New study finds paraquat amongst pesticides actively threatening livestock and endangered species
A new study shared exclusively with the Independent describes an abundance of damaging pesticides and herbicides used in fields designated for feeding livestock making up the meat and dairy industries. Amongst the most common of the herbicides listed in the report was paraquat, a toxic chemical that has been found to lead to diseases like Parkinson’s Disease in those exposed to it.
The Independent’s Louise Boyle reported the study found “about 235 million pounds of herbicides and insecticides are used annually across America’s farmlands, solely on farmed animal feed production, posing a potentially fatal risk to thousands of endangered and threatened species.”
Why worry about the use of these chemicals? Besides the horrible impact herbicides like paraquat have on the environment and already vulnerable endangered species, these herbicides also provide a risk to American consumers. Since exposure to paraquat is becoming more common to livestock that contribute to the dairy and meat industries, the chances of the same exposure reaching human consumers has never been higher.
Instances of paraquat exposure have increased so much that courts are seeing a spike in paraquat-related personal injury and wrongful death claims.
According to a Lawsuit Information Center article published on March 1st, 2022, currently 688 Paraquat Parkinson’s disease lawsuits have been filed in the MDL class action category. Contributor Ronald V. Miller expanded further, sharing that an estimated 75 Paraquat suits are pending in state court as well.
Legal experts everywhere expect the number of paraquat-related lawsuits to increase as more claims result in settlements. Once more settlements are made, precedent for future rulings with similar paraquat-related complaints will inevitably fill the courts systems.
Time will tell if instances of secondhand paraquat exposure could potentially lead to settlements if such exposure also leads to medical problems. Given that the livestock being exposed to paraquat are directly connected to human consumers through meat and dairy products, secondhand exposure may become a legal justification for personal injury settlements if plaintiffs report similar medical concerns.
Keep an eye on paraquat lawsuit developments in the coming months to find out if you or anyone you know may be entitled to settlements.
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