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What Is Chlorpyrifos — And Why Is It Dangerous?
The Chemical Behind Decades of Harm
Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide that was first registered for use in the United States in 1965. Marketed under brand names including Lorsban, Dursban, Govern, Bolton, Stallion, Yuma, Cobalt Advanced, Hatchet, Vulcan, Warhawk, and Whirlwind, it became a go-to solution for controlling pests on corn, soybeans, citrus, apples, and other crops.
For years, it was also used in homes and schools — sold over the counter as Dursban — meaning millions of Americans were exposed not just in fields, but in their own living rooms.
The EPA began restricting residential use in 2001, but agricultural use continued for two more decades. In 2021, the EPA announced a final rule banning food crop use entirely — only for that ruling to be reversed by a federal court. As of 2026, regulatory battles over chlorpyrifos continue, but the lawsuits have already begun.
How Does Chlorpyrifos Cause Brain Damage?
Chlorpyrifos works by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase — an enzyme critical to normal nerve function. When this enzyme is suppressed, signals between nerve cells misfire. In adults, long-term disruption of this process has been linked to Parkinson’s disease. In developing fetuses and young children, whose nervous systems are far more vulnerable, even low levels of exposure have been connected to lasting neurological harm.
A landmark series of studies from Columbia University, UC Berkeley, and Mount Sinai tracked children from before birth. Researchers found that children with higher prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos showed:
Increased developmental delays and learning disabilities
In December 2025, researchers at UCLA published a study in Molecular Neurodegeneration showing that long-term residential exposure to chlorpyrifos was associated with more than a 2.5× increase in the risk of Parkinson’s disease — adding a powerful new legal theory to an already growing wave of litigation.
At Direct2Attorney, we believe in your right to justice.
Our legal specialists will review your case thoroughly to identify your options.
We will assess your eligibility and assist you in filing your case, ensuring you feel supported throughout the process.
Chlorpyrifos litigation is currently being pursued on two distinct tracks, each with its own qualifying criteria. Understanding which track applies to your situation is the first step toward knowing whether you may have a viable claim.
This track is for children who were exposed to chlorpyrifos before birth or in early childhood and later received a diagnosis of a qualifying neurodevelopmental condition.
You may qualify if:.
This track is for adults who had sustained, documented exposure to chlorpyrifos and were later diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
You may qualify if:
Other neurological conditions linked to chlorpyrifos — including peripheral neuropathy and cognitive decline — are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Whether your case falls on the children’s or adult track, having the right documentation makes a significant difference. Consider gathering.
Chlorpyrifos litigation is active and growing but early-stage as of 2026. Individual lawsuits have been filed in California and in Pennsylvania federal court. While no MDL (multidistrict litigation) has been consolidated at the federal level yet, legal experts are watching closely for that development — which, when it comes, typically accelerates both case filings and settlement activity.
Potential compensation in toxic tort cases of this nature may include:
If you’ve experienced health issues due to Chlorpyrifos exposure, we are here to help you secure the compensation you deserve. Contact Us
How Direct2Attorney Can Help You Take the Next Step
What we do is remove the friction between you and the attorneys who can actually evaluate your chlorpyrifos claim. Toxic tort cases like this one require specialized legal expertise, and the participating law firms in our network focus exactly on cases like yours.
Here’s how the process works:
Step 1 — Submit Your Information Fill out our secure, confidential intake form. It takes about two minutes. You’ll share basic details about your exposure history and your diagnosis (or your child’s diagnosis).
Step 2 — Initial Screening Review Your information is reviewed against the basic qualifying criteria for chlorpyrifos claims — exposure type, diagnosis, and timeline.
Step 3 — Connection with a Participating Law Firm If your inquiry meets the initial criteria, your information may be shared with a participating law firm that handles toxic pesticide injury cases. They will contact you to conduct a full, no-cost case evaluation.
Step 4 — Your Case Review The law firm will assess your specific facts — exposure, diagnosis, records, and timeline — and advise you on your options. There is no obligation and no upfront cost to you.
Chlorpyrifos claims are governed by statutes of limitations that vary by state. Most states apply a discovery rule — meaning the clock starts when you reasonably connected your diagnosis to chlorpyrifos exposure, not from the date of exposure itself. But that window is not unlimited.
As litigation develops and more claims are filed, firms that have been building their dockets since 2025–2026 will be in the strongest position. Waiting does not improve your claim — it often weakens it.
If you believe you or your child was harmed by chlorpyrifos exposure, there is no reason to wait.
Tens of thousands of families — farmworkers, rural residents, agricultural workers and their children — were never told the truth about what chlorpyrifos could do. Corteva and Dow Chemical knew what the science was showing. The EPA fought for years to restrict this chemical. Yet exposure continued, diagnoses mounted, and families were left without answers.
Filing a claim won’t undo the harm. But it puts legal pressure on the corporations responsible, it pursues compensation that families genuinely need, and it contributes to a public record that protects future generations.
A chlorpyrifos lawsuit is a legal claim filed against Corteva Agriscience, Dow Chemical Company, or FMC Corporation by individuals alleging that exposure to chlorpyrifos — a widely used organophosphate insecticide — caused serious health injuries including Parkinson’s disease in adults or neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and ADHD in children exposed before birth or in early childhood.
Scientific research — including major studies from Columbia University, UC Berkeley, and UCLA — has linked chlorpyrifos exposure to: Parkinson’s disease in adults with long-term exposure; autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, intellectual disabilities, learning disorders, and cognitive delays in children exposed prenatally or in early childhood.
There are two main eligibility tracks. Adults who worked as farmworkers, pesticide applicators, or lived near treated agricultural fields and were later diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease may qualify. Parents of children diagnosed with autism, ADHD, or other neurodevelopmental conditions following prenatal or early-childhood chlorpyrifos exposure may also qualify. Documented evidence of both exposure and diagnosis is required.
Chlorpyrifos was sold under many brand names including Lorsban, Dursban, Bolton, Stallion, Govern, Hatchet, Vulcan, Warhawk, Whirlwind, Yuma, Cobalt Advanced, and Duret. Dursban was available as a residential product until 2001. Agricultural use continued in the United States through at least 2021.
The primary defendants are Corteva Agriscience (the agricultural spinoff of Dow Chemical and DuPont), Dow Chemical Company, and in some cases FMC Corporation. Plaintiffs allege these companies manufactured, marketed, and distributed chlorpyrifos while knowing or having reason to know of its neurotoxic risks.
The deadline to file varies by state. Most states apply a discovery rule, meaning the clock starts when you reasonably connected your diagnosis to chlorpyrifos exposure — not from the date of first exposure. Because these deadlines are strict and vary widely, consulting with a participating law firm as soon as possible is strongly recommended.
No. Through Direct2Attorney, you can submit your information for a free, no-obligation case review. If your inquiry meets the initial criteria, a participating law firm will contact you. You pay nothing out of pocket to explore your options — most toxic tort attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only get paid if you recover compensation.
