Receiving a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis is life-changing. For some, the disease is unavoidable. However, the danger could have been compounded by exposure to the dangerous herbicide paraquat. Exposure has been linked with Parkinson’s, laying the groundwork for legal action against manufacturers. You might have suffered other related losses and injuries.
Indeed, a Manassas paraquat lawsuit lawyer from the Parrish Law Firm, PLLC can evaluate your case for free if you suspect your diagnosis is related to herbicide exposure. Our team of Paraquat lawsuit lawyers fights for damages to support Virginia Paraquat victims like you adjusting to life with Parkinson’s disease and other related losses.
Compensating You for the Many Facets of Paraquat Exposure
We break down your case into several forms of possible damages rather than approach your lawsuit with just one compensation goal in mind. Our team doesn’t want to neglect any nuances or consequences of your injuries.
Categories of compensation we explore are:
- “Pain and suffering” and inconvenience
- Emotional distress
- Reduced earning ability
- Past and future medical costs
- Lost income
Your losses can affect many areas of your life. Your compensation should reflect each of them.
Diagnosing Parkinson’s Is a Process
According to Mayo Clinic, a Parkinson’s diagnosis requires several exams and tests. Depending on your doctor’s approach, you could undergo:
- Physical exams
- Neurological testing
- Blood tests
- MRIs, PET scans, and ultrasounds
- Single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT)
- Dopamine transporter scan (DaTscan)
This time-consuming and expensive process is already stressful, and the official diagnosis brings with it new, lifelong expenses.
None of these costs should be your responsibility. Your compensation can include all diagnostic expenses; you would not have needed to go on this medical journey if it weren’t for the herbicide. We can hold the manufacturers accountable for these past expenses, in addition to future costs.
Working with Parkinson’s May Not Be Possible
Parkinson’s naturally interferes with your career as a neurological disease that affects movement. That interference increases as time goes on, perhaps eventually forcing you to quit your job. Any other injuries and symptoms related to your paraquat exposure could keep you from working.
You could recover compensation for these losses. If you had to cut back on work hours or even switch careers because your job was incompatible with your condition, our paraquat lawyer could include that in your Manassas lawsuit.
You could receive compensation for losses related to:
- Salary
- Hourly wages
- Gigs or side work
- Freelance projects
- Commissions or sales
On top of reimbursement for missed income, we could seek more personal damages for the impact on your earning capacity. Rather than directly paying for a lost dollar amount, reduced earning capacity considers the lifelong change to your financial situation caused by paraquat. What you receive will be personalized to your situation.
Living with the Effects of Paraquat Exposure Requires a Support System
You might require long-term support, especially if you received a diagnosis of Parkinson’s. Consequently, we don’t seek damages for current losses only. Even if you don’t need extensive care now, we fight for that eventuality, providing funds for:
- At-home care
- Physical therapy
- Speech and language therapy
- Rehabilitation services
In addition to managing your physical symptoms, you might also need help dealing with the emotional and psychological ramifications. Mayo Clinic lists depression and emotional changes as complications of Parkinson’s. This aspect of your condition also makes you eligible for compensation, covering:
- Counseling
- Psychopharmacology
- Support animals
- Alternative care
What’s more, damages like “pain and suffering” and inconvenience acknowledge the general toll of living with the disease. Instead of being tied to a specific bill, this compensation is tied to your personal trauma. We listen closely to your experiences to evaluate the damages to pursue in this area.
Representing You Through the Steps of a Paraquat Lawsuit
Legal action looks different for each person. Many cases settle out of court, while others require a jury to reach a verdict. Settlement can occur at any stage, depending on all parties’ willingness to agree.
Regardless of what your specific suit will look like, you can count on some constants when you work with the Parrish Law Firm, PLLC:
- Free consultations
- Regular updates
- Convenience and accessibility
- Easy-to-understand explanations
- Research and investigation
- Everyday support and logistics
We believe in the power of cases like yours to make significant changes. Already, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced stronger safety measures for the use of paraquat, but by speaking out, we can protect others from even more harm. We believe in you and this cause.
Taking on Big Companies with Us By Your Side
As a product liability case, your Manassas paraquat lawsuit will likely involve a large manufacturing company as the other party since they made the product. Lawyer Jim Parrish and the firm’s support staff are accustomed to communicating with large companies like these, whereas you are not. For that reason, you can count on us for all communication with them, including:
- Phone calls
- Emails
- Official statements
- Settlement reviews
- Negotiations
- Paperwork
- Lawsuit filings
Like insurance companies in car accidents, big companies are skilled at twisting words and avoiding payment. Fielding these tactics is not your job but ours. If you’re worried about any aspect of talking to the negligent party, we can do it for you instead.
Utilizing the Knowledge and Research of Experts
Although the Parrish Law Firm, PLLC has experience in product liability cases involving paraquat and other dangerous chemicals, we are not experts in Parkinson’s disease or complicated medical research. Instead, we consult those who are. We can use medical professionals’ studies and testimony to lend authority to your lawsuit. At any point in your case, we may consult:
- Neurologists
- Specialists
- Therapists
- Researchers
- Economists
- Actuaries
- Scientists
Furthermore, your case is unique to you, but it does not exist in a vacuum. We can use research from similar cases and other legal proceedings related to paraquat.
Parkinson’s Research Could Benefit Your Case
For example, we can cite efforts done by organizations like Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, which has compiled information on studies linking paraquat with Parkinson’s. In a letter to the EPA, the foundation cited several studies that found a 200 percent increase in risk for farmers who used paraquat and 200 to 600 percent increase in risk for young adults with prolonged exposure.
Between expert testimony and research, we can illustrate the history of this issue and link it to your case.
Manassas Paraquat Lawsuit Lawyer Near Me 571-229-1800
Explaining Your Lawsuit Eligibility Following a Parkinson’s Diagnosis or Injury
If you are uncertain if you have a lawsuit in Manassas, consulting a paraquat attorney’s team can be the first step to understanding where you stand. We can listen to your suspicions and discuss whether you are eligible to pursue a case.
Your eligibility will hinge on whether we can link your illness with your paraquat exposure. Even though there is some general evidence to connect the two, we must make specific connections within your case. Don’t worry – that’s a big part of our job.
How You May Have Been Exposed
Because paraquat is known to be hazardous, it is controlled. That means most people are exposed through specific situations such as:
- Manufacturing paraquat products
- Selling paraquat products
- Using paraquat as a licensed applicator
- Using paraquat as a farmer
- Living near where paraquat was used
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), licensed applicators of paraquat are most at risk for health complications due to close, prolonged contact.
Nonetheless, you do not have to have been an applicator to have potentially suffered the effects of paraquat. We look into any possible avenues for exposure while investigating your case.
Paraquat and Roundup
Herbicides have been the basis for several lawsuits in recent years, one of the most notable being Roundup. This often leads paraquat to be conflated with Roundup when the two are different products. You can talk to the Parrish Law Firm, PLLC, about Roundup lawsuits if you suspect you were harmed by exposure to it.
Although not found in Roundup, paraquat dichloride can be found in products such as:
- Gramoxone
- Parazone
- Para-Shot 3.0
- Dexuron
- Crisquat
- Quick-Quat
- Beondry
- Devour
- Firestorm
This is by no means an exhaustive list of paraquat products. The one you were exposed to may have been discontinued years ago, depending on when you were in contact with it. Some may also have rebranded.
Regardless of which version of paraquat was involved and how long ago you were exposed, you could have grounds for a case. Va. Code § 8.01-243 allows victims to file lawsuits within two years of their diagnosis, not their exposure. However, some factors can change that timeline; we can verify how long we have for your case.
Get Answers Today About What You May Be Able to Recover
If you were diagnosed with Parkinson’s in Manassas, you don’t need to wait before speaking to our paraquat lawyer about a lawsuit. Jim Parrish and everyone at the Parrish Law Firm, PLLC are standing by right now to hear your story.
Tell us today at (571) 229-1800. We have recovered results for many injured Virginians. Now, we are ready to fight for you.
Call or Text 571-229-1800 or Complete a Free Case Evaluation form
