It is happening.
A Virginia Teen Suffered Third Degree Burns After Encountering a Giant Hogweed Plant
Found out recently that we have this crap in Oregon now too. At least it’s large, you can see it and avoid it–unlike freaking poison oak that can grow in about five different patterns and likes to hide in grass and brush.
I found out a couple of years ago that lemon and lime juices can cause the same sort of injury, i.e. phytophotodermatitis. Supposedly it requires exposure to the plant juice followed by exposure to sunlight.
From what I’ve heard, they are immune to our herbicidal battering.
From looking at the photo of the flowers, it looks like it could be mistaken for Queen Anne’s Lace, a harmless plant that grows to about 3 feet tall.
The hogweed is much larger. Heracleum mantegazzianum - Wikipedia