AFFF Foam Cancer
Chemical-based firefighting foam is a highly effective fire suppressant that has been sold for many years, primarily for extinguishing jet fuel and petroleum fires. However, firefighting foam may cause AFFF foam cancer in firefighters who were regularly exposed to the foam – most notably kidney, testicular and pancreatic cancers.
AFFF Foam Cancer: Who’s at Risk?
Firefighters who were assigned to airports are at particular risk of developing AFFF foam-related cancers because airports required the use of AFFF foam until 2018.
In addition to firefighters and airport workers, property owners located near airports or military installations may be at risk of developing AFFF foam cancers due to the potential for PFAS contamination in water supplies.
AFFF Firefighting Foam & Cancer: What’s the Connection?
Major health organizations such as The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have linked the chemical-based firefighting foam (AFFF) used by firefighters since the 1950’s to certain types of cancers affecting the firefighting community.
These “AFFF foam cancers” include many types of cancer (see list below).
Have you been exposed to firefighting foam and been diagnosed with a type of AFFF foam cancer?
Firefighters and airport personnel who have been exposed to firefighting foam and who have certain cancers may be entitled to compensation. Property owners who may have been exposed to water supplies contaminated with AFFF may also be eligible for a firefighting foam cancer lawsuit.
Your ability to qualify for damages may be time-sensitive, however, and if you believe you’ve been exposed and diagnosed with cancer as a result, you should contact an AFFF cancer lawyer today.
Exposure to AFFF foam has been linked to:
- Kidney Damage
- Kidney Cancer
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Testicular Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Leukemia
- Non- Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Other Lymphomas
- Multiple myeloma
- Breast Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer
- Bladder Cancer
If you or a loved one has been exposed to AFFF foam and have developed kidney cancer or testicular cancer, please contact Riddle & Brantley at 1-800-525-7111 or fill out the quick form below for a free consultation.
You may be entitled to compensation through a firefighter foam lawsuit.
What is Firefighting Foam?
AFFF, known officially as aqueous film-forming foam creates a blanket that cuts off the fuel from the oxygen it needs to burn. To help in smothering the fire, chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, were used and in some cases are still used.
Health organizations such as The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the American Cancer Society (ACS) have noted that certain PFAS could be linked to cancer in firefighters. In addition, the EPA has classified PFAS as “emerging contaminants.” This designation means these chemicals in AFFF foam are likely dangerous to human health.
What are High-Risk Occupations?
Those who worked and served as firefighters are at exceptionally high risk of PFAS exposure and could potentially develop types of AFFF foam cancer. Until 2018, the Federal Airport Administration (FAA) required airports to use these PFAS-containing foams in keeping with United States Navy guidelines.
The U.S. Navy as well as other branches of the military have used this firefighting foam since the 1960s. These chemicals were used during training exercises and non-critical assignments as well, putting firefighters at even higher risk of developing AFFF foam cancer. Firefighting foam was widely used because it could put out jet fuel fires. Currently, the military is phasing out the use of certain PFAS, underscoring the risk of AFFF foam cancer.
In 2015, a study led by chemists at the University of Queensland examined fluorinated chemicals in the blood of firefighters exposed to AFFF and “found nine fluorinate compounds, either exclusively or at a significantly higher level in a firefighters’ blood.”
Another 2015 study found concentrations of PFAS chemicals were “three times higher” in the blood of southern California firefighters than those in the general population.
What is the Firefighting Foam Cancer Risk for Nearby Property Owners?
The potential cancer risks associated with AFFF foams are not limited to firefighters, airport workers or military personnel, however. There is a possibility that property owners and communities adjacent to airports and military bases where PFAS-based AFFF is used could be at risk for developing certain AFFF foam cancers, as well.
A report by Chemical & Engineering News found that “Airports and military bases use large amounts of firefighting foams for training purposes, and in some cases, the perfluorinated surfactants have slipped into groundwater and surface water supplies,” potentially endangering surrounding communities.
AFFF runoff can contaminate well water and public drinking water and potentially cause cancer in people exposed to these firefighting foam chemicals.
“Those exposed to firefighting foam and potentially diagnosed with cancer as a result deserve justice.”
–Gene Riddle, attorney and founding partner, Riddle & Brantley LLP
Should I Take Legal Action?
Today, the companies that produced firefighting foams with PFAS are coming under legal and medical critical investigations. According to some recent reports, certain manufacturers like 3M and Dupont may have known about the health risks of their foams for decades but did not take action to protect the public.
Riddle & Brantley is currently investigating legal claims involving people receiving cancer diagnoses after occupational and other exposures to firefighting foam. Many people today are filing legal claims against these companies, seeking compensation for the long-term damage that has been done.
If you or a loved one have been exposed to these foams, and later diagnosed with pancreatic, kidney, testicular, or another type of cancer, you may want to file an AFFF lawsuit against the companies that made the firefighting foam.
You deserve justice — and you may be entitled to significant financial compensation.
“I would recommend them to anyone. They fought hard for me.”
–Christine W., Riddle & Brantley client
The experienced firefighting foam lawsuit attorneys at Riddle & Brantley have been fighting to hold negligent companies accountable for decades. Our attorneys have more than 220+ years of combined legal experience and we are committed to justice for those injured due to someone else’s negligence.
For a FREE consultation regarding your eligibility for a firefighting foam cancer lawsuit, please call 800-525-7111 or fill out the short form below. We will review your circumstances and let you know if we can help. Justice counts for you and your loved ones.
“If a company’s negligence resulted in your AFFF foam cancer diagnosis, that’s wrong and we would love to help you seek justice if we can.”
–Gene Riddle, managing partner, Riddle & Brantley LLP
You don’t have to go through this alone.
Let Riddle & Brantley take the stress out of this time for you so that you can regain your quality of life. We are committed to justice and fight tirelessly for our deserving clients.
We will be there to answer any questions for you and put you at ease through the process. Let us help.
Please call 1-800-525-7111 today to speak with an AFFF foam cancer attorney. We will review your case for free and advise you on your best legal options for seeking justice and compensation.
Justice Counts for you and your loved ones.