Farmworkers and Paraquat Lawsuits: Eligibility, Filing, and Your Rights

Farmworkers are the backbone of California’s agricultural industry, performing difficult and essential labor every day. This work often involves exposure to powerful chemicals, including the highly toxic herbicide Paraquat. For decades, farmworkers have sprayed, mixed, and worked in fields treated with Paraquat, often without being fully aware of its devastating health risks. Today, science has drawn a strong link between Paraquat exposure and Parkinson’s disease, an incurable neurodegenerative disorder.

If you are a farmworker who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, you may feel overwhelmed and unsure where to turn. You have rights, and you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. At Walch Law, we are committed to fighting for the agricultural community.

Who Is Eligible to File a Paraquat Lawsuit?

Farmworkers are among the highest-risk groups for Paraquat exposure. You may be eligible to file a lawsuit if you meet specific criteria. An experienced lawyer can evaluate your personal history, but the general requirements are:

1. A History of Paraquat Exposure

You must be able to demonstrate that you were exposed to Paraquat. For farmworkers, this can be established in several ways:

Direct Application: You personally mixed, loaded, or sprayed Paraquat.
Field Work: You worked in fields, orchards, or vineyards where Paraquat was applied, even if you did not spray it yourself. This includes tasks like harvesting, pruning, or irrigating.
Spray Drift: You lived on or near agricultural land where Paraquat was sprayed, and you were exposed through chemical drift.
Contaminated Equipment: You were exposed while cleaning or maintaining equipment used to apply Paraquat.

2. A Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease

A formal diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease from a qualified medical professional, such as a neurologist, is essential. Parkinson’s is a progressive disease that affects movement, causing symptoms like:

Tremors, often starting in the hands or fingers
Slowed movement (bradykinesia)
Stiff or rigid muscles
Impaired balance and coordination
Changes in speech or writing

3. Filing Within the Time Limits (Statute of Limitations)

California has strict deadlines for filing personal injury and product liability claims. This is known as the statute of limitations. The clock usually starts ticking from the date you were diagnosed with Parkinson’s or the date you reasonably should have known your illness was connected to Paraquat exposure. It is critical to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after your diagnosis to ensure you do not lose your right to file a claim.

Your Immigration Status Does NOT Matter

This is a critical point that every farmworker needs to understand: Your right to seek justice in a U.S. court is not dependent on your immigration status. Whether you are a U.S. citizen, a green card holder, a visa holder, or are undocumented, you have the same right to file a lawsuit and hold a company accountable for selling a dangerous product that caused you harm.

The manufacturers of Paraquat, Syngenta and Chevron, are being sued for the harm their product caused, not for your employment status. Any discussion of your immigration status by the defendant’s lawyers is often a scare tactic designed to intimidate you into dropping your case. Your consultation with our law firm is completely confidential and protected. We are here to protect your rights, regardless of your immigration status.

Steps to Take If You Believe You Have a Claim

Taking the first step can feel daunting, but the process is straightforward when you have the right legal partner. Here is what you should do:

Document Your Exposure History: Write down everything you can remember about your work history. Which farms did you work on? What were the approximate years? What were your job duties? Do you remember seeing Paraquat being sprayed or the brand names of any chemicals used?
Gather Your Medical Records: Collect all medical documents related to your Parkinson’s diagnosis, including reports from neurologists, brain scans (MRIs), and lists of your medications and treatments.
Contact the best Los Angeles Paraquat Lawyer: The most important step is to schedule a free, confidential consultation with a law firm that handles these specific cases. An attorney will review your history, explain your rights, and tell you if you have a valid claim. Do not speak to the chemical company’s representatives or sign anything without legal advice.

What Compensation Can You Recover?

A successful Paraquat lawsuit can provide financial compensation to cover the immense losses caused by a Parkinson’s diagnosis. While every case is different, you can seek damages for:

Economic Damages: These cover your direct financial losses.
- All Medical Bills: This includes every cost from your initial diagnosis through the end of your life, including doctor visits, medication, therapy, and potential in-home or nursing home care.
- Lost Wages: All income you have lost because you can no longer work.
- Loss of Future Earning Capacity: Compensation for the income you would have earned for the rest of your career.
Non-Economic Damages: This is compensation for the profound, personal losses you have suffered.
- Pain and Suffering: For the physical pain, emotional distress, and trauma of living with a progressive disease.
- Loss of Quality of Life: For the loss of independence and the inability to enjoy life as you once did.
Punitive Damages: In cases where a jury finds that a manufacturer acted with malice or fraud by knowingly hiding the dangers of their product, they may award punitive damages. This is intended to punish the company and deter similar behavior in the future.

How Walch Law Fights for Farmworkers

At Walch Law, we believe that no one should have to suffer because a corporation put profits ahead of safety. We understand the unique challenges faced by the farmworker community, and we are here to be your voice and your advocate.

When you work with us, we will:

Provide a Free, Confidential Consultation: We will listen to your story with compassion and give you a clear, honest assessment of your legal options. Your immigration status is irrelevant to us—we are here to help.
Handle All Investigation: We take on the burden of gathering evidence, including your work and medical records, and tracking down proof of Paraquat use on the properties where you worked.
Hire Leading Experts: We work with a network of top-tier neurologists, toxicologists, and financial experts who will build the scientific and economic foundation for your case.
Fight for You at No Upfront Cost: We handle all Paraquat cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay us nothing unless we win compensation for you.

Contact Walch Law for a Free and Confidential Consultation

You dedicated your life to feeding our communities. You should not have to face the consequences of a company’s negligence alone. If you are a farmworker who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, you have a limited time to act.

Contact the experienced and compassionate attorneys at Walch Law today for a free, no-obligation case review. Let us help you and your family fight for the justice and financial security you deserve.