Attorney estimates for 2026 commonly project paraquat Parkinson's settlements in the range of roughly $100,000 to $900,000 for qualifying cases, with the strongest cases potentially exceeding $1 million and the weakest closer to $20,000. This paraquat Parkinson's settlement calculator produces a structured estimate based on your Parkinson's severity, the type and duration of paraquat exposure, your age, and the strength of the evidence. Enter your details below for a low-to-high range. No global per-plaintiff figure is finalized: Syngenta previously settled some claims through a $187.5 million agreement in 2021, and the federal MDL court approved a qualified settlement fund in 2026 to administer a new round of resolutions.
Paraquat dichloride is a powerful, restricted-use herbicide widely used in U.S. agriculture. A growing body of research has linked significant paraquat exposure to an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, leading thousands of farmers, licensed applicators, and agricultural workers to file lawsuits consolidated in a federal multidistrict litigation. Use the calculator below as a starting point, then read the detailed sections on the exposure tiers, the science, the MDL, taxation, and what to document.
The calculator reflects how Parkinson's mass-tort claims are typically valued. The formula is:
Estimate = Parkinson's Severity Base × Exposure Factor × Evidence Factor × Age Factor + Documented Economic Loss
The severity base rises with the stage of Parkinson's disease, because more advanced disease means larger future-care needs and greater loss of function and earnings. The exposure factor rewards documented, repeated occupational exposure — licensed applicators and farmers who mixed and sprayed paraquat over years score highest, while near-field bystanders score lower. The evidence factor reflects how well your exposure can be proven through applicator licenses, employment records, and product identification. The age factor increases value for younger claimants who lose more years of life and earnings. Documented lost income and medical costs are added on top.
Because the litigation was still resolving in 2026, the figures below are attorney projections and historical reference points rather than a fixed schedule. They are planning benchmarks, not guarantees.
| Reference Point | Reported Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Projected average settlement (qualifying cases) | ~$100,000 – $900,000 | Varies with severity, exposure, age |
| Full estimated spread | ~$20,000 to $1,000,000+ | Weakest to strongest cases |
| 2021 Syngenta agreement | $187.5 million (group of claims) | Earlier partial resolution |
| 2026 MDL qualified settlement fund | Approved by the court | Administers a new round |
The wide spread reflects the reality that Parkinson's severity and the strength of exposure proof vary enormously across claimants. A licensed applicator with decades of documented exposure and advanced Parkinson's anchors the high end, while a bystander with early-stage disease and weak records anchors the low end. The calculator's factors are designed to place your case along that spectrum.
Paraquat is a restricted-use pesticide in the United States, meaning only licensed, certified applicators may legally buy and use it. That regulatory status shapes who typically qualifies:
A qualifying claim generally requires a confirmed Parkinson's disease diagnosis, a documented exposure history, and filing within the applicable statute of limitations, which runs from diagnosis or from when you reasonably connected the disease to paraquat. Because exposure documentation is decisive, an attorney experienced in paraquat litigation should review your work and application records.
A substantial line of research — including epidemiological work associated with the National Institutes of Health and academic toxicology — has reported an increased risk of Parkinson's disease among people with significant paraquat exposure. The proposed mechanism is oxidative stress: paraquat can generate reactive oxygen species that damage the dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra, the same neurons whose loss causes Parkinson's motor symptoms. The manufacturers dispute that paraquat causes Parkinson's in humans, and the question is genuinely contested. The strength of the general scientific evidence, combined with the specific exposure history of each plaintiff, drives both the viability and the value of a paraquat claim.
Suppose a 64-year-old licensed applicator is diagnosed with moderate Parkinson's after years of documented paraquat spraying, with strong records and $50,000 in losses. Using the calculator: moderate severity base $400,000, applicator exposure factor 1.4, strong evidence 1.15, age factor at 64 of about 1.04, plus $50,000:
If the same claimant had only early-stage Parkinson's, the base would drop to $180,000 and the central estimate would fall by more than half. If exposure were near-field/bystander rather than applicator, the factor would drop to 0.7 and the estimate would fall further. This shows how severity and exposure type dominate a paraquat valuation.
Paraquat cases are consolidated in a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL), which centralizes pretrial proceedings to handle thousands of similar claims efficiently. The litigation history includes a $187.5 million Syngenta agreement in 2021 that resolved a group of earlier claims. The MDL continued thereafter, and in 2026 the court approved a qualified settlement fund to administer a new round of resolutions. A qualified settlement fund is a court-supervised mechanism that holds settlement money while individual claims are evaluated and paid according to agreed criteria. For an individual claimant, the practical questions are whether your claim is accepted into the program, what tier it lands in, and whether holding out for trial is worthwhile — decisions best made with experienced counsel.
Under IRS Publication 4345, compensatory damages received on account of a personal physical injury or physical sickness — including Parkinson's disease — are generally excluded from taxable income, covering medical expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress arising from the illness. However, punitive damages and interest are taxable. Where a paraquat recovery blends compensatory and punitive amounts, only the punitive and interest portions are generally taxable. Confirm the treatment of your specific settlement with a qualified tax professional.
No global per-plaintiff settlement amount is finalized, but attorney estimates in 2026 commonly project average paraquat settlements in the range of roughly $100,000 to $900,000 for qualifying Parkinson's cases, with some estimates spanning $20,000 for the weakest cases to over $1 million for the strongest. Syngenta previously settled some claims through a $187.5 million agreement in 2021, and an MDL judge approved a qualified settlement fund in 2026 for the latest round. Actual amounts depend on Parkinson's severity, the strength and duration of exposure, and the claimant's age.
The calculator starts with a base value tied to the severity and progression of your Parkinson's disease, then adjusts for the type and duration of paraquat exposure (licensed applicators and farmworkers with documented, repeated exposure score highest), your age (younger claimants generally recover more for lost years), and the strength of the evidence. It adds documented lost income and medical costs to produce a low-to-high range. It is an educational estimate only, not an offer.
Paraquat claims generally involve people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease after meaningful exposure to the herbicide paraquat dichloride, most commonly licensed commercial applicators, farmers, agricultural workers, and those who lived or worked near sprayed fields. Because paraquat is a restricted-use pesticide in the United States, occupational exposure histories are central. Qualifying requires a Parkinson's diagnosis, documented exposure, and a timely claim under the statute of limitations.
A substantial body of research, including studies associated with the National Institutes of Health, has reported an increased risk of Parkinson's disease among people with significant paraquat exposure, and the proposed biological mechanism involves oxidative stress damaging dopamine-producing neurons. The manufacturers dispute that paraquat causes Parkinson's, and the issue is contested in court. The litigation turns on the strength of the scientific and exposure evidence in each case.
Paraquat cases are consolidated in a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL). After earlier resolution of some claims via a 2021 Syngenta agreement, the litigation continued, and in 2026 the MDL court approved a qualified settlement fund to administer a new round of resolutions. As with other mass torts, individual recoveries depend on whether a claim is accepted into a settlement program, its tier within that program, or whether it proceeds toward trial.
Under IRS Publication 4345, compensatory damages received on account of a personal physical injury or physical sickness such as Parkinson's disease are generally not taxable, including amounts for medical expenses and pain and suffering. However, punitive damages and interest are taxable. Confirm the treatment of your specific settlement with a tax professional.
Parkinson's is a progressive disease, and more advanced stages (greater motor impairment, loss of independence, and higher care needs) generally support higher settlement values because the damages, including future medical care and lost earning capacity, are larger. Earlier-stage Parkinson's with milder symptoms typically supports a lower value. The calculator lets you select a severity tier to reflect this.