Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP

Imprelis Lawn Chemical and Tree Deaths

Imprelis is the brand name of a herbicide sold by DuPont Professional Products, a division of DuPont De Nemours & Company. DuPont marketed Imprelis as an environmentally friendly alternative to the commonly used 2,4-D herbicide. Just weeks after Imprelis' introduction to the market in late 2010, however, complaints of tree damage began to surface. Property owners reported curling needles, severe browning, and dieback in trees near turf that had been treated with Imprelis. Affected trees included the evergreens Norway Spruce, White Pine, and Balsam Fir.

On August 11, 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") banned the sale of Imprelis.

Imprelis Lawsuit: Nationwide Imprelis Class Action Complaint Filed

On July 18, 2011, a Pennsylvania homeowner and an Indiana golf course company represented by Lieff Cabraser and co-counsel filed a nationwide class action lawsuit against E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company ("DuPont”), charging that DuPont’s herbicide Imprelis is causing widespread death among trees and other non-targeted vegetation across the country.

The complaint charges that DuPont failed to disclose the risks Imprelis poses to trees, even when applied as directed, and failed to provide instructions for the safe application of Imprelis. The relief plaintiffs seek for themselves and the proposed class includes compensation for the cost of replacing trees that have died or are dying and an injunction barring DuPont from continuing to sell Imprelis.

Litigation Update

All of the Imprelis lawsuits filed in federal court have been transferred to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, located in Philadelphia, and assigned to Judge Gene E.K. Pratter for pretrial proceedings. The cases are referred to as: In re Imprelis® Herbicide Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 11-md-2284 (E.D. Pa.).

What To Do If Your Trees Have Been Damaged: Important Notice on Preservation of Evidence

We recommend several steps property owners should take to preserve the evidence of the damage to their trees. You should take soil and foliage samples that can be analyzed later to show the presence of Imprelis, as well as take detailed photographs of the dead or damaged trees. Please click this link to read the notice.

Contact Lieff Cabraser

If you have suffered damage to trees on your property after the spraying of Imprelis on your lawn, we are interested in learning about your experience. You may also call us toll-free at 1-888-321-1510 and request to speak to attorney Jason Lichtman.

There is no charge or obligation for our review of your case.

About Lieff Cabraser

Lieff Cabraser possesses the expertise and financial resources to thoroughly investigate environmental cases and hold the defendants accountable. We have successfully prosecuted cases against many of the world’s most powerful corporations, obtaining compensation for families and property owners harmed by toxic environmental exposures, industrial accidents, and oil spills.

Our experience includes representing 1,500 Louisiana crawfish farmers who sued Bayer CropScience LP claiming the pesticide ICON killed their crawfish and caused economic ruin. In 2004, the Court approved a $45 million settlement of the case. In the Exxon Valdez Oil Disaster, we served as co-counsel for thousands of fishermen, landowners, and others whose livelihoods were gravely harmed when the Exxon Valdez ran aground in March 1989.

Today we are representing individuals, property owners, and business owners in litigation against BP and the other companies involved in drilling at and explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. We also represent property owners affected by a spill of more than a billion gallons of coal fly ash at a coal plant in Eastern Tennessee.

Trademark Notice

Imprelis is a registered trademark of DuPont De Nemours & Company and used solely for product identification and informational purposes. Lieff Cabraser is in no way affiliated with DuPont.