Wisner Baum has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a Los Angeles County man who alleges years of chlorpyrifos exposure from neighboring commercial nurseries contributed to his early-onset Parkinson’s disease. The complaint names three pesticide companies and three commercial nurseries, alleging that the manufacturers failed to investigate and disclose the neurological risks of chlorpyrifos, and that the nurseries failed to protect nearby residents from exposure.
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Wisner Baum LLP has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against The Dow Chemical Company and Corteva, alleging the companies manufactured and sold the pesticide chlorpyrifos while failing to adequately study and disclose its link to Parkinson’s disease. The firm represents a Los Angeles County man who was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease after years of living next to commercial nurseries that allegedly sprayed chlorpyrifos.
The complaint names pesticide companies Corteva, Inc., Corteva Agriscience LLC, and The Dow Chemical Company, which it alleges designed, manufactured, marketed, sold or distributed chlorpyrifos products. According to the complaint, Dow developed chlorpyrifos in the 1950s, and Dow and its affiliated businesses became major manufacturers and sellers of the pesticide in the United States. Corteva announced in February 2020 that it would phase out production of its chlorpyrifos products. The complaint also names three commercial nurseries alleged to have applied chlorpyrifos near the plaintiff’s residences: Abeja Nursery, Azul & Verde Nursery, and ABC Nursery, Inc.
“Chlorpyrifos manufacturers had decades to study what this chemical does to the human nervous system,” said Sasha Shariati, a Wisner Baum attorney representing the plaintiff. “This lawsuit seeks to hold them accountable for what they knew and what they chose not to tell the public.”
Alleged Failure to Warn and Take Precautions
According to the complaint, chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide that can affect the nervous system. The lawsuit alleges the pesticide companies failed to adequately test for long-term neurological effects, disclose relevant health information, or communicate risks through advertising, training, sales, and other channels outside EPA-approved product labels. It further claims chlorpyrifos was defectively designed and the companies failed to adopt feasible safer designs or formulations.
The complaint also alleges the nursery defendants failed to take reasonable steps to limit pesticide drift and other off-site exposure, maintain adequate buffers and application controls, or notify nearby residents about applications.
The complaint cites scientific and epidemiological research that it says supports a relationship between chlorpyrifos exposure and Parkinson’s disease, and alleges that safer pesticide alternatives were available during the period of exposure.
“People living near pesticide applications should not have to guess what is being sprayed or whether it could affect their health,” said Shariati. “This case will examine what the defendants knew, how they communicated about chlorpyrifos, and whether reasonable precautions could have reduced exposure to nearby residents.”
Years of Alleged Drift Exposure
The complaint alleges that the plaintiff was exposed to chlorpyrifos from approximately 2003 to 2020 while living near commercial nursery operations in Los Angeles County. From 2003 to 2013, his residence was about 20 feet from one nursery, with no barrier between the properties. From 2017 to 2022, his backyard fence directly bordered another nursery.
The lawsuit brings claims under California law for negligent failure to warn, negligent design and strict liability design defect against the pesticide companies, general negligence against all defendants, and trespass against the nurseries. It seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
Chlorpyrifos Under Global Scrutiny
California moved to end nearly all sales and use of chlorpyrifos by 2020. The European Union has withdrawn its approval of the pesticide, and a global elimination listing under the Stockholm Convention is scheduled to take effect in December 2026.
Wisner Baum’s Pesticide Litigation Experience
Wisner Baum has spent years holding chemical manufacturers accountable for the health effects of their products. Firm partner R. Brent Wisner served as co-lead trial counsel in Johnson v. Monsanto, the first Roundup cancer case to go to trial, which resulted in a landmark jury verdict.
The firm is evaluating claims from people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after exposure or possible exposure to chlorpyrifos.
About Wisner Baum
Wisner Baum is a plaintiffs’ law firm representing individuals harmed by corporate misconduct, dangerous products, and environmental exposure. For more information, visit www.wisnerbaum.com.
References
- Michael Sargent v. Corteva, Inc., et al., Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. 26STCV34705
- Hasan, K. M. M., Barnhill, L. M., Paul, K. C., Peng, C., Zeiger, W., Ritz, B., Arellano, M., Ajnassian, M., Zhang, S., Theint, A. T., Elezi, G., Weinberger, H., Whitelegge, J. P., Bai, Q., Li, S., Burton, E. A., & Bronstein, J. M. (2025). The pesticide chlorpyrifos increases the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Molecular Neurodegeneration, 21, Article 3.
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