Settlement Amount: $2.7 Million
Injury Type: Fatal Organ Failure
Background
Patricia H., a 48-year-old farm manager in Texas, accidentally ingested Paraquat after it was stored in a repurposed soda bottle in a field shed. Within hours, she developed severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. Despite intensive care, she died 11 days later from multi-organ failure.
Medical Devastation
- Hospital Course: Hemodialysis, ventilator dependence, failed liver transplant attempt.
- Family Loss: Left behind two teenage children.
- Financial Burden: Surviving spouse faced $250K in uncovered medical bills.
Defense Tactics
- Claimed ingestion was “intentional self-harm” to avoid liability.
- Argued worker training prohibited storage in food containers.
- Attempted to seal toxicology reports showing Paraquat levels.
Injurease’s Action
- Deposed coworkers confirming unsafe storage practices were widespread.
- Presented CDC poison center data on accidental Paraquat ingestions nationwide.
- Proved Syngenta resisted dye/safener additives despite EPA recommendations.
Legal Triumphs
- Established corporate negligence in refusing safer packaging.
- Forced unsealing of EPA letters urging stronger labeling decades earlier.
- Secured wrongful death damages for Patricia’s children.
Settlement Details
$2.7M covering:
- $900K future education trust for her children
- $500K spousal loss of income support
- $1.3M wrongful death/pain and suffering
Patricia’s Family Today:
“She didn’t choose this. Paraquat was put in a soda bottle with no warnings. Injurease made sure the truth came out.”
