Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Lawsuits

Harding Mazzotti, LLP is accepting cases on behalf of individuals who have been injured as a result of exposure to perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) from contaminated drinking water, or other substances, such as firefighting foam.

Health Consequences of PFAS

Exposure to PFAS can result in cancer or other adverse health effects. Our firm is currently representing individuals who were exposed to PFAS and were diagnosed after 2000 with one or more of the following:

• Testicular Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Liver Cancer
• Ulcerative Colitis

About Perfluoroalkyl Substances

PFAS are toxic chemicals used to manufacture many types of consumer products including:

• flame retardants and extinguishing foams
• coating for non-stick cookware
• food packaging
• ink
• pesticides
• hydraulic fluids
• medical devices
• metal plating (such as chrome)
• components of color copiers and printers

The presence of PFAS is expansive due to their industrial uses spanning several decades. According to a 2017 report by the Environmental Working Group, PFAS contamination was found in water supplies in at least 27 states, impacting approximately 15 million Americans. PFAS have also been discovered in the blood of humans and animals all around the world.

PFAS are greatly resistant to natural environmental degradation; once they are released into the environment, they remain for the foreseeable future. Research shows the half-life (or the amount of time it takes half of the amount of a substance to degrade) of PFAS is 10,000 years, and when it is released into water, that half-life is greater than 1 million years.

PFAS and Water Contamination

PFAS enters the water system mostly through industrial waste discharge. This can occur in rivers and streams, but it can also happen when such waste materials end up on the ground. These pollutants find their way into underground aquifers when it rains. Unfortunately, the issue does not stop there. Because PFAS are not biodegradable, they build up as they enter the food chain.

Because PFAS are utilized in firefighting foams, fire training centers and areas that have recently undergone significant fires are likely sources. Because PFAS are frequently found in heavy-duty lubricants and hydraulic fluids, contamination in water sources near military bases and industrial areas is prevalent. Water wells near a former US Air Force post in Michigan were discovered to contain 10,000 times the EPA’s lifetime health advisory. In July 2018, Michigan Lt. Governor Brian Calley issued a state of emergency due to PFAS levels in two Kalamazoo municipalities’ water sources.

A peer-reviewed study published in the journal Environmental Research in August 2018 found that about 6 million Americans are still exposed to PFAS-contaminated water that exceeds EPA guideline levels. A recent Environmental Working Group map indicates high levels of PFAS pollution in water systems for cities and towns across the nation, including in New York and Massachusetts.

GET HELP TODAY

If you or someone you know was exposed to perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) from contaminated drinking water, or other substances such as firefighting foam, and has been diagnosed with testicular cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, or ulcerative colitis, you may be entitled to compensation. Click, Chat, or call 1800LAW1010 24/7 for a free consultation.