A potentially dangerous pesticide used by farmers and homeowners across the country has been linked to neurological deficits and birth defects in children exposed to the pesticide in utero. According to reports, prenatal exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos may cause small, but measurable differences in brain function, possibly resulting in serious, irreversible side effects like brain damage, impaired cognitive abilities and lowered IQ.

If your child was exposed to chlorpyrifos in utero and has since been diagnosed with brain damage, neurological deficits, ADHD or other potential side effects, contact an experienced chlorpyrifos injury lawyer today for legal help. You may have grounds to file a chlorpyrifos lawsuit against Dow AgroSciences, in order to pursue financial compensation for your family’s medical bills, pain and suffering, future medical care and other damages.

What is Chlorpyrifos?

Chlorpyrifos is a broad-spectrum, chlorinated organophosphate (OP) insecticide first registered for use in the United States in 1965. The chemical works by attacking the nervous system and inhibiting the breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (Ach), which allows it to kill insects on contact. Unfortunately, research shows that the effect of chlorpyrifos on the brain and nervous system may pose a risk to developing fetuses exposed to the pesticide in utero. According to reports, chlorpyrifos, a neurotoxin originally developed for chemical warfare and later repurposed for agriculture, is unsafe for public health and is particularly harmful to children and farmworkers.

Why is there a Chlorpyrifos Lawsuit?

For more than 50 years, chlorpyrifos has been used by farmers and homeowners, sprayed liberally on crops and around homes to kill pests like mosquitos and fire ants. In-home use of the chemical was restricted in 2000, due to toxicity concerns, but the pesticide continues to be one of the most heavily used insecticides in the United States and around the world, sprayed on 8.5 million crop acres worldwide. This is despite a growing body of research suggesting that prenatal and early life exposure to chlorpyrifos can cause devastating, irreversible brain damage and other serious side effects in children.

Side Effects Linked to Chlorpyrifos

• Delayed motor development
• Reduced IQ
• Loss of working memory
• Neurodevelopmental problems
• Attention disorders (ADHD)
• Behavioral disorders
• Birth defects
• Brain damage
• Impaired fetal brain development
• Impaired fetal nervous system development
• Developmental delays
• Impaired cognitive abilities

Links to Chlorpyrifos Studies Alleging Side Effects

• Archives of Environmental Health Study Highlighting Reports of Birth Defects in Babies Exposed to Chlorpyrifos in Utero
• Study Linking Prenatal Exposure to Chlorpyrifos and Brain Anomalies in Children
• Research Linking Agricultural Pesticide Use and Adverse Birth Outcomes
• Study Examining Parental Exposure to Pesticides and Birth Defects in Babies

Recent Chlorpyrifos News

In response to growing concerns about the potential health risks associated with chlorpyrifos exposure, scientists with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended a ban on the chemical in 2015, a ban Dow AgroSciences argued was unjustified. Two years later, the EPA overruled its own scientists and declined to ban chlorpyrifos, citing scientific uncertainty about the potential risk to human health. The EPA’s decision to reverse the Obama-era effort to ban chlorpyrifos resulted in a coalition of environmental groups and farmworkers filing a lawsuit, which was resolved in August 2018, in a decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The federal appeals court ruled that then-EPA chief Scott Pruitt violated federal law and endangered public health by keeping chlorpyrifos on the market, despite extensive research showing that even minimal exposure to the pesticide can harm babies’ developing brains. As a result of the decision, the EPA was ordered to remove chlorpyrifos from the market in the United States within 60 days.

As more information comes to light about the potential risk of birth defects from prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos, U.S. states are finally taking action to limit the use of chlorpyrifos in the agricultural industry. In December 2017, the state of California added chlorpyrifos to its Prop 65 list of substances known to cause cancer, reproductive harm and birth defects, and in June 2018, Hawaii became the first state to institute a ban on chlorpyrifos, effectively sending a message “to the EPA and to the chemical companies that we will no longer tolerate being ground zero for the testing of toxic pesticides that are damaging our children’s health and poisoning our environment.” The chlorpyrifos ban in Hawaii took effect in January 2019, though companies needing more time to respond to the ban could apply for temporary permits that would allow them to use chlorpyrifos until December 2022.

How Do I Join the Chlorpyrifos Lawsuit?

The neurotoxicity of pesticides like chlorpyrifos has been evident for decades, yet companies like Dow AgroSciences continue to market their products to farmers and homeowners, claiming that they are safe and effective for use in protecting food crops from insect damage. Unfortunately, when expectant mothers are exposed to these toxic chemicals during pregnancy, the effects on their developing children can be devastating and long-lasting. If your child was exposed to chlorpyrifos during pregnancy and has since suffered developmental delays, attention-deficit disorders, reduced IQ or other potential birth defects, you may have grounds to file a chlorpyrifos lawsuit against Dow AgroSciences for damages. Contact a knowledgeable chlorpyrifos birth defect attorney as soon as possible to explore your possible compensation options.