PSX - Parkinson's Patients Seek Multidistrict Litigation Status for Growing Number of Paraquat-Exposure Lawsuits

Fears Nachawati trial lawyers: Single court is best for mass litigation

PR Newswire

SAN FRANCISCO , April 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Trial lawyers representing a growing number of people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease after exposure to paraquat-based herbicides have asked a federal judicial panel to consolidate their lawsuits under a single federal court. The request comes as new filings by the Fears Nachawati Law Firm bring the number of federal lawsuits to more than 20.

Grouping the lawsuits as multidistrict litigation (MDL) cuts duplication and allows lawsuits to proceed more efficiently, said Fears Nachawati co-founder Majed Nachawati . The legal team has asked the federal Joint Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) to consolidate the cases with Judge Edward Chen in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California .

"With a progressive neurological disease like Parkinson's, there's no time to lose," said Mr. Nachawati. "The efficiencies of multidistrict litigation cut duplication and provide the fastest way for these individuals to achieve justice."

Similar lawsuits have been filed in California , Illinois , Wisconsin , Arkansas , Maryland , Missouri and West Virginia by Parkinson's patients exposed to paraquat products like Gramoxone. The lawsuits name Gramoxone-maker Syngenta (SZSE: 000553) and Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., which manufactured and sold Gramoxone. Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., better known as CPChem, is a 50-50 joint venture between Chevron (NYSE:CVX) and Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX).

Paraquat's dangers have been documented for decades. The chemical is deadly if even a small amount is swallowed. Medical studies have established links between paraquat and Parkinson's, an incurable and progressive brain disorder that leads to tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with walking, balance and coordination.

"For too long, these companies have knowingly exposed tens of thousands of unsuspecting Americans to a chemical so deadly that it has been banned in more than 50 countries," said Fears Nachawati trial lawyer Bryan Fears . "These lawsuits are a critical step toward answering important questions about how this was allowed to happen and to make sure the damage caused by paraquat has stopped."

The case is In Re: Paraquat Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3004.

Dallas -based Fears | Nachawati Law Firm represents individuals in mass tort litigation, businesses and governmental entities in contingent litigation, and individual victims in complex personal injury litigation. For the past three years, the law firm was ranked No. 1 nationally in product liability filings in federal court. For more information, visit https://www.fnlawfirm.com .

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SOURCE Fears Nachawati Law Firm