Lehigh County paraquat exposure profile
Lehigh County's primary agricultural commodities include fruit, vegetable, corn, dairy. Lehigh County's orchard belt and vegetable operations used paraquat in floor management and row crop burndown. Paraquat (Gramoxone, Blanco, Parazone, Helmquat, Devour, Firestorm, Para-Shot 30, Tota-col) was the dominant pre-plant burndown herbicide in U.S. row crop and orchard production for decades and was applied throughout Lehigh County by farmers, hired farmworkers, licensed pesticide applicators, mixers and loaders, and aerial applicators.
Most Lehigh County paraquat-exposed Parkinson's plaintiffs were exposed 20 to 40 years before diagnosis — the expected latency pattern for paraquat-induced Parkinson's disease. The discovery rule generally applies to long-latency Parkinson's claims under Pennsylvania law.
Who in Lehigh County may qualify
- Farmers and farm owners who personally mixed, loaded, or applied paraquat on Lehigh County operations
- Hired farmworkers and seasonal laborers who handled paraquat or re-entered treated fields
- Licensed pesticide applicators serving Lehigh County agriculture
- Custom-application operators and crop-dusting pilots
- Equipment maintenance workers and tank cleanup personnel
- Residents of homes adjacent to heavily-treated Lehigh County fields (residential drift exposure)
- Surviving family members of Lehigh County paraquat-exposed Parkinson's patients (wrongful death and survival claims)
Pennsylvania state court is the right forum
As a Lehigh County resident, you have access to the Pennsylvania state court paraquat mass tort program in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas before Judge Joshua Roberts. The Philadelphia program currently hosts approximately 1,799 active paraquat cases and offers three structural advantages over federal MDL:
- Faster pace through the Philadelphia Complex Litigation Center
- Jury composition with a documented history of higher verdicts in toxic tort cases
- Broader consent-by-registration jurisdiction (upheld after the U.S. Supreme Court declined Syngenta's challenge in October 2025)
The January 2026 Philadelphia bellwether settled on the courthouse steps minutes before jury selection — a strong indicator of how Syngenta and Chevron view Pennsylvania jury risk.
Local Parkinson's resources for Lehigh County
Lehigh Valley Health Network movement disorder programs serve the Lehigh Valley region. Movement disorder specialist evaluation is preferred for both diagnostic clarity and case value. The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) Greater Pennsylvania Chapter maintains support group and resource listings for Pennsylvania residents.
Statute of limitations in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania applies a two-year statute of limitations to personal injury actions (42 Pa.C.S. § 5524), subject to the discovery rule for long-latency claims. Wrongful death and survival statutes (42 Pa.C.S. §§ 8301–8302) have their own — often shorter — limitations periods. Lehigh County residents should not delay evaluation.
How a Lehigh County case actually proceeds
After a free intake call (15–30 minutes, no obligation), your legal team will gather medical records, employment records, and applicator license records; reconstruct paraquat exposure history; arrange any needed movement disorder specialist consultation; and file your case in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas mass tort program (or appropriate forum). Most of the litigation work happens through documents and depositions; courtroom appearances are rare for plaintiffs.
What it costs
Nothing upfront. The case review is free. Case work is on contingency — typically one-third of any recovery — with no fee unless you recover. Case expenses are advanced by counsel and recovered from any settlement.
Frequently asked questions — Lehigh County
Who in Lehigh County may qualify for a paraquat Parkinson's lawsuit?+
Where is a Lehigh County paraquat case actually filed?+
What is the statute of limitations for a Lehigh County paraquat claim?+
Does it cost anything to start a Lehigh County paraquat case?+
Ready to evaluate a Lehigh County paraquat Parkinson's claim? Check eligibility or call (717) 724-7503.