AFFF Lawsuit: Firefighting Foam Cancer Lawsuit

Written By:
Picture of Jessie Paluch
Jessie Paluch

Attorney Jessie Paluch, founder of TruLaw, has over 25 years of experience as a personal injury and mass tort attorney, and previously worked as an international tax attorney at Deloitte. Jessie collaborates with attorneys nationwide — enabling her to share reliable, up-to-date legal information with our readers.

This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy and clarity by the team of writers and legal experts at TruLawsuit Info and is as accurate as possible. This content should not be taken as legal advice from an attorney. If you would like to learn more about our owner and experienced injury lawyer, Jessie Paluch, you can do so here.

TruLawsuit Info does everything possible to make sure the information in this article is up to date and accurate. If you need specific legal advice about your case, contact our team by using the chat on the bottom of this page. This article should not be taken as advice from an attorney.

Key Takeaways:

  • AFFF (Aqueous Film-Forming Foam) used in firefighting contains toxic substances known as PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances) which have been linked to serious health issues. This has led to numerous lawsuits seeking justice for victims and their families.
  • The AFFF lawsuit is not a class action but an MDL (Multidistrict Litigation), where cases are coordinated by a single judge for pretrial proceedings. As of September 2022, there are over 2,500 pending cases in the MDL AFFF lawsuit.
  • The lawsuits aim to hold manufacturers accountable for their actions and force them to change their practices with regard to AFFF. Victims are seeking compensation for injuries, medical expenses, and other serious damages.

AFFF Firefighting Foam Lawsuit Overview

On this page, we’ll discuss:

  • An overview of the AFFF Lawsuit
  • Updates surrounding the ongoing AFFF Firefighting Foam Lawsuit
  • The side effects caused by exposure to AFFF and PFAS
  • Average AFFF Lawsuit settlement amounts being projected
  • Who qualifies to file an AFFF firefighting foam cancer lawsuit

afff lawsuit

AFFF lawsuits involving firefighting foam exposure are occurring nationwide, with plaintiffs linking their serious health issues to this toxic chemical.

Read on to learn about these lawsuits, what AFFF is, and how you can get help if you’ve been affected.

Table of Contents

Lawsuit Updates

  • September 2, 2025: September 2025 JPML Update

    The AFFF firefighting foam lawsuit continues to grow as part of the multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the District of South Carolina.

    From August to September 2025, the case count increased by 851, climbing from 12,064 to a total of 12,915 pending lawsuits.

    If you or a loved one was exposed to firefighting foam and later developed cancer, contact an AFFF Lawyer from TruLawsuit Info for a free consultation. 

    You can also use the chatbot on this page for an instant case evaluation to see if you qualify for an AFFF Lawsuit.

What is the AFFF lawsuit?

Fire extinguishers are necessary for any public building as they are a key safety measure in the event of a fire.

However, many AFFF foam fire extinguishers have now been found to contain toxic substances which have impacted the health of many.

These toxic substances are known as Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

A rise in health complications related to PFAS due to AFFF exposure has led to various lawsuits in order to get justice for the victims and their families.

AFFF firefighting foam isn’t limited to the fire department, as it is also used in many types of training.

For example, the U.S. military has used this foam for many years, and it is also used in crash test training simulations.

This means that many people could have a claim in the AFFF lawsuit due to coming in contact with this toxic firefighting foam.

Is the AFFF lawsuit a class action lawsuit?

No, the AFFF lawsuit is not a class action lawsuit.

An AFFF Class action lawsuit status would require all plaintiffs to be similarly situated, which is not the case here.

Instead, the AFFF firefighting foam lawsuit is an MDL (Multidistrict Litigation).

In an MDL, the cases are not combined into one single lawsuit, but rather the discovery and other pretrial proceedings are coordinated by a single judge.

This helps to avoid duplicative work and conflicting rulings on pretrial matters.

How many cases are in the AFFF MDL?

As of September 2022, there are over 2,500 pending cases in the MDL AFFF lawsuit.

The docket is consolidated and includes claims that allege exposure to or pollution from PFAS-containing aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF).

Judge Richard Gergel of the United States District Court of South Carolina currently presides over the litigation.

In 2021, it was announced that three cases would go to trial in 2023 from the thousands of cases waiting to be resolved.

These bellwether cases all involve allegations that AFFF firefighting foam polluted drinking water sources statewide and led to health problems resulting from occupational exposure to firefighting foam.

Various AFFF manufacturers and suppliers might be held responsible for remediation costs.

Victims in the AFFF lawsuits are seeking compensation for their injuries, medical expenses, and other serious damages.

The lawsuits also seek to hold the manufacturers accountable for their actions and force them to change their practices with regard to aqueous film-forming foam.

What is AFFF?

AFFF (an acronym for aqueous film-forming foam) is a type of firefighting foam that is used to extinguish fires involving flammable liquids.

This type of foam was developed in the 1960s and has since become the most common type of suppression foam used by firefighters.

What’s more, AFFF firefighting foam was used for many years by the military and firefighters alike.

However, problems are arising based on mounting evidence that the chemicals in AFFF likely cause serious illnesses in exposed individuals, including cancer.

What is in Aqueous film forming foam?

Aqueous film-forming foam is a synthetic fluorine-based surfactant that is mixed with water to create a thick foam.

However, this firefighting foam contains chemicals including:

  • Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA): These are both fluorinated organic compounds that are used as surfactants. They are also persistent organic pollutants and toxic chemicals.
  • Fluorotelomers: Chemicals that are used to make fluoropolymers, which are then used in many products, including nonstick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, and firefighting foam.

Some of the chemicals in aqueous film-forming foam are known as forever chemicals, meaning they do not break down in the environment and can accumulate in the bodies of humans and animals.

This means that the health effects of exposure to these dangerous chemicals may not be immediately apparent but could develop over time.

How does AFFF put out a fire?

AFFF firefighting foam works by creating a blanket of foam on the surface of the burning liquid, which smothers the fire and prevents it from spreading.

It does this by quickly cooling the burning liquid and creating a barrier between the oxygen in the air and the fuel.

AFFF firefighting foam is particularly effective at extinguishing fires involving flammable substances such as gasoline, oil, and alcohol. It is also effective at suppressing fires in Class A (combustible materials such as wood and paper) and Class B (flammable liquid) fires.

Is AFFF foam corrosive?

Yes, this firefighting foam is corrosive, so it has always been important to take measures to protect the skin and eyes when using it.

It is recommended to wear gloves, goggles, and a face shield when handling or using AFFF foam to avoid direct AFFF exposure.

AFFF is also used in aircraft fire extinguishment and can also ruin aircraft and their parts due to corrosion.

Even though AFFF has the same pH as water resources, they can be highly corrosive to sensitive equipment like circuit boards because the foam usually sticks around instead of flowing off.

What is PFAS?

PFAS chemicals are a group of manmade chemicals that includes perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), as mentioned earlier.

PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals.

PFAS chemicals are used in a variety of everyday products, such as:

  • Nonstick cookware
  • Water-resistant clothing
  • Stain-resistant fabrics and carpets
  • Firefighting foams

These chemicals are resistant to heat, water and oil, making them ideal for certain situations.

However, this resistance also means that PFAS do not decompose easily, and as a result, they can accumulate in the soil and water over time.

Further, there is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects.

For example, humans are exposed to PFAS through these things:

  • Eating food contaminated with PFAS
  • Drinking water contaminated with PFAS
  • Using products that contain PFAS
  • Working in industries that use or produce PFAS
  • Living near sites where PFAS are manufactured or used

Does all fighting fire foam contain PFAS?

No, not every firefighting foam contains PFAS.

For example, firefighting foam used for Class A fires, which are fueled by organic materials like wood or paper, does not typically contain PFAS.

That being said, some Class A foams may still have trace amounts of PFAS because they are often manufactured using the same equipment as Class B foams.

What foam has PFAS?

AFFF firefighting foams used for Class B and C fires, which are fueled by flammable liquids like gasoline or oil, often contain PFAS.

Due to the dangerous effects they can have, some manufacturers have reformulated their products to remove or greatly reduce the PFAS content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Written By:
Picture of Jessie Paluch
Jessie Paluch

Experienced Attorney & Legal SaaS CEO

With over 25 years of legal experience, Jessie is an Illinois lawyer, a CPA, and a mother of three.  She spent the first decade of her career working as an international tax attorney at Deloitte.

In 2009, Jessie co-founded her own law firm with her husband – which has scaled to over 30 employees since its conception.

In 2016, Jessie founded TruLaw, which allows her to collaborate with attorneys and legal experts across the United States on a daily basis. This hypervaluable network of experts is what enables her to share reliable legal information with her readers!

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Tru Lawsuit Info is a reliable source of information about issues that may affect your health and safety, such as faulty products, data breaches, and environmental hazards.

Our team of experienced writers collaborates with medical professionals, lawyers, and advocates to produce informative articles, guides, and other resources that raise awareness of these topics.

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Do You
Have A Case?

Here, at Tru Lawsuit Info, we’re committed to helping victims get the justice they deserve.

To do this, we actively work to connect them with attorneys who are experts in litigating cases similar to theirs.

Would you like our help?