If you or a loved one was diagnosed with cancer after exposure to Firefighting Foam or AFFF, you may be entitled to significant compensation. Contact the lawyers at Cory Watson Attorneys for a free case evaluation by calling (877) 562-0000 or completing our online consultation form.
What is Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)?
Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) or Firefighter Foam is a fire suppressant used to extinguish flammable liquid fires such as fuel fires. The foam works by forming a barrier between the fire and the oxygen it requires to burn. Since the 1960s, it has been widely used in firefighting and military facilities and vehicles, ships and shore facilities and these are just some of the industries AFFF is used. Toxic chemicals in some AFFF solutions may increase the risk of serious health conditions, including cancer.
The formula of AFFF was invented by the U.S. Navy and the 3M company in 1967 after a fire on the USS Forrestal killed 134 sailors. The Navy required all its vessels to carry AFFF by the late 1960s and in the 1970s, the Department of Defense started using AFFF at all military installations to fight fuel fires. Airport and other civilian firefighting use continued to expand from that time – in the early 1970’s – until today.
AFFF is used in the U.S. military, and in most civilian applications worldwide, as either a 3% or a 6% concentrate. The numbers refer to the percentage of the foam concentrate mixed with either fresh or sea water by a proportioning nozzle. AFFF is highly toxic, as it contains between 50% and 98% PFAS, a group of over 9,000 toxic chemicals, and both concentrations carry extreme risks for those exposed.
PFAS in AFFF
Even in small amounts, PFAS are harmful. Exposure to these chemicals has a strong connection with many crippling diseases, mainly cancer. Military firefighters, civilian contractors, and civilian/volunteer firefighters are at risk of developing life-threatening illnesses, as they use AFFF often to put out jet fuel and petroleum fires. PFAS also build up in the body of those exposed thereby increasing the toxic dangers and effects.
PFAS are also known as “forever chemicals”, and for a good reason – some of these substances take over a thousand years to break down in the environment, thereby continuing toxic exposure among those who live on military bases or nearby. PFAS also build up in the body of those exposed thereby increasing the toxic dangers and effects. In 2000, 3M stopped manufacturing the fire suppressant, but prior to this, it gained nearly half a Billion dollars every year from selling AFFF.
Why File an AFFF Lawsuit?
Today, the manufacturers that produced and sold the firefighting foams with PFAS are under legal and medical scrutiny. 3M has been aware of the potential health effects of AFFF exposure for decades. Perhaps the clearest evidence that 3M had been aware of the toxicity of PFAS all along is that when selling AFFF to DuPont, the label of the product stated that exposure could result in cancer.
As a result, people are now able to take legal action against these corporations and receive the justice and compensation they deserve. If you have questions about your legal rights, reach out to a dedicated AFFF lawsuit attorney today by filling out the contact form found on this page.
Types of Cancer Linked to AFFF
Major organizations like The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Cancer Society (ACS) and even the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have recognized that certain PFAS chemicals may be linked to cancer. The VA noted that individuals exposed to PFAS in Firefighter Foam can suffer from symptoms ranging from asthma, fertility issues, high blood pressure, fetal and child development changes, an increased risk of thyroid disease, and an increased risk of certain cancers. Those cancers include:
- Kidney Cancer
- Testicular Cancer
- Thyroid Disease (Hypo and Hyperthyroidism)
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Bladder Cancer
- Blood Cancers (Leukemia, Multiple Myeloma, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Hodgkin's Lymphoma)
- Breast Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Thyroid Cancer
- Colon Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer
CURRENT/PENDING LITIGATION:
Since 2018, the Judicial Panel in South Carolina has worked to resolve hundreds of AFFF lawsuits across the country where plaintiffs are alleging that AFFF contains toxic chemicals, such as perfluorooctane acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and that they these companies should have known and warned individuals of the health risks.
How Cory Watson Attorneys Can Help with Your Claim
Cory Watson Attorneys has decades of experience handling thousands of dangerous chemical lawsuits, including a history of successfully handling cases similar to the AFFF litigation. For more than 30 years, Cory Watson has litigated, settled, and worked on large-scale cancer causing toxic exposure cases, including those involving Fortune 500 companies. We’ve represented individual and community plaintiffs who resided in more than a dozen states. Our team of attorneys and legal professionals have experience with the science and medical issues that are critical to these cases.
Cory Watson Attorneys also has a long history of representing military veterans and their families and has thousands of present and former military personnel as clients.
We believe you shouldn’t have to pay for recovering from a medical condition caused by somebody else’s negligence. Our legal team is ready to help you get the compensation you deserve for the suffering you have gone through.
ABOUT CORY WATSON ATTORNEYS
Cory Watson Attorneys is a nationally recognized personal injury law firm with offices in Birmingham, Alabama as well as Memphis, and Nashville, Tennessee. The firm has recovered more than $4 Billion for clients across the country. Cory Watson Attorneys are frequently at the forefront of major class actions and multidistrict litigations involving environmental contamination cases or product liability related to serious injuries from defective products and are often appointed to leadership positions in national cases. Firm practice areas include Personal Injury, Product Liability, Class Action, Asbestos, Business & Commercial Litigation, Dangerous Pharmaceuticals, Defective Medical Devices, and Environmental/Toxic Torts.