InvestigationsDacthal (DCPA)
The pesticide the EPA pulled overnight.
In August 2024, the EPA issued its first emergency pesticide suspension in almost 40 years — for Dacthal (DCPA), used on broccoli, cabbage, onions, and other vegetables — citing serious risks to the thyroid development of babies whose mothers were exposed during pregnancy. Blueshoe is investigating claims for farmworker families, including in Arizona's Yuma growing region, where much of America's winter produce is picked. Hablamos español.
WHAT WE ARE INVESTIGATING
The EPA acted in an emergency. The families exposed for years deserve answers.
These are the regulatory findings and developing claims this investigation builds on.
Why did the EPA suspend Dacthal?
The EPA found that unborn babies of pregnant women exposed to DCPA — often farmworkers in or near treated fields — faced thyroid hormone disruption linked to low birth weight, impaired brain development, and irreversible lifelong harm, sometimes at exposure levels far below what the manufacturer's data had suggested was safe. It was the agency's first emergency suspension since the 1980s.
Who was exposed?
Primarily farmworkers who planted, weeded, thinned, or harvested in treated fields — including workers who reentered fields sooner than label rules allowed — plus mixers, loaders, applicators, and families living near treated acreage. Dacthal was used on cole crops and onions grown across the country, including Arizona's Yuma region, the winter vegetable capital of the U.S.
What claims are being investigated?
Investigations center on the manufacturer's decades of incomplete safety data — the EPA cited years of missing studies before the suspension. Potential claims include failure to warn and defective product claims for children born with thyroid-related conditions after prenatal exposure. No consolidated litigation exists yet; this is the earliest stage, which is when documentation matters most.
WHO MAY QUALIFY
You may be eligible to have your potential claim evaluated if:
Criteria for this early-stage investigation — bilingual intake available, and every submission is evaluated free.
Pregnancy-time field work
You (or your partner) worked in or near vegetable fields — planting, weeding, thinning, harvesting — while pregnant, especially cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts) or onions.
A child with thyroid-related harm
Your child was born with low birth weight, a thyroid condition, or developmental delays after prenatal exposure to treated fields.
Handler or applicator exposure
You mixed, loaded, or applied Dacthal/DCPA products, or worked as an applicator in regions where they were used.
Yuma & Arizona growing regions
Worked the Yuma winter vegetable season or other Arizona produce regions in the years before the 2024 suspension — Blueshoe is an Arizona firm, and this is our backyard.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CONTACT US
Four steps. No surprises.
Short questionnaire
You share contact information and basic facts only — no detailed medical records or narratives at this stage.
Conflicts check
We confirm the firm can ethically evaluate your potential claim.
Investigation agreement
If your information meets the criteria, we may offer a limited-scope investigation agreement — an agreement for us to investigate and evaluate a potential claim. Signing it does not mean a lawsuit has been or will be filed.
Next steps, together
If and when a viable claim is developed, we contact you to discuss next steps — which may include associating with a lawyer licensed in your state.
No fee unless you recover
There is no cost to submit your information. If we agree to represent you, representation is on a contingency-fee basis — no attorneys’ fee unless there is a recovery. You may remain responsible for costs in some circumstances; the written agreement controls.
Common questions
Sí. Puede enviar su información en español y nuestro equipo le responderá en su idioma. La evaluación es gratuita y confidencial, y su estatus migratorio no le impide buscar respuestas legales.
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Related pages
Legally reviewed by Catherine O’Grady, State Bar of Arizona No. 011647
Managing partner & chief compliance officer · 30+ years in practice · Reviewed July 2026 · Full bio →
Required disclosures
Attorney Advertising. This page is a communication about legal services from Blueshoe Legal Services PLLC, 5227 N 7th St #94743, Phoenix, AZ 85014. Responsible attorney: Catherine O'Grady, licensed in Arizona. Blueshoe's attorneys are licensed only in the jurisdictions listed on this site. This page is not legal advice.
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