Will a Paraquat Settlement Be Finalized in 2026?
After years of litigation, paraquat lawsuits are approaching a key milestone as 2025 draws to a close.
Thousands of people have filed cases claiming the toxic herbicide causes Parkinson’s disease, but none have gone to trial yet.
As soon as next month, we may learn more about a proposed settlement that could end most of these cases without a trial.
After Months of Work, Paraquat Settlement Could Soon Be Completed
Word first emerged in April that a paraquat settlement framework could be in place for the Parkinson’s lawsuits. At that time, newly filed court documents revealed that an agreement had been reached to resolve “many” of the thousands of cases pending in federal court.
In 2021, a settlement was reached for an undisclosed number of lawsuits for about $187 million, but the next settlement is expected to be much more expansive.
The judge overseeing these lawsuits quickly paused some of the work on the litigation to allow both sides to finalize the next agreement.
Seven months later, even after several extensions, no finalized settlement has been announced.
There is a chance that could change soon.
The pause on work for these cases expires in January, with a status conference set to take place immediately after. This could be a significant opportunity to learn more about the settlement.
It’s still unclear how many of the 6,470 active cases will qualify, how much will be paid out and how that money will be distributed among different types of cases.
In the past, settlements for dangerous products have paid more money to people with the most severe injuries or the strongest evidence.
“These cases can take years to finish because they are complicated and involve many parties,” said Whitney Ray Di Bona, attorney and consumer safety advocate at Drugwatch. “Settling a mass tort case is more than just picking a number. Each person has different damages, so a tier system is often used to decide how much money each plaintiff gets. All parties must agree on the settlement, and the judge must approve it. This makes the process drawn out.”
Meanwhile, people who say they were exposed to paraquat and developed Parkinson’s are still filing lawsuits.
Paraquat Lawsuits Claim Herbicide Causes Parkinson’s
The issue at the heart of the paraquat lawsuits is whether the herbicide causes Parkinson’s in people who are exposed to it. This is primarily believed to be an issue among agricultural workers who spend a lot of time around it or working with it.
Recent research has continued to uncover worrying results. In 2024, a UCLA study found more evidence that paraquat exposure raises the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
Political pressure is also growing. In 2024, more than 40 members of the U.S. House of Representatives signed a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency, calling for a ban on paraquat in the U.S. The letter specifically cited the potential Parkinson’s risk.
Paraquat has already been banned in dozens of nations across the globe. It is not used in China, the United Kingdom or the European Union. Not only is it still in use in the U.S., but it remains very common.
According to the EPA, it is one of the most widely used herbicides in the country.
“It is frustrating that the U.S. brings in millions of tons of paraquat from countries such as China and the UK, where it is already banned, while the EPA continues to defend its use here,” Di Bona said. “These lawsuits play a crucial role in holding manufacturers accountable, raising public awareness, and often driving necessary change.”
As the outcome of this litigation approaches, its resolution could mark a turning point, not only for the thousands of individuals involved, but also potentially for the continued use of paraquat in the U.S. The coming months may offer critical answers and shape the future of this controversial herbicide.
