(Orange, VA, Thursday, August 12, 2021) – The prevalence in Parkinson’s Disease has increased as much as 50% in younger adults in just the past five years. Doctors correlate this rise with environmental factors and there are noticeably higher rates of Parkinson’s Disease in agricultural communities. The most egregious offender with a host of studies linking the association is a chemical manufactured by Syngenta called Paraquat. A wave of lawsuits, including many victims represented by The Miller Firm LLC, have been filed across the country asserting Paraquat causes Parkinson’s Disease. Both sides are gearing up for what will be a huge legal battle that will have serious ramifications on the pesticide industry and the ongoing health and safety of farmers.
Syngenta is the world’s largest producer of agricultural chemicals. For six decades, Syngenta AG and Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC has manufactured, distributed, formulated, and marketed Paraquat products in the United States. ChemChina, a state-owned enterprise, purchased Syngenta for $43 billion in 2017 and recently announced plans for an initial IPO on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC is a Delaware limited liability company with its principal place of business in Greensboro, North Carolina (Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Syngenta AG); Syngenta AG is a foreign corporation with its principal place of business in Basel, Switzerland; Chevron U.S.A., Inc. is a Pennsylvania corporation with its principal place of business in San Ramon in Contra Costa County, California.
The Miller Firm LLC is uniquely qualified to represent victims in these lawsuits having just concluded a historic legal battle with Bayer/Monsanto related to the weedkiller Roundup causing lymphoma. The Miller Firm won a landmark 289 million on behalf of Lee Johnson. They also tried the third case in the country that reached a 2-billion-dollar verdict. Amid trying the fourth case in the country, Bayer/Monsanto announced a settlement program that set aside over 10 billion dollars in settlement funding making it one of the largest settlements of all time. Many of the same issues as far as what the company knew and why the EPA has failed to act will play out in the upcoming Paraquat trials.
David Dickens, Lead Trial Attorney, The Miller Firm LLC discusses the ramifications these trials will have on the pesticide industry. He answers questions such as:
- What is Paraquat and how is it used?
- Does The Miller Firm have experience in representing victims of pesticides?
- What should farmers do if they think they have been exposed to Paraquat?
- What company manufactures Paraquat, and how can they address these issues?
- How prevalent is the use of Paraquat?
- Where can viewers/listeners go for more information?
David Dickens Bio: David Dickens is an attorney with The Miller Firm where he has worked since 2006. His practice focuses on products liability, mass torts, drug and medical device litigation, complex class actions, medical malpractice, and personal injury litigation. Dave was honored by the National Trial Lawyers organization for his efforts in the Lee Johnson Trial by receiving the 2019 Trial Team of the year award for his part as co-lead counsel in the first Roundup case to go to trial.
About The Miller Firm LLC: The Miller Firm LLC represents victims of pesticides and believes attorneys can hold companies accountable when government agencies turn a blind eye. Pesticide companies such as Monsanto and Syngenta have huge influence and resources and use it to lobby politicians and cause doubt in the scientific community. Thankfully, trials bring these actions to light and impartial jurors can be an engine of change that will hopefully keep farmers safer.
Interview provided by The Miller Firm LLC