The most common reason families assume they have no case is that they have no proof. But chlorpyrifos claims are built from public records, third-party documents, and reconstructed histories, not from anything a farmworker family would have kept. The plaintiff’s job is to remember; the firm’s job is to document.
Establishing where you were
Residence history. Every address during pregnancy and the child's early years, with approximate dates. Utility bills, school enrollment, rental records, and tax filings corroborate.
Employment history. Farms, packing houses, labor contractors, and pest control employers, with dates. Pay stubs, W-2s, and Social Security earnings records help. Co-workers can provide statements.
School history. Which schools the child attended and when. Proximity to treated fields is checked against use records.
California's pesticide use reporting system records every commercial application by product, date, quantity, and one-square-mile section. A firm can match your addresses and worksites to what was sprayed, when, and by whom.
Direct2Attorney · Claim GuidanceEstablishing what was sprayed
Public records
Obtained by the firm- County pesticide use reports (California)
- State air monitoring data near schools
- Water system contaminant reports
- Applicator licensing and violation records
Personal recollection
Provided by the family- Crops grown in adjacent fields
- Memories of spraying, smells, or residue
- Any illness after applications
- Photos of the home and surroundings
Establishing the diagnosis
For children: pediatric records, developmental evaluations, school special-education assessments and IEPs, and specialist diagnoses. For adults with Parkinson’s: neurologist records, imaging, and treatment history. Records showing no family history of the condition, and a healthy pregnancy otherwise, strengthen causation. Firms retain experts to connect exposure levels to the diagnosis; treating records simply need to be complete.
What families can do now
Write down the addresses and employers, with years, before memory fades further. Gather whatever school and medical paperwork exists. Ask older relatives what they remember. None of this needs to be complete before a review; it only needs to be started.
What this means if you're considering a claim
Exposure can be proven years later, particularly in states with use reporting. If your family history places you near treated agriculture and there is a qualifying diagnosis, a free review can start the reconstruction and connect you with a participating firm.
Have a rough history and a diagnosis?
That is enough to start. Free, confidential review.
Common Questions
Yes. Co-worker statements, crew leader records, and residence proximity to worksites can substitute for pay records.
Helpful but not required. Providers and schools retain records that a firm can request.
Firms use crop data, applicator records, and expert reconstruction. It is harder but not impossible.
Sometimes. Site investigation is part of case development in some matters.
No. Direct2Attorney’s review is free, and participating law firms typically work on contingency, meaning fees are generally paid only if there is a recovery. Confirm fee terms in writing with the firm.
