Firefighter Foam Cancer Attorneys

Did you develop cancer due to exposure to AFFF? If so, Attorney Tom wants to hear from you right away. We represent firefighters, military veterans, and first responders who’ve developed an illness due to exposure on the job, and we’re committed to getting you the maximum amount of compensation possible for your claim.

Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) is a firefighting suppressant that rapidly extinguishes hydrocarbon fuel fires. As the Interstate Technology Regulatory Council (ITRC)notes, the two major classes of firefighting foams are Class A foams developed for fighting wildfires and Class B foams designed to extinguish flammable and combustible liquids and gases.

AFFF foams contain fluorosurfactants, and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are the active ingredients in fluorosurfactants. PFAS have seeped into the water, and research has connected the chemicals to multiple kinds of health problems.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG)has an interactive map of AFFF contamination that includes no less than 610 locations in 43 states. One of the groups of people most at risk of possible consequences of PFAS exposure can be the firefighters involved in battling many of these blazes.

If you or your loved one are dealing with cancer or another illness that you developed due to exposure to AFFF, contact the firefighter foam cancer lawyers with Attorney Tom as soon as possible. Our firm will not charge you anything until we secure compensation for you. We will discuss your rights and the compensation you could be entitled to when you schedule your 100% FREE consultation by calling  (713) 244-6363.

AFFF Side Effects

When a person is exposed to PFAS such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), it can result in many different kinds of illnesses. Some of the different ailments victims might suffer include, but are not limited to:

• kidney cancer
• testicular cancer
• bladder cancer
• prostate cancer
• pancreatic cancer
• immune dysfunction
• reproductive dysfunction
• hormonal dysfunction
• lymphoma
• leukemia

In addition to firefighters, military veterans and residents living nearby contaminated sites could also have legal claims against manufacturers involved in these cases. AFFF is often used when there is a significant flammable liquid hazard such as in chemical plants, flammable liquid storage and processing facilities, merchant operations such as oil tankers and offshore platforms, municipal services such as fire departments and firefighting training centers, oil refineries, terminals, and bulk fuel storage farms, aviation operations such as aircraft rescue and firefighting and hangars, and military facilities.

On May 14, 2019, the New Jersey Attorney General issued a press release announcing that the State had filed a lawsuit against companies for manufacturing and selling firefighting foam products in New Jersey for decades despite knowing the products released toxic and harmful chemicals into the environment. The named defendants included the 3M Company, Tyco Fire Products LP, Chemguard, Inc., Buckeye Fire Equipment Company, Kidde-Fenwal, Inc., National Foam, Inc., E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, and The Chemours Company.

A little more than two weeks later, the New Hampshire Governor, Attorney General, and DES Commissioner announced they were filing two lawsuits against companies for the manufacturing and dissemination of PFAS in New Hampshire. 3M, DuPont, the Chemours Company as well as Chemguard Inc., Tyco Fire Products LP, Buckeye Fire Equipment Company, Kidde-Fenwal Inc., and National Foam Inc. were named as defendants, but 3M, DuPont, and the Chemours Company are the only three companies named in both lawsuits.

The New Jersey complaint claimed that perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) released from AFFF contaminated groundwater and surface water in the state. The New Hampshire lawsuits seek damages for contamination of the state’s natural resources with four different PFAS substances: PFOA, PFOS, perfluorooctanoate (PFNA), and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS).

In February 2019, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)announced its PFAS Action Plan. The plan provides short-term solutions and long-term strategies to address PFAS, offers a multi-media, multi-program, national research, and risk communication plan to address PFAS, and responds to public input during the PFAS National Leadership Summit, community engagements, and the public docket.

In addition to the development of the plan, the EPA also states that it has hosted a National Leadership Summit and traveled to states affected by PFAS. The EPA also released its Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFOS/PFOA, developed a laboratory method for measuring PFAS in drinking water, expanded the current drinking water method to include GenX chemicals and additional PFAS, and conducted monitoring for PFAS in drinking water under the third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule.

The EPA also created a PFOA Stewardship Program to phase out manufacturing of PFOA and developed interim recommendations for addressing groundwater contaminated with PFOA and PFOS. The agency stated it updated its EPA Drinking Water Treatability Database for multiple PFAS.

AFFF Cancer Claims

When a firefighter, military veteran, or civilian has been diagnosed with cancer or another illness as the result of PFAS exposure, they will often have a product liability case against the manufacturer of the product. A product liability action usually seeks to hold a manufacturer responsible for either a manufacturing defect, a design defect, or a failure to warn.

Depending on the type of AFFF involved in your case, your product liability action could involve anyone or possibly even all three of these bases for a claim. The companies named in the New Jersey and New Hampshire legal actions are notable defendants in many AFFF cases because they have manufactured a significant number of chemicals that were used in the fighting of countless fires and led to untold numbers of people being exposed to PFAS.

Contact an AFFF Foam Lawsuit Attorney Today

Any person who thinks that they might have grounds for a possible AFFF claim should contact a foam cancer lawyer as soon as they can. You have a limited amount of time to seek the compensation that you’re owed if you’ve been harmed by exposure. A skilled attorney will be able to conduct a rigorous investigation into your exposure to determine the exact PFAS involved in your case and hold all negligent manufacturers liable for all of the costs you have incurred or will incur because of your illness.

Did you or your loved one develop cancer or another illness because of PFAS exposure? Do not wait another minute to contact Attorney Tom and discuss your case at absolutely no cost to you. Our firm is based in Bellaire, Texas, but we serve clients nationwide. Call (713) 244-6363 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.