AFFF Lawsuit: Firefighting Foam Cancer Lawsuit

AFFF firefighting foam lawyers are still speculating on the exact amount that each plaintiff may receive in their AFFF lawsuit settlements.

However, it’s safe to say that the AFFF firefighting foam settlement amounts will be very high.

This is because the injuries caused by these chemicals are very serious, including cancer and other illnesses.

By looking at previous MDLs, it’s possible to make some estimates on current AFFF firefighting foam lawsuit settlements.

Top-tier plaintiffs could receive around $200,000 and $500,000.

Second-tier plaintiffs could receive around $150,000 to $300,000, and third or lower tiers may receive $75,000 or less.

While AFFF has been necessary for firefighting purposes, especially in managing fuel fires, it seems the environmental and physical dangers outweigh the advantages.

The long-term health effects of exposure to these chemicals are now being taken into consideration, as well as the impact on the environment.

There is a movement to find more environmentally friendly ways to extinguish fires, and it seems that AFFF may soon be a thing of the past.

It’s hoped that these lawsuits will bring about a much-needed change in the way that AFFF is used and manufactured and that safer, more environmentally friendly products will be developed to take its place.

In the meantime, it’s important for those who have been exposed to AFFF to be aware of the potential health risks and to monitor their health closely.

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Yes, if your loved one died as a result of exposure to AFFF, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim against the manufacturer.

These claims involve seeking compensation for the death of a loved one due to the negligence or recklessness of another party.

You can expect different forms of compensation, such as medical and funeral expenses, loss of earnings and benefits, pain and suffering before death occurs, and loss of companionship.

The deceased’s closest relatives typically have the first right to compensation in a wrongful death claim.

Most often, this is the spouse, followed by the children if there is no existing spouse.

If the deceased did not have a spouse or children, their parents might be able to get compensation through a wrongful death claim, particularly if the deceased contributed to their parents’ support—financially or physically.

Yes, you can still file a claim and get involved in AFFF firefighting foam lawsuits even if you’re not a firefighter.

Although it’s true that firefighters may have had more direct AFFF exposure, many other people were also exposed to these harmful chemicals.

For example, AFFF was commonly used at military bases, airports, and factories.

Many claims in the firefighting foam lawsuit involve individuals who may have been exposed to AFFF through contaminated water etc., and subsequently developed cancer or other illnesses.

To make a valid claim in the AFFF foam lawsuit, plaintiffs will need proof that they developed one of the cancers linked to AFFF exposure, such as prostate cancer or kidney or testicular cancer, and that they were exposed to AFFF firefighting foam chemicals.

With an experienced attorney, you’ll need to collect occupation evidence of AFFF exposure, such as work history and work placements, etc.

Medical records of your cancer diagnosis, such as lab tests, imaging and medical bills, will also need to be collated.

The amount of compensation you’ll receive depends on a few factors, such as the extent of your AFFF foam exposure, your time of diagnosis and the severity of your illnesses.

If you think you were exposed to AFFF firefighting foam, you can use our chatbot for a free case evaluation.

Many cases in the AFFF lawsuit claim that AFFF manufacturers were aware of the dangers AFFF and the toxic chemicals posed, but they neglected to share this information to make a profit.

If manufacturers fail to disclose known risks of their products, they may be held liable for injuries or damages suffered by users of those products, and this is the case with the AFFF firefighting foam lawsuit.

The companies named in the AFFF lawsuits include:

• 3M
• Tyco Fire Products LP
• Chemguard Inc.
• Buckeye Fire Equipment Co.
• Chubb Fire.
• Kidde-Fenwal Inc.
• Dupont
• And more.

The AFFF firefighting foam lawsuits are seeking various forms of compensation for the damages that have been caused by aqueous film-forming foam, and the companies involved are in the process of defending themselves against these lawsuits.

Yes, AFFF is still being used, but due to recent evidence resulting from the AFFF foam lawsuits, there has been a shift to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of AFFF firefighting foam.

The U.S. military has also been working to phase out the use of AFFF due to the health and environmental risks associated with the chemicals in the foam.

The AFFF firefighting foam lawsuit is still ongoing, and current regulations on AFFF usage vary from state to state.

However, certain guidelines outline ways for fire protection officials and government agencies to comply slightly more with environmental and groundwater experts’ suggestions.

Some of these guidelines state:

• AFFF can only be used in extreme circumstances, specifically in:
  • Alcohol-based products
  • Aviation incidents
  • Hydrocarbon fires
• In any other circumstance, an alternative that doesn’t include PFAS chemicals needs to be used, especially when it comes to fire safety and training.

These guidelines don’t completely stop the use of AFFF – however, they do lower exposure to large amounts of PFAS while still keeping people and buildings safe during a fire.

There is no definitive answer to this question, as different jurisdictions have different regulations regarding the use of AFFF.

Some countries have banned the use of AFFF, while others have restricted its use.

Overall, the general consensus is that AFFF firefighting foam should only be used in cases where other fire suppression methods are not effective.

This widely used fire suppression foam has been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Defense to be a major source of environmental contamination from PFAS.

When AFFF is used to suppress a fire, the PFAS within the foam seeps into the environment and groundwater, contaminating anything in its path. So many states are reevaluating if they should allow AFFF, and some are taking measures to prohibit it.

The Department of Defense has even set a deadline of 2024 for military organizations using firefighting foam containing PFAS to switch products.

There are various alternatives available, some with different or lower PFAS content than traditional AFFF foams.

There are also several non-AFFF firefighting foam options available that don’t contain any PFAS, which are typically more expensive, but they don’t pose the same risks to human health and the environment.

A few of these non-AFFF firefighting foam alternatives include:

C6 Firefighting foam concentrates

These products typically use a different fluorochemical called 6:2 Fluorotelomer alcohol, or C6 FTOH.

C6 FTOH is structurally similar to PFAS, but it’s not as persistent in the environment, and it doesn’t build up in the human body as PFAS does.

However, C6 FTOH can still contaminate drinking water if it’s not used properly.

Firefighting foams containing C8 (a fluorosurfactant with a carbon chain length of eight) have begun to face legislation and regulation because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has discovered that longer fluorosurfactants’ chains – those above six carbons – contain PFAS.

However, Fluorosurfactants whose chains are shorter – at six or fewer carbons long- don’t pose the same risks.

Fluorine-free foams

Fluorine-free foam is a manmade alternative to traditional foams used for fire suppression.

It contains surfactant blends and polysaccharides, which create a cooling blanket of bubbles when applied to fire fuels that prevent the spread of flames.

Unlike other options, the fluorine-free foam does not contain PFAS.

This gives it a clear environmental advantage, as it is less likely to contaminate its surroundings.

Dry chemical agents

Dry chemical agents are another fire suppressant option, which uses a chemical powder to extinguish flames.

Pressurized dry chemical agents work by creating a barrier between the fuel and the oxygen in the air, starving the fire of its needed elements.

One advantage of dry chemical agents is that they can be used on different types of fires, including those involving combustible liquids and energized electrical equipment.

Another advantage is that they can be discharged through small orifices, making them effective in suppressing hard-to-reach fires.

Still, many dry chemical agents are considered hazardous, so they must be used with caution.

AFFF is most effective on Class B and Class C fires, which involve flammable liquids or gases.

This firefighting foam is often used for fuel fires, which are common in industrial and automotive settings.

Fuel fires can be especially difficult to extinguish because the fuel often continues to feed the fire even after the initial flames have been extinguished.

AFFF firefighting foam can help to quickly stifle these types of fires and prevent them from reigniting.

Both are foam-based extinguishers, but Film-forming Fluoroprotein (FFFP) foams are better suited for reigning in hydrocarbon liquid fires and are formed with protein foam technology.

FFFP foams can also be used unaspirated, which means they do not require a separate air supply.

The protein-based composition of the foam gives it a high resistance to heat, meaning it can quickly snuff out fires.

Additionally, the film formation properties help to rapidly knock down flames.

Film forming Fluoroprotein foams excel in high-risk situations where hydrocarbons (crude oil, aviation kerosene, gasoline, and diesel fuel) are stored or transported.

The rapid intervention vehicles at many airports and military bases use these products because they can quickly put out fires and provide postfire security with only a small amount of foam concentrate.

The PFAS found in AFFF is carcinogenic, which is why there is a link between firefighting foam, cancer, and other physical health issues.

Human exposure to these chemicals puts individuals at an increased risk of developing cancer later on, as the PFAS don’t deteriorate or leave the body easily.

In fact, these fire suppression chemicals can bind with proteins in the blood and stay in the body for years.

Then, they can gradually build up in tissue over time until cancers form.

As mentioned earlier, these chemicals in firefighting foam do not decompose and may take thousands of years to eliminate from groundwater and soil, according to research.

What’s more, when firefighters are exposed to AFFF foam, they can end up with high levels of fluorinated compounds in their blood, which has been linked to kidney and testicular cancer, as well as thyroid disease.

The PFAS in AFFF firefighting foam is associated with a range of cancers, including:

• Prostate Cancer
• Testicular Cancer
• Pancreatic Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Bladder Cancer
• Leukaemia
• Thyroid Cancer

Unfortunately, AFFF exposure doesn’t just cause cancer.

It can also lead to fertility issues, liver damage, birth defects, and immune suppression.