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How to Know If You Qualify For the AFFF Lawsuit 

 October 11, 2022

Aqueous film-forming foam, sometimes referred to as firefighting foam or AFFF, is a foam that firefighters use to extinguish fires. It has been in use since the 1960s, especially in the military and at airports. Firefighting foam is created using perilous substances known as PFAS.

The AFFF Lawsuit is open to active and former firefighters who were exposed to the chemical foam. The plaintiffs in this lawsuit can allege that they were not given proper safety gear when they went down there, which led to them getting sick from exposure.

Veterans from the United States who served and were exposed to asbestos or AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) are at cancer risk. Mesothelioma, a fatal cancer that attacks the lining of important organs, and other illnesses can result from asbestos exposure. Cancer may develop in the liver, bladder, thyroid, or in other organs as a result of AFFF exposure.

The claim also states that the defendants knew about the health risks associated with exposure but did nothing about it. The District of South Carolina has joined all of the federal courts’ AFFF firefighting foam litigation to form a “class action” MDL. As of August 2022, there are approximately 2,500 plaintiffs with firefighting foam cancer cases pending in the AFFF MDL. The AFFF class action MDL will hopefully conclude with a global settlement following bellwether test trials.

However, firefighters who were consistently exposed to the PFAS chemicals in AFFF may develop a variety of cancers. You could be entitled to compensation in a firefighting foam lawsuit if you believe that exposure to PFAS chemicals led to the development of your cancer.

AFFF Lawsuits and Firefighting Foam

The AFFF lawsuit is a class action lawsuit that was brought against the manufacturers of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) used in firefighting foam. Firefighters were exposed to PFCs when they used AFFF foam to put out fires, which resulted in serious health issues, including cancer.

Firefighting Foam (AFFF) Lawsuit Amounts

The amount of your settlement will depend on the severity of your injuries. It could range between $25,000 and $1 million. The more severe the injury, the higher your settlement will be.

For example, if you have been diagnosed with cancer or other serious illness from exposure to AFFF foam at Camp Pendleton, then your lawsuit may yield a higher settlement amount than someone who has developed asthma from exposure to AFFF foam at Camp Pendleton.

The amount of time that you were exposed to AFFF also plays into determining how much money you could receive in compensation. If you were exposed for longer periods of time or had multiple exposures during deployment, then it is likely that your compensation will be higher than someone who only had one brief exposure during deployment.

Does Firefighting Foam (AFFF) Cause Cancer?

Firefighting foam (AFFF) is a fluorosurfactant that is used to put out fires. The problem is that it can contain PFAS, which is linked to cancer. Aqueous film-forming foam, often known as AFFF, is a sprayable kind of foam that is intended to put out high-intensity flames that are started by accelerants like gasoline. The active ingredients in AFFF firefighting foam are members of the PFAS chemical family (poly-fluoroalkyl substances).

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), “some people who had high exposure to PFAS chemicals have developed testicular cancer, kidney cancer and ulcerative colitis (inflammatory bowel disease).”

Do You Qualify for a Firefighting Foam Lawsuit?

The AFFF Lawsuit is for anyone who was exposed to firefighting foam and has been diagnosed with cancer. If you were not diagnosed with cancer after being exposed to the chemical, you do not qualify for the AFFF Lawsuit.

To determine if your case qualifies for a lawsuit under CERCLA, follow these steps:

  • Read what happened in your case.
  • Find out if you got sick from contact with the chemicals from AFFF that were released into the environment or through exposure while cleaning up a spill or firefighting operation involving AFFF (this may have occurred before 1990).

Exposure to Firefighting Foam

AFFF is an abbreviation for firefighting foam used to put out fires. This foam contains roughly two chemicals, PFOS and PFOA. Both of these chemicals have been found to be harmful to human health when ingested or inhaled, and they’re commonly found in AFFF.

If you were exposed to the foam while working as a firefighter, you might have been exposed to dangerous amounts of these chemicals.

Cancer and AFFF

The PFAS linger in the body for years after AFFF exposure. The term “eternal chemicals” is used to describe them. Cancer may develop over time as they continue to accumulate in the tissues.

The following cancers have been associated with AFFF:

  • Bladder
  • Lymphoma of Hodgkin
  • Kidney Leukemia
  • a number of myelomas
  • neuropathic tumors
  • thyroid, pancreatic, testicular, and other conditions

 

AFFF also contributes to other diseases and conditions besides cancer. Those who have been exposed may have problems getting pregnant, or their offspring may be born with deformities. Immune suppression and liver damage are potential side effects.

Risk Factors for Exposure to AFFF

Not just firefighters, service members, and others present at chemical fire scenes when AFFF was used are at risk for developing cancer. The same goes for people who live close to locations where AFFF was used or stored, like present-day or previous military bases or aviation facilities.

According to data cited by the EPA, workers and people who live close to facilities that use or generate PFASs had higher blood serum concentrations of PFOS and PFOA than the general population. Numerous studies have discovered that firefighters’ blood contains PFASs at levels that are noticeably greater than those of the general population, frequently up to three times higher.

Know What Your Rights Are

If you have been exposed to firefighting foam, it is important to know that you may be eligible for compensation. Contact a lawyer for help in determining if you qualify for AFFF lawsuit compensation. If you are suffering from cancer or want to find out what your rights are after being exposed to AFFF, contact a lawyer as soon as possible.

Many firefighters use firefighting foam, but there are also people who have been exposed to the chemicals in this foam. Suppose you fall into either category and have noticed signs of cancer or just want to know what your rights are when it comes to filing a lawsuit. In that case, it’s important that you speak with an attorney as soon as possible.

 

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