Did You Develop Autism or ADHD From Exposure to Chlorpyrifos?
Exposure to chlorpyrifos has been linked to a range of serious health issues, including autism, ADHD, and developmental delays, as well as vision problems, obesity, reduced IQ, and impaired motor skills. If you or a loved one has suffered from these alleged side effects due to chlorpyrifos exposure, you may be entitled to legal recourse.
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Chlorpyrifos Lawsuits
Exposure to chlorpyrifos has been linked to a range of serious health issues, including autism, ADHD, and developmental delays, as well as vision problems, obesity, reduced IQ, and impaired motor skills. If you or a loved one has suffered from these alleged side effects due to chlorpyrifos exposure, you may be entitled to legal recourse.
The use of the insecticide chlorpyrifos has been a source of growing concern for decades, as mounting scientific evidence has linked prenatal and early-life exposure to this toxic chemical with a range of devastating developmental disorders and birth injuries in children.
For years, families have been grappling with the potential long-term consequences of chlorpyrifos exposure, from autism and ADHD to reduced IQ and impaired motor skills. Despite the well-documented potential risks of chlorpyrifos exposure, the chemical industry has fiercely resisted efforts to restrict or ban the insecticide, prioritizing profits over public health. This has left countless children and families struggling to cope with the aftermath of toxic exposure, often facing daunting medical bills and lifelong challenges.
However, the tide is turning. Across the country, individuals and advocacy groups are taking a stand, filing claims against the manufacturers of chlorpyrifos and seeking justice for the harm inflicted on their loved ones. If your child has developed autism, ADHD, or another developmental disorder or health condition and you believe chlorpyrifos exposure to be the cause, call us today or fill out the form to be connected to an experienced toxic exposure attorney.
What is Chlorpyrifos?
Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide that has been widely used in agriculture for decades, sprayed primarily on crops such as corn, soybeans, broccoli, and apples. Developed by Dow Chemical in the 1960s as an alternative to DDT, chlorpyrifos works by attacking the nervous systems of insects, causing them to become paralyzed and die.
However, this mechanism of action also poses a significant threat to human health, particularly for vulnerable populations like pregnant women, infants, and young children. When chlorpyrifos is broken down in the body, it creates a highly toxic byproduct called chlorpyrifos oxon, which can disrupt the functioning of critical enzymes that control nerve impulses.
Acute exposure to chlorpyrifos can lead to a range of immediate symptoms, including nausea, dizziness, confusion, and even respiratory paralysis and death in severe cases. But the real danger lies in the long-term, insidious effects of low-level, chronic exposure – especially during critical stages of fetal and childhood development.
Alleged Injuries Leading to a Chlorpyrifos Lawsuit
There is scientific evidence linking chlorpyrifos exposure to a host of developmental disorders and birth injuries. Numerous peer-reviewed studies have found that prenatal and early-life exposure to the chemical can have devastating consequences for a child’s physical and cognitive development. Some of the most common injuries and conditions allegedly associated with chlorpyrifos exposure include:
- Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Reduced IQ and impaired cognitive function
- Delayed motor skill development
- Vision problems
- Obesity
- Seizures
- Oppositional defiant disorder
- Anxiety
These conditions can have a profound and lasting impact on a child’s quality of life, as well as significant emotional and financial burdens for their families. In many cases, the alleged adverse health effects of chlorpyrifos exposure may be irreversible, leaving parents and caregivers to navigate a lifetime of challenges.
Link Between Chlorpyrifos Exposure and Developmental Disorders in Children
Studies over the past several years have shown that exposure to the chemical, even at relatively low levels, may disrupt the delicate process of brain development, leading to a range of cognitive, behavioral, and physical impairments.
One landmark study from Columbia University examined 265 New York City minority children born before the 2001 ban on in-home use of chlorpyrifos. The researchers found a correlation between increases in chlorpyrifos levels in the babies’ umbilical cord blood and decreases in cognitive functioning at age seven. According to the study authors, “higher prenatal exposure was associated with lower scores on two different scales of the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (WISC-IV).”
Similarly, a study of mothers and children living in California’s agricultural Salinas Valley found that children born to mothers living in close proximity to farms that used neurotoxic pesticides like chlorpyrifos had lower IQs and reduced verbal comprehension at age seven, compared to their peers.
The mechanism behind these developmental effects is believed to be the disruption of critical neurotransmitters and enzymes in the developing brain, which can lead to long-lasting changes in brain structure and function. This is particularly troubling given that the brain undergoes rapid and sensitive development during the prenatal period and early childhood, making it highly vulnerable to the toxic effects of chemicals like chlorpyrifos.
Pursuing Legal Claims for Chlorpyrifos-Related Injuries
As evidence of chlorpyrifos’ alleged neurotoxic effects has mounted, a growing number of families have taken legal action against the manufacturers of the pesticide, seeking compensation for the harm their children have suffered. These lawsuits raise similar allegations that the chemical companies knew or should have known about the risks of their product, yet continued to market and sell it without adequate warnings or safeguards.
Chlorpyrifos claims are now being investigated across the country, with plaintiffs alleging a range of developmental disorders and birth injuries linked to exposure. Plaintiffs in chlorpyrifos lawsuits are typically seeking damages for:
- Past and future medical expenses related to the management of developmental disorders and birth injuries
- Lost wages and earning potential for affected individuals and their caregivers
- Pain and suffering, both emotional and physical
- Punitive damages to hold the manufacturers accountable for their negligence and disregard for public safety
By pursuing these legal claims, families affected by chlorpyrifos exposure are not only seeking justice for the harm done to their loved ones but also pushing for broader changes that could prevent similar tragedies in the future. Successful lawsuits could send a powerful message to the chemical industry, compelling them to prioritize safety and transparency over financial interests.
Lawsuits Against Chlorpyrifos for Autism, ADHD, Vision Problems, and Other Health Issues
Chlorpyrifos lawsuits filed to date cover a wide range of alleged injuries, reflecting the diverse and far-reaching impacts of this toxic chemical. Individuals and families affected by the following developmental disorders and health conditions may have grounds to pursue a chlorpyrifos toxic exposure lawsuit:
- Autism spectrum disorders: Lawsuits may be filed on behalf of children who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders after prenatal or early-life exposure to chlorpyrifos. These cases allege that the chemical’s disruption of brain development led to the onset of autism.
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Similarly, chlorpyrifos exposure has been linked to the development of ADHD in children and lawsuits may seek compensation for the challenges and costs associated with this condition.
- Reduced IQ and cognitive impairment: Studies have shown that chlorpyrifos exposure may lower a child’s IQ and impair their overall cognitive functioning. Lawsuits may seek to recover damages for the educational and developmental support needed to address these deficits.
- Motor skill delays: Chlorpyrifos exposure has been associated with delays in the development of fine and gross motor skills, which can have far-reaching consequences for a child’s physical and social development.
- Vision problems: Some children exposed to chlorpyrifos may experience vision issues, such as reduced visual acuity and impaired depth perception. Chlorpyrifos lawsuits may seek compensation for the medical care and assistive devices required to address these challenges.
- Obesity: Emerging research suggests a link between chlorpyrifos exposure and an increased risk of childhood obesity, which can lead to a host of additional health problems. Lawsuits may seek to recover compensation for the long-term costs of managing obesity and related conditions.
- Seizures and other neurological issues: Chlorpyrifos exposure may lead to the development of seizures, as well as other neurological conditions that can significantly impact a child’s quality of life.
As the scientific understanding of chlorpyrifos’ developmental toxicity continues to evolve, the range of potential claims is likely to expand, with families seeking justice and compensation for the full spectrum of harm allegedly inflicted by this toxic chemical.
Timeline of Chlorpyrifos EPA Warnings
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a long and complicated history with chlorpyrifos, marked by years of scientific review, legal battles, and shifting policies. Despite mounting evidence of the chemical’s dangers, the EPA has been slow to take decisive action, often succumbing to industry pressure and delaying critical regulatory decisions.
- In 2001, the EPA banned chlorpyrifos for indoor residential use after research showed that children exposed to the insecticide had smaller head circumference, a known indicator of reduced cognitive function. Yet, chlorpyrifos continued to be widely used in agriculture, and children, workers, and others were exposed via food residues and pesticide drift from fields where it was sprayed.
- In 2007, the Pesticide Action Network of North America and the Natural Resources Defense Council filed a petition with the EPA, asking the agency to ban chlorpyrifos and revoke all product registrations.
- In 2016, the EPA published a Human Health Risk Assessment, finding that all uses of chlorpyrifos were unsafe. According to the assessment, toddlers were being exposed to chlorpyrifos at levels more than 100 times the agency’s level of safety tolerance.
- In 2017, the EPA denied the petition to revoke all chlorpyrifos tolerances and ban the insecticide.
- In April 2021, an appeals court ordered the EPA to grant the petition and issue a final rule revoking chlorpyrifos tolerances and modifying or canceling its registrations for food use.
- In August 2021, the EPA revoked all tolerances for chlorpyrifos in food products, effectively banning its use on crops intended for human consumption.
- However, in November 2023, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the EPA’s 2021 rule.
- In February 2024, the EPA issued a Federal Register notice to amend the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect the court’s reinstatement of those tolerances. “Since the tolerances are currently in effect, growers can now use currently registered chlorpyrifos products on all crops with reinstated tolerances, consistent with directions for use on those product labels,” the EPA notes in its Update on the Use of the Pesticide Chlorpyrifos on Food. “However, such uses may be subject to restrictions by individual states.”
This long, drawn-out regulatory saga has been a source of immense frustration for public health advocates, who have accused the EPA of prioritizing the interests of the chemical industry over the well-being of children and families. The agency’s repeated delays and reversals have allowed chlorpyrifos to remain in widespread use, exposing countless individuals to its alleged toxic effects.
Chlorpyrifos Side Effect Research
Related Topics
Start My Chlorpyrifos Lawsuit Claim Now
Study: more than 91% of children tested have detectable levels of chlorpyrifos in their bodies
A study of organophosphorus pesticide exposure in urban/suburban children finds that more than 91% of children tested have detectable levels of chlorpyrifos in their bodies. “The findings from this study demonstrate that dietary intake of OP pesticides represents the major source of exposure in young children,” the researchers report.
April 2008Chlorpyrifos Exposure Linked to Autism, ADHD
A study of 265 New York City minority children born before the 2001 ban on in-home use of chlorpyrifos finds a link between increases in chlorpyrifos levels in the babies’ umbilical cord blood and decreases in cognitive functioning at age seven. According to researchers, children born before the chlorpyrifos ban were more than five times more likely to be diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder and more than six times more likely to exhibit symptoms of ADHD.
April 2011Chlorpyrifos exposures among toddlers exceed the EPA's safety threshold by 140 times
The EPA concludes in a Human Health Risk Assessment for chlorpyrifos that children are at high risk for chlorpyrifos exposure, reporting that among children 1-2 years of age, exposures from food exceed the agency’s safety threshold by 140 times.
November 2016Study links chlorpyrifos exposure to lower IQs and reduced verbal comprehension
Compared to their peers, children born to mothers living near farms that used neurotoxic pesticides like chlorpyrifos in California’s agricultural Salinas Valley had lower IQs and reduced verbal comprehension at age seven.
May 2017Why We Think the Manufacturer Should Be Held Liable
Lawsuits against the manufacturers of chlorpyrifos, including Corteva (the agricultural division of Dow Chemical) and other producers, are based on the premise that these companies knew or should have known about the risks of their product, yet continued to market and sell it without adequate warnings or safeguards.
Despite the growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating the developmental toxicity of chlorpyrifos, the chemical industry has consistently fought to maintain the use of this pesticide, prioritizing profits over public health. This pattern of behavior, coupled with the devastating impacts on vulnerable populations like children and farmworkers, forms the foundation of the legal claims against these manufacturers.
What should you do? If your child has suffered developmental disorders or another alleged injury from exposure to chlorpyrifos, you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible to discuss filing a chlorpyrifos lawsuit.
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Research indicates that prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos can lead to reduced birth weight, delayed motor development, and other physical and cognitive impairments. Studies have also demonstrated that chlorpyrifos can disrupt the function of critical neurotransmitters and enzymes in the developing brain, leading to long-lasting changes in brain structure and function.
If your child has suffered from a developmental disorder or another alleged injury due to exposure to the toxic insecticide chlorpyrifos, consult a knowledgeable product liability attorney right away. A skilled attorney can review the details of your case, assess the available evidence, and guide you through the process of pursuing a claim against the responsible manufacturers.
Remember, you are not alone in this fight. Families across the country are standing up to the chemical industry and seeking justice for the harm their loved ones have suffered. With the right attorney by your side, you can work to hold the manufacturers of chlorpyrifos accountable and pursue the compensation your family deserves.
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