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A growing number of firefighter foam lawsuit filings claim the 3M Company and other manufacturers failed to warn that exposure to PFAS (PFOA and PFOS) in aqueous firefighting foams (AFFF) could increase the risk of cancer.

Contact a Firefighter Foam Lawyer Today

The firefighter foam lawyers at Bernstein Liebhard LLP are offering free legal reviews to civilian and military firefighters diagnosed with cancer following regular exposure to AFFF firefighting foam, especially:

• Bladder Cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Leukemia
• Liver Cancer
• Lymphoma
• Neuroendocrine tumors
• Ovarian cancer
• Pancreatic Cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Testicular Cancer
• Thyroid Cancer

If you’re interested in filing a firefighting foam lawsuit on behalf of yourself or a loved one, please contact our office today at (888) 994-5118 for a free, no-obligation case review.

AFFF Firefighting Foam: What’s the Problem?

AFFF firefighting foam is used to extinguish fires driven by highly-flammable liquids, such as petroleum and jet fuel. AFFF has been used by military fire crews for approximately 60 years, and until 2018, was required for civilian airports across the United States.

Many AFFF firefighting foams contain polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Because these toxic chemicals have been utilized in wide array of industries, they are persistent in the environment, including groundwater. PFOA and PFOS can also accumulate in the human body over time and do not breakdown.

Over the years, PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS, have been linked to a range of health issues, including:

• Fertility issues and pregnancy-induced hypertension/preeclampsia
• Increased cholesterol
• Changes in the immune system
• Increased risk of certain cancers (e.g., testicular and kidney cancer)
• Changes in fetal and child development
• Liver damage
• Increased risk of thyroid disease
• Increased risk of asthma

The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has designated PFOA as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” based on limited evidence suggesting exposure can cause testicular and kidney cancer in humans.

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs recently issued an alert warning veterans about the increased risks of breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer and kidney cancer related to the use of AFFF firefighting foam at U.S. military installations.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classifies PFOA and PFOS as “emerging contaminants,” and has established a “Lifetime Health Advisory” setting a recommended lifetime limit for exposure to the chemicals in drinking water.

Who’s at Risk from Firefighter Foam?

AFFF firefighter foam has been marketed by numerous manufacturers, including:

• The 3M Company
• Angus Fire
• The Ansul Co.
• The Buckeye Fire Protection Co.
• Chemguard
• National Foam
• Tyco Fire Products
• United Technologies Corp

Firefighters – especially those connected to the United State’s military or civilian airports – are among those most likely to have been exposed to PFOA and PFAA-based firefighting foams. In fact, while the military is currently phasing out the use of AFFF, the U.S. Navy had other branches have used these firefighting foams since the 1960s, even during training exercises and non-critical missions.

Until 2018, the Federal Airport Administration (FAA) required airports to use PFA-containing foam in accordance with U.S. Navy guidelines.

A growing number of firefighter foam lawsuit plaintiffs claim that 3M and other manufacturers concealed the health and environmental risks associated with AFFF, including individuals who seek compensation for cancer and other personal injuries that allegedly resulted from PFAS exposure. Recently, all such federally-filed cases were consolidated before a single judge in the U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina.

Learn if You Qualify to File a Firefighter Foam Lawsuit

You may be entitled to significant financial compensation if you or someone you love developed any form of cancer following regular and repeated exposure to AFFF firefighting foam. To learn if you qualify to file a firefighter foam lawsuit, please call (888) 994-5118 or fill out the form on this page to arrange for your free, confidential, and no-obligation case review.