PFAS Lawsuits

For nearly a century, industrial chemicals have polluted the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the foods we eat. Among the most devastating are perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). They’re called “forever chemicals,” as they don’t break down naturally in the environment or in our bodies. Because these substances leach into the groundwater, they poison our drinking water systems, in turn causing various cancers, ulcerative colitis, damage to the reproductive system, stunted growth, and death.

If you or a loved one has been harmed by PFAS exposure, you may be eligible to pursue a personal injury lawsuit against the big corporations responsible for it. Contact The Driscoll Firm, P.C., today for your free, no-obligation consultation with a PFAS lawsuit attorney to learn about your legal options. Your case review is fully confidential, and you pay nothing unless we successfully resolve your claim.

What Are PFAs?

PFAS are synthetic chemicals that have been used since the 1940s. They are incorporated into products that resist oil, heat, water, and stains. They are dubbed “forever chemicals” because they are composed of strong carbon-fluorine bonds, making them resistant to natural breakdown.

A DuPont scientist working with refrigerant gases discovered the first PFAS, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), in 1938. This led to the manufacturing of Teflon, a synthetic, nonstick polymer used in cookware, in 1945. Soon after, 3M began manufacturing two other types of PFAS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).

The U.S. Navy partnered with 3M in the 1960s to develop aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for extinguishing large petroleum fires on its ships. This led to other facilities, such as airports, oil and gas facilities, chemical plants, and municipal fire departments, using PFAS-based firefighting foams.

Where Can You Find PFAs?

• In the air, water, and soil, particularly near manufacturing facilities, military sites, and airports that use firefighting foam
• Drinking water in both public water systems and private wells
• Consumer products, such as carpets, stain-resistant furniture, cosmetics, cleaning products, diapers, dental floss, and contact lenses
• Clothing, such as waterproof outdoor apparel
  • Kitchenware, especially nonstick pans
  • Packaging, such as fast-food wrappers and popcorn bags
• Food products, including dairy and meat from animals that have been exposed to PFAS and fish/seafood from contaminated water sources

How Do PFAS Make Their Way Into the Environment?

Over time, PFAS may leak into the soil, water, and air through industrial waste, firefighting activities, landfill runoff, and inadequate handling and disposal. This leads to PFAS devastating countless ecosystems. When wildlife is exposed to water contamination, the chemicals spread across the food chain, affecting entire species of animals and plants.

Because PFAS are used in the automotive, construction, and electronics industries, human exposure to them is widespread. People are typically exposed to PFAS by consuming contaminated water or food, using products made with PFAS, or breathing air that contains PFAS.

What Are the Health Effects of PFAS?

As “forever chemicals,” PFAS don’t break down and can accumulate over time. This means that PFAS may remain in humans for years, even decades, after initial exposure has ended, thereby increasing and prolonging health issues.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the EPA report that PFAS can lead to the following health effects:

• A wide array of cancers, including kidney cancer, testicular cancer, and prostate cancer
• Ulcerative colitis
• Reproductive health issues, such as pregnancy-induced hypertension, decreased fertility, and pre-eclampsia
• High risks to children’s growth, behavior, and learning
• Liver damage
• Decreased immune response
• Increase in cholesterol levels
• Thyroid disease
• Higher risk of asthma and allergies
• Hormonal disruption

How Many People Have Died from PFAS Exposure?

In the most recent history of PFAS contamination, the Environmental Health Perspectives publication estimates 6.5 million PFA-related deaths in the U.S. from 1999 to 2018. Further, more than 158 million people in the U.S. are at risk of drinking contaminated tap water.

People who are exposed to these chemicals may not develop symptoms instantly due to their chronic nature and delayed onset, yet they can face a higher risk of disease over time.

What Are the Claims That Corporations Such as DuPont and 3M Engaged in Wrongdoing?

There have been, and continue to be, PFAS lawsuits across the U.S. They center on 3M, DuPont, The Chemours Company, and other corporations being aware of the dangers of PFAS but concealing them from the public while continuing to produce and market products.

A 2023 article from Annals of Global Health looks at previously classified DuPont and 3M documents that suggest the companies used “several strategies that have been shown common to tobacco, pharmaceutical and other industries to influence science and regulation.”

The researchers organized and analyzed PFAS-related industry documents from the University of California-San Francisco Chemical Industry Documents Library, finding that 3M was also aware of health issues caused by PFAs.

Among the report’s findings:

• DuPont reassured its employees in 1980that C8, one of thousands of PFAS, “has a lower toxicity, like table salt.” Further, in a 1991 press release responding to reports of PFAS groundwater contamination near one of DuPont’s manufacturing plants, the company claimed, “C-8 has no known toxic or ill health effects in humans at concentration levels detected.” However, in 1970, the DuPont-funded Haskell Laboratory found C8 to be “highly toxic when inhaled and moderately toxic when ingested.”
• When media attention on PFAS contamination swelled following PFAS lawsuits in 1998 and 2002, DuPont sent an email to the EPAwith this request: “We need EPA to quickly (like first thing tomorrow) say the following: That consumer products sold under the Teflon brand are safe and to date there are no human health effects known to be caused by PFOA.”

An extensive series of articles in The Intercept investigates the corporate mishandling of PFAS, including PFOA, PFOS, and GenX. Additionally, Toxic Docs, a free online database containing millions of previously classified documents on industrial poisons, features a substantial collection of previously classified DuPont documents entered into evidence during the 2018 PFAS-related personal injury trial against the company (the first in a series of many related PFAS lawsuits).

Is There Litigation for PFAS Damages and Injuries?

Yes, there have been numerous lawsuits across the U.S. for PFAS-related injuries against companies like 3M and DuPont. Individuals, communities, and governments are holding the manufacturers financially responsible for the costs of PFAS contamination, remediation, and treatment of drinking water.

Litigation between public water systems and the manufacturers continues, although there have been large settlements reached in 2023 and 2024, including the following:

• A 3M settlement for up to $12.5 billion resolving claims from public water systems
• A settlement from DuPont, Corteva, and Chemours for approximately $1.19 billion for public water systems claims
• A settlement of $750 million from Johnson Controls for water systems across eight states

There is also multidistrict litigation handling claims related to AFFF exposure. The plaintiffs are military personnel, career and volunteer firefighters, and industrial workers who were exposed to AFFF, as well as individuals who lived near military bases or industrial sites where AFFF was used and where the surrounding groundwater became contaminated.

Other PFAS-related litigation includes class-action lawsuits filed on behalf of consumers, such as one against McDonald’s for using PFAS in food packaging. The U.S. military has also been sued for contamination from PFAS at military bases, with some of these cases being allowed to proceed to trial.

However, litigation for numerous individual personal injury claims is still pending; a global settlement for these cases has not yet been reached.

What Should I Do If I Think I’ve Been Exposed to PFAS?

• Seek medical attention from a healthcare professional experienced in toxic exposure, then follow their treatment plan and comply with follow-up appointments.
• Document the details of your suspected exposure, such as the date, time, location, and circumstances surrounding it.
• Report your alleged exposure to the appropriate authorities or regulatory agencies, such as your local water utility, state and regional environmental health departments, and occupational safety agencies.
• Preserve any physical evidence related to the exposure, such as contaminated clothing, environmental samples, or product packaging.
• Keep records of your related expenses, such as medical bills, prescriptions, and associated costs, as well as any missed workdays or reduced earning capacity stemming from your health condition.
• Speak with an experienced toxic tort litigation attorney, who can assess your case, help determine if you have grounds for a legal claim, and explain your legal rights.

What Compensation Could I Receive for Injuries Due to PFAS Exposure?

Victims of PFAS exposure may be eligible to receive compensation, depending on the circumstances of their PFAS case and the severity of their injuries. Compensation may cover the following:

If your loved one died due to PFAS exposure, our law firm can support you in filing a wrongful death lawsuit to demand justice and financial security for your family.

Additionally, there are instances in which a judge may award punitive damages to the plaintiffs in a PFAS exposure lawsuit. This award is designed to punish the large-scale industry or other wrongdoer on trial for their reckless, egregious behavior, as well as send a message to others that such behavior won’t be tolerated.

Contact a PFAS Litigation Attorney Today

The Driscoll Firm, P.C., is a widely recognized law practice that focuses on complex environmental and toxic exposure litigation in Illinois, Missouri, and across the U.S. Since 2008, our law firm has recovered nearly $2 billion for thousands of individual citizens and public entities in high-profile environmental law and toxic mass tort cases. Contact the PFAS lawsuit lawyers at The Driscoll Firm, P.C., today to learn more about your options for pursuing compensation. Your initial consultation is free, fully confidential, and without obligation.