Settlement Amount: $2.4 Million
Injury Type: Progressive Parkinson’s Disease

Background
James T., a 55-year-old soybean farmer from Iowa, routinely sprayed Paraquat on his crops for over a decade. He was never warned about neurological risks and wore only basic cloth masks provided by his employer. After years of exposure, James developed tremors, rigidity, and impaired balance that progressed into a full Parkinson’s diagnosis.

Medical Devastation

• Neurological Decline: Severe hand tremors, inability to perform fine motor tasks, eventual wheelchair use.
• Financial Losses: Family farm placed into receivership after James could no longer operate machinery.
• Daily Burden: Requires 24/7 caregiver support, swallowing difficulties requiring feeding tube placement.

Defense Tactics

• Claimed Parkinson’s was due to “family history” despite no relatives with the disease.
• Introduced toxicology expert who argued “no definitive link” existed between Paraquat and Parkinson’s.
• Attempted to exclude EPA memos under protective order.

Injurease’s Action

• Subpoenaed internal Syngenta emails acknowledging rat studies showing dopaminergic neuron loss.
• Partnered with neurologists who used DaTscan imaging to show Paraquat-linked neurodegeneration.
• Established economic damages model for long-term care costs exceeding $3 million.

Legal Triumphs

• Proved Syngenta suppressed warnings after 2005 European bans.
• Secured court order to unseal internal risk assessments.
• Undermined defense expert credibility by showing undisclosed consulting payments.

Settlement Details
$2.4M covering:

• $1.2M lifetime in-home nursing care
• $450K lost farm income and equipment repossession
• $750K pain/suffering and loss of consortium

James Today:
“My father farmed till he was 80. Paraquat stole my independence before I was 60. Injurease made them answer for it.”