Preuss | Foster Law has been asked by multiple firefighters to investigate the cause of their cancer. Toxic chemicals in Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF Firefighting Foam) have been linked to numerous types of cancer. The chemicals used to make AFFF firefighting foam (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals, also known as “forever chemicals”) do not break down, remaining in the environment and in human blood indefinitely. AFFF is designed to extinguish jet fuel and petroleum-based fires, and it has been used for decades by firefighters and U.S. military firefighters.
Firefighters who were regularly exposed to the foam may have developed cancer. A number of cancers including, but not limited to include:
- Kidney cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Liver cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Lymphoma
- Breast cancer
Chemical-based fire-fighting foam was created, marketed and sold by the largest chemical manufacturers in the world, such as 3M and Dupont, and these products have been extensively used by firefighters for over 50 years. Despite growing evidence that could be toxic to humans, these major chemical manufacturers ignored the evidence and continued to put people’s health at risk.
Many firefighters across the country who have developed cancer as a result of PFAS exposure have filed lawsuits to seek compensation from firefighting foam manufacturers for causing their disease. In December 2018, a panel of federal judges ordered the transfer of all federal lawsuits to the United States Federal Court in the District of South Carolina. The transfer of all lawsuits to one district in front of one judge is a common mechanism used by courts to efficiently resolve large numbers of individual lawsuits against the same defendants. The hope is that this is the first step towards a global firefighting foam settlement. Our firm has filings pending in this court.
There are currently over 3,300 lawsuits on file as of June 2023. Because we are holding these companies accountable, businesses like Tyco Fire Protection Products have announced that it will cease the production and sale of fluorinated firefighting foams, such as Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) by June 2024. 3M has also announced that it plans to discontinue the use of PFAS in its products by the end of 2025.
If you or a loved one was a firefighter or regularly exposed to AFFF and recently diagnosed with cancer, you may be able to file a lawsuit and get financial compensation. Contact an attorney from Preuss | Foster Law Firm for a free, no-obligation legal consultation today and find out if you qualify for a firefighting foam lawsuit.