← Back to Dashboard
1mo ago
Litigation Stage Tracker
Active FilingEmerging
Formation
Active Litigation
Maturation
<45
45–55
55–70
70+
Paraquat
OpenFILINGMDL 3004ILSChemical
6,635+
Total Cases
DocketScore
56/ 100Active
Momentum73
Science0
Campaign86
Timeline30
Causation
Epidemiological studies consistently show paraquat exposure increases Parkinson's disease risk by 200-300%. A 2011 NIH-funded study (Tanner et al.) found 2.5x increased risk among agricultural workers. Paraquat's neurotoxic mechanism involves oxidative stress that selectively destroys dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Animal studies confirm paraquat crosses the blood-brain barrier and reproduces parkinsonian neurodegeneration.
Defendants
| Entity | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Syngenta AG | Manufacturer | Primary manufacturer of paraquat globally — owned by ChemChina/Sinochem |
| Syngenta Crop Protection | US Distributor | US marketing and distribution arm |
| Chevron U.S.A. Inc. | Former Manufacturer/Distributor | Manufactured and distributed paraquat in US for decades |
| Growmark Inc. | Distributor | Agricultural cooperative that distributed paraquat products |
Litigation Timeline
2011
NIH Tanner study — 2.5x Parkinson's risk from paraquat exposure
Oct 2021
EPA interim decision acknowledges Parkinson's link
2023
Bellwether discovery pool selected
2025
Daubert hearings on general causation experts
2026
5,400+ cases pending. Bellwether trial preparation underway
Intelligence Signals
NYU MDL Conferenceintel
~2,000 Philadelphia paraquat cases remain after MDL 3004 settlement; no paraquat case tried anywhere
Judge Roberts (Phila. Ct. Com. Pl.) still holds ~2,000 paraquat cases after the MDL settlement. Plaintiffs want to see what a Philadelphia jury does. Illustrates state-court holdouts delaying global peace even after an MDL resolves (Fallon: each settlement becomes a floor for the next jurisdiction).
Courtcourt
Tomberlin v. Syngenta AG
Courtcourt
Anderson v. Syngenta AG
Courtcourt
Jones v. Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC
Courtcourt
Brown v. Syngenta AG
Key Facts
- Status
- active
Geographic Exposure
·S.D. Ill. (MDL 3004, Judge Rosenstengel)
·Illinois state courts (significant filings)
·California (agricultural worker claims)
·Nationwide — agricultural states heavily represented
Eligibility Criteria
- ✓Occupational or residential exposure to paraquat herbicide
- ✓Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
- ✓Exposure occurred through agricultural application, mixing/loading, or drift
- ✓Lived or worked near paraquat application sites
Filing Velocity (4W)
4w agoThis week