other herbicides containing paraquat since 2000.
Gramoxone Side Effects and Risks
When a person ingests a large amount of paraquat, he or she is most likely to immediately experience pain and swelling of the mouth and throat. Other signs of illness following ingestion may include gastrointestinal (digestive tract) symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea (which may become bloody).
Severe gastrointestinal symptoms may lead to dehydration, electrolyte abnormalities and low blood pressure.
Ingestion of small to medium amounts of paraquat may lead to the development of adverse health effects within several days to several weeks, including heart failure, kidney failure, liver failure and lung scarring.
Within a few hours to a few days, people who have ingested of large amounts of paraquat may experience other signs and symptoms including:
- Acute Kidney failure
- Confusion
- Coma
- Fast heart rate
- Injury to the heart
- Liver failure
- Lung scarring (evolves more quickly than when small to medium amounts have been ingested)
- Muscle weakness
- Pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs)
- Respiratory (breathing) failure, possibly leading to death
- Seizures
Showing these signs and symptoms does not necessarily mean that a person has been exposed to paraquat.
Gramoxone and Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement. Symptoms of the disease start gradually and commonly include tremors, rigidity, extreme slowness of movement and impaired balance. Other symptoms such as swallowing and speaking difficulties may be present, and people who are affected may experience non-motor symptoms as well.
Neurologists have spent decades looking into a possible link between herbicide exposure and an increased risk for the development of Parkinson’s disease as well as other neurological disorders. According to a report published by Scientific American, “evidence shows a clear association between pesticide exposure and a higher risk” of the development of Parkinson’s disease.
Although the role of agricultural chemicals and their association with Parkinson’s disease continues to be studied, epidemiological studies have concluded a potential relationship between the exposure to paraquat and Parkinson’s. While the results of these studies may have their limitations, researchers are continuing to investigate the possible adverse health effects of paraquat on individuals who have been exposed to paraquat.
Gramoxone Lawsuit Claims
A Gramoxone lawsuit was filed in December 2020 on behalf of an Illinois farmer and his spouse who were repeatedly exposed to the herbicide over a ten-year period. Plaintiffs claim that they were unaware of the serious health risks associated with Gramoxone herbicide, and according to the lawsuit, allegedly developed Parkinson’s disease as a result.
How Can an Attorney Help?
Makers of herbicides and other chemicals have a duty to provide safe products that are free from defects and that are not unreasonably dangerous. If there are risks of harm associated with a particular product, the manufacturer must also provide adequate warnings.
If the manufacturer fails to fulfill this duty, it could be legally responsible for injuries caused by the herbicide.
People injured by Gramoxone SL 2.0 or SL 3.0 herbicide may be eligible to recover money for:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those who have died may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
If you have questions about a Gramoxone lawsuit, or if you want to speak with an attorney, contact Attorney Group today. You can contact us by filling out the form on this page, calling us at the number listed on this page, or emailing us at info@attorneygroup.com.
After you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to get more information about your case. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and all of the information you provide is confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
