Defective Pesticides & Spray Drift Lawyer

Name: Defective Pesticides & Spray Drift
Brand: McMath Woods P.A.
Rating: 4.5 (39 reviews)

Pesticides are commonly used throughout the United States for a variety of reasons. “Pesticide” refers to insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, disinfectants, and other substances. We use chemicals like these to kill or repel insects, animals, and plants that may damage crops, invade buildings, or spread diseases to humans. When correctly used, these chemicals offer a variety of benefits. Crop production has the potential to increase, insect infestations can be combated, and exotic species can be controlled. With that in mind, it’s also important to recognize these chemicals can be incredibly dangerous.

Pesticides and Exposure to Poisons

According to the National Environmental Public Health Tracking reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1.1 billion pounds of pesticide-active ingredients are used annually, with 20,000 products on the market. In 2012, pesticides were the tenth leading cause of poisoning exposure. If you have reason to believe that your crops or property was harmed by defective pesticides or spray drift, we encourage you to get in touch with the defective pesticides and spray drift lawyers from McMath Woods P.A. today. Legal recourse may be an option.

Groundwater and Food Contamination

Exposure to pesticides occurs in homes, schools, hospitals, and workplaces. Many people purchase insect repellents, cleaning products, and weed killers—all of which may contain pesticides. In some instances, because of the widespread use of pesticides in agriculture, individuals are exposed to low levels of these chemicals in foods and contaminated groundwater.

Common Types of Pesticides

Of the thousands of pesticides on the market, three types of chemicals make up the vast majority.

Carbamates. A carbamate is a chemical often found in insecticide sprays for cockroaches, ants, fleas, and other bugs.
Organophosphates. These chemicals are used in herbicides and insecticides. They are used to kill a wide variety of plants and insects.
Pyrethrins/Pyrethroids. Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are often found in household insect sprays. Their primary purpose is to kill plant-eating insects.

The Consequences of Pesticide Exposure

Exposure to pesticides can occur in a variety of ways. Now, we need to look at the consequences of that exposure. If you believe you may be suffering from pesticide exposure, you should contact the Arkansas Poison and Drug Information Center and seek medical attention. The most common side effects of pesticide exposure are eye and skin irritations like burning, itching, and rash. Side effects include respiratory tract irritation, nausea and vomiting, headaches, or weakness. In more serious cases, individuals may experience birth abnormalities, miscarriages, decreased birth weight, and a host of fertility problems for both men and women. Long-term exposure to pesticides can result in serious illnesses and conditions. Some include:

Parkinson’s disease
Asthma
Depression and anxiety
Cancers like Leukemia and non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Now that we’ve examined the types of common pesticides and their health consequences, we need to discuss how these pesticides make people ill.

Defective Pesticides and Spray Drift Damage

There’s often no way to know ahead of time if the pesticide you’re using is defective. Most defects are related to the design or manufacturing. Exposure can occur when pesticide residue remains on the foods you come into contact with or consume. Spray drift damage occurs when various pesticides are applied to a section of crops, and the substance drifts to the neighboring property owners. To hold the negligent party accountable for the spray drift, you’ll want to collect as much of the following information as you can:

Photographs of the damaged crops
A sample of the damaged crops
Documentation of wind speed and direction
Temperature reports
Statements from witnesses who may have seen the initial application

If a negligent party was spraying pesticides illegally, the Arkansas Agriculture Department will want to investigate to determine what is really happening. There can be serious consequences associated with the illegal use of pesticides in Arkansas. It’s important to know that while mistakes are made and individuals are wrongfully injured, there are laws and regulations in place at both the federal and state levels to attempt to reduce the injuries sustained from pesticides.

Pesticide Regulations in Arkansas

In conjunction with the EPA’s federal pesticide regulations, Arkansas Agriculture Department (AAD) establishes state laws for the proper manufacturing, distribution, and use of pesticides. Their regulations and enforcements address aerial pesticide use, pesticide storage, recordkeeping, security concerns, how to file a misuse complaint, and the Arkansas Pesticide Control Act and Regulations.

The AAD’s Enforcement Response Regulations establish how the AAD conducts routine inspections for pesticide dealers and commercial applicators. They also issue enforcement actions when the laws and regulations are violated. They are also involved in monitoring groundwater for contamination and pesticides.

Getting Help from an Arkansas Defective Pesticides & Spray Drift Lawyer

In the event that you’ve been injured or suffered a serious health risk due to pesticide exposure, or your land or crops have been damaged, our defective pesticide and spray drift lawyers are ready to represent you. McMath Woods is the firm that other attorneys call on to resolve the most challenging environmental cases. With McMath Woods, you will be represented by a premier environmental law attorney, who will work directly with you at every step of the claim or lawsuit. We have decades of experience navigating the complex area of environmental law and are prepared to put the time in to get you the compensation you may be entitled to. Contact our law firm today to evaluate your claim.