Since the 1960s, firefighters use a specific foam full of chemicals known as PFAS or PRFOS. Research indicates that PFAS can cause a range of cancers and other injuries.
About Firefighting Foam and Cancer
For decades, firefighters including those stationed at military bases and airports used chemical-based foam due to effectiveness in extinguishing jet fuel and petroleum fires. Known as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), manufacturers make this product with the toxic chemicals, PFOS and PFAS.
The CDC and EPA reported that PFOS and PFAS are linked to various health conditions, including cancer and stunted growth in children. Many municipal fire departments have ceased using firefighting foam containing PFAS, but military bases throughout the country continue to use the dangerous foam. Plus, these chemicals can enter local groundwater and contaminate water supplies.
Cancers Associated with PFAS
Firefighters both civilian and military used the foam for over 60 years. Even firefighters at airports used the foam until 2018. In 2018, the Federal Airport Administration (FAA) required airports to use PFA-containing foam following U.S. Navy guidelines.
The U.S. Navy and other branches of the military have used firefighting foam since the 1960s. This includes training exercises and non-critical missions due to the ability to extinguish jet fuels. The military is currently seeking alternative foams. However, the damage has already been done.
The injuries caused by PFAS are:
- Kidney damage (kidney cancer, chronic kidney disease or acute kidney failure)
- Testicular cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Infertility
PFAS does not break down, and the chemical could be in the body for years.
Lawsuit Update
There are more than 100 lawsuits involving AFFS in the United States. They are centralized in the District of South Carolina (Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (AFFF) Products Liability Litigation MDL No. 2873). Defendants in the case include 3M, DuPont, Tyco/Chemguard and Kidde, the US government, and a number of federal entities. All are being blamed for producing these foams or using them.
Municipal and private water utilities, local authorities, and even industrial plants from all over the United States are fighting back. Not only are they needing damages for personal injury property damage, but also the cost to remedy areas affected by AFFF contamination.
The case is moving forward as of May 1, 2020, the court received updates to discovery in the case.
Your Rights
When manufacturers produce unsafe products that create pain and suffering, you deserve compensation. Although no amount of money will change the fact that you have suffered a serious injury because of manufacturer irresponsibility, compensation will help offset your current and future medical costs, as well as provide for the pain and suffering you have experienced. By filing, you may also help protect other women and their families from needless distress.
We Want to Help Victims
Furthermore, it is your right for manufacturers to inform you about the long-term risks associated with the medical devices, and it is the responsibility of manufacturers to provide this information. If you or a loved one has suffered cancer from using firefighting foam, you should demand accountability. Why did no one tell you?
Of course, we want to help send a message that this is not acceptable. We are advocates for consumers who have been harmed by dangerous products, and likewise, we have the experience necessary to successfully litigate these cases.
Contact the Michael Brady Lynch Firm today for a free consultation to learn more about seeking justice. Compensation may be available for any medical expenses associated with this ordeal, as well as for your physical and emotional suffering. There is no obligation.
How We Can Help
When you experience side effects from a dangerous drug, it can have devastating effects on your entire life. You also may be entitled to compensation for their injuries and damages. The types of losses we can help you recover include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of an ability to work; and Pain and suffering
If a person dies from complications from a drug, family members may be able to recover damages for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:
- Funeral expenses
- Medical expenses prior to death
- Loss of economic support; and
- Loss of companionship
Therefore, if the conduct of a company is found to be highly reckless, punitive damages may be awarded to punish the company and deter similar conduct in the future. If you or a loved one are a firefighter, have been exposed to these foams, and later diagnosed with kidney, testicular, or pancreatic cancer, contact us. You may be able to receive financial compensation for your injuries.
The Michael Brady Lynch Firm is currently accepting cases in all 50 states. Please call toll-free 24 hours a day at 877-513-9517.