Summary
In 1965, the Dow Chemical Company began production on an organophosphate based pesticide/insecticide with the brand name of Lorsban, a product which quickly became one of the leading chemicals applied to agricultural growth across the United States. The active ingredient in the Lorsban pesticide is Chlorpyrifos. This is a synthetic chemical which is designed to kill insects by disrupting the function of acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that is critical to the operation of the human nervous system. Due to the widespread use of this pesticide, the general population has been greatly affected by long term exposure to a chemical that is designed to eliminate insect presence by attacking a vital process in their biological development. While speculation over the safety of this chemical has circulated beginning in the early 2000s, more recent studies have linked long term exposure to severe neurological injuries. A 2025 study from the neurology department of UCLA established that individuals exposed to Lorsban had a 2.5 times greater risk of contracting Parkinson’s disease than individuals who did not have direct exposure to the pesticide. This product has been linked to many other neurological deficits, proving extremely harm to children. Companies that manufactured this substance may have been complicit in failing in adequately informing the public about the dangers of long-term exposure.
Potential Defendants:
The potential Defendants in this case include both the companies that manufactured the Lorsban pesticide as well as other parties that were connected to the use of the product. The main claim alleges that there was a design defect in the chemical, or that it was not safely designed for its intended use. The main Defendants include:
- Dow Chemical Company
- Dow AgroSciences
- Corteva AgroScience
- Adama Agricultural Solutions
- FMC Corporation
- Garda Chemical
- Platte Chemical Company
The Effect of Parkinson’s in the United States
In 2025, Dr. Jeff Bronstein conducted a study from the neurology department of UCLA focusing on the increased presence of Parkinson’s disease surrounding individuals with exposure to Lorsban. The study observed 829 individuals with a formal Parkinson’s diagnosis as well as 824 individuals without the disease. The researchers concluded that individuals with exposure to Lorsban were 2.5% more likely to have a positive Parkinson’s diagnosis than those who had no exposure to the chemical.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation states that the average individual who is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease spends an estimated $26,400 a year on healthcare. This leads to an annual economic burden of 19.8 to 26.4 billion dollars to the United States. The substantial risk increase due to the exposure to Lorsban has greatly contributed to the financial burden of both individual citizens and the general population.
Regulatory History of Chlorpyrifos
- 1965 – The Dow Chemical Company introduces Chlorpyrifos, which quickly becomes one of the mostly widely utilized pesticides in the United States.
- 2000 – Under pressure from health advocates, manufacturers eradicate the majority of residential and household use of the Chlorpyrifos pesticide.
- 2007 – The Pesticide Action Network and Natural Resources Council petition the Environmental Protection Agency to ban all food uses of Chlorpyrifos, citing evidence of neurodevelopment harm.
- 2015-2016 – The Environmental Protection Agency states that Chlorpyrifos use on food crops and water sources are unsafe and proposes a ban.
- 2017- The United States Government blocks the proposed ban, preventing further nationwide regulation on the pesticide.
- 2019-2020 – Multiple states, including California, New York, Maryland, and Oregon, begin regulating the Chlorpyrifos chemical on a state level.
- 2021 – The Environmental Protection Agency issues a final rule revoking all usage of Chlorpyrifos on food products.
- 2023 – The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit vacates the Environmental Protection Agency’s ban.
- 2024-Present – The Environmental Protection Agency proposed a new ban for all food products, with 11 exceptions.
Who is eligible to participate in potential litigation for Chlorpyrifos exposure?
The widespread application of Lorsban has endangered the general population of the United States and proves to be extremely hazardous for vulnerable groups, including children. The Chlorpyrifos chemical is easily transmitted to the public through many avenues. Particles of the pesticide can be ingested by agricultural workers during spraying, the particles can travel through the air into nearby towns and neighborhoods, the produce treated with the pesticide can have remaining traces of the chemical, and it can easily contaminate nearby water sources which are used for drinking water. Long term exposure to the chemical can lead to many severe neurological injuries and is especially detrimental to children with developing brains. While this issue poses a threat to the entire population, the following groups are most likely to be diagnosed with neurological issues, including but not limited to Parkinson’s disease:
- Agricultural fieldworkers, harvesters, and farmhands who work directly in treated fields
- Pesticide mixers, loaders, and applicators, often without adequate protective equipment
- Aerial (“crop duster”) pilots and ground support crew involved in pesticide spraying
- Greenhouse, nursery, and orchard workers
- Golf course and landscape maintenance crews applying chlorpyrifos-based products
- Pest control operators and exterminators using chlorpyrifos formulations
- Employees at pesticide manufacturing, formulation, or packaging facilities
- Grain elevator, silo, and food storage/processing workers handling treated crops
- Family members of agricultural workers exposed through take-home residue on clothing, skin, or vehicles
- Residents of homes, schools, and daycare facilities located near treated fields (spray drift exposure)
- Individuals relying on private wells or groundwater sources in agricultural regions
- Children who attended school or lived in agricultural communities during early development
- Pregnant individuals who lived or worked in agricultural areas during pregnancy
Other groups that may be entitled to compensation include parents or legal guardians who are filing claims on behalf of an injured child or families filing wrongful death claims. Recoveries from this lawsuit can include remittance of the cost of medical care, lost income, future damages for ongoing healthcare, and compensation for ongoing pain, emotional stress, and permanent injury. If you or a family member have been exposed to Lorsban and have been diagnosed with a neurological injury, specifically Parkinson’s disease, call our office for a free consultation to determine if you are eligible for financial recovery.
About the author: Dr. Tara Tabatabaie
Founding Attorney at Fulmer Sill
This page was authored by Dr. Tara Tabatabaie, an attorney and scientist with [Firm Name]. Dr. Tabatabaie holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Oklahoma and a Juris Doctor, Magna Cum Laude, from Oklahoma City University. Prior to practicing law, she served as a senior research scientist at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, studying the biomedical mechanisms behind cancer, neurological disease, and environmental toxin exposure.
Dr. Tabatabaie has served on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee and Science Committee in several national multidistrict litigations against pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers, including In re: Roundup Products Liability Litigation (MDL 2741) against Monsanto and Bayer. Her scientific background has been central to developing the causation evidence and expert testimony behind successful claims against agrochemical companies.
