Paraquat Herbicide Lawsuits Centralized in MDL

• July 13, 2021
• Lawsuit Updates, Product Liability

As of June 28, 2021, there were 90 paraquat herbicide lawsuits that had been filed across the country with claims related to exposure to paraquat.

The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) ordered the consolidation of all paraquat lawsuits into the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. This will centralize cases before one judge, The Honorable Nancy J. Rosenstengel.

Transfer Order

Questions? Call us at (877) 284-6600.

Why centralize?

In its order of transfer, the JPML noted:

• centralization would serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of the litigation.
• the actions involved common factual issues and that centralization would eliminate duplicative discovery and avoid inconsistent pretrial rulings.

What is the Issue with Paraquat?

Over the last decade, several studies have investigated the long-term health effects of paraquat on those exposed to the herbicide and show that there is a clear link between exposure to paraquat and the development of Parkinson’s disease.

Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disorder. It’s progressive, incurable and:

• Limits a person’s ability to move
• Causes tremors and loss of balance
• Often leaves victims forced to use a wheelchair or bedridden

Paraquat Herbicide Lawsuits

Plaintiffs are seeking damages from the makers of this toxic herbicide, Syngenta and Chevron., claiming that the herbicide causes Parkinson’s disease. Syngenta denies responsibility and claims no such connection between the herbicide and Parkinson’s could be determined.

WHAT ARE THE JPML AND AN MDL?

The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) is a special judicial body that determines if civil actions such as product litigation merit transfer from their various jurisdictions to a single venue.

The benefits of consolidating into an MDL translates to greater efficiency.

• preventing duplicate efforts on the part of attorneys in the discovery process
• aiding in more consistent pre-trial rulings
• helping conserve judicial resources
• speeding up the entire process

After this process is complete, typically a few cases are chosen for “bellwether” trials where the outcomes are used to help negotiate settlements.

WHY HIRE NASH & FRANCISKATO?

The lawyers at Nash & Franciskato can help you prove exposure to paraquat is what caused you to develop Parkinson’s disease. Since there may need to be in-depth investigations conducted, the time to request your free, no-obligation case review is today.

Call Nash & Franciskato at (877) 284-6600. One of our experienced staff will speak with you personally. We will review your case in a free and confidential consultation with no risk or obligation to take legal action.

SCHEDULE A FREE REVIEW OF YOUR CASE

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