It is estimated that as of 2005 there are over 10,000 litigants in welding rod cases that are related to the development of Parkinson's Disease or symptoms similar to the disorder. Since the delay in developing the conditions is up to 50 years, it is anticipated that this number will continue to grow each year.

Manganese poisoning can cause symptoms very similar to those of Parkinson's disease: shuffling gait, slow movement, tremors, and the like. If you're diagnosed with Parkinson's and have worked around manganese products, you may have a basis for a lawsuit against an employer or manufacturer for not warning you about or protecting you from manganese poisoning.

If your medicines for Parkinson's disease just don't seem to help, there's a possibility that you have a related but different ailment called manganism. If you were a welder, steel worker, or manganese miner, you should let your doctor know and have the diagnosis re-examined.