The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has shown that exposure to PFAS compounds can lead to a variety of health problems for humans. If you are experiencing illnesses, you may ask yourself what compensation you can get if you sue for PFAS damages. As with any lawsuit, the exact amount you could receive will depend on a variety of factors, including the final judgment against the defendants and the number of people involved in any class action lawsuit.
Should you join a class-action lawsuit, any award the court gives to the plaintiffs would be split evenly among all of those who are part of the lawsuit, minus attorney fees. No attorney can promise that you would receive a certain amount from a class-action lawsuit, as it is impossible to know that kind of award a judge would provide.
However, we can look at some of the past settlements in similar cases to try to determine a possible amount of compensation a plaintiff in a PFAS lawsuit could receive.
Past Judgment Related to PFAS
A few different class-action lawsuits against those companies that made or used PFAS chemicals are ongoing. Thousands of people are either suing or becoming members of a class-action lawsuit, according to Reuters.
Exact figures available to individual plaintiffs in these types of cases often are not part of public record, as such figures often remain sealed as part of the settlement. Additionally, attorney fees will come out of any final settlement amount, and those figures are not part of public record either.
Eligibility To File a PFAS Lawsuit
To have a better chance of receiving a settlement in a PFAS lawsuit, you need to be able to show a few things, including:
- Exposure to PFAS: where you may have a test at your doctor’s office that shows the presence of PFAS in the blood, which means that you have had an exposure to this man-made chemical at some point during your life.
- Injury related to PFAS: where you can show that your exposure to PFAS has led to some sort of illness that is related to these chemicals.
- Source of PFAS exposure: when you can determine where your PFAS exposure may have occurred, either through exposure to a site or water source.
The most important aspects of joining a lawsuit regarding PFAS is showing exposure and showing an injury. Should you have any questions about whether you qualify for a lawsuit, you can consult with a trustworthy attorney.
Illnesses and Injuries Related to PFAS Exposure
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a number of potential injuries and illnesses may occur after an exposure to PFAS, including:
- Cancer (bladder, blood, kidney, liver, pancreatic, prostate, testicular, thyroid)
- Low birth weights
- Preeclampsia
- Thyroid (hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroiditis, Hashimoto’s, Grave’s, Goiter, thyroid nodules)
- Ulcerative colitis
Certainly, some of these types of health problems may occur with other types of illnesses not related to PFAS. But if doctors find that the victim has PFAS in their blood, they may determine that the illness relates to PFAS exposure.
Understanding Why PFAS Is Dangerous
The chemicals that fall under the PFAS umbrella do not break down easily, according to the EPA, which means PFAS compounds absorbed during an exposure several years ago or even a few decades ago likely still will remain in the human body.
Additionally, repeated exposure to PFAS means these chemicals will slowly accumulate in the body, which can increase the negative effects on someone’s health.
Doctors have no way to clean PFAS out of the body, which means once health care workers find PFAS exposure, they must try to treat the symptoms of the illnesses you may have.
Let Us Begin Working on Your Behalf Today
For those who are experiencing health problems that health care professionals can trace back to an exposure to the dangerous family of compounds under the PFAS umbrella, they may be wondering what compensation they can get if they sue for PFAS damages?
Bringing a lawsuit against any of the companies that have manufactured or used PFAS chemicals in products over the past several decades can occur through an individual lawsuit or, more likely, through a class action lawsuit. If you are unsure exactly what you should do about your lawsuit, consider contacting a lawyer for help.
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm fights to represent the rights of our clients. We are ready to begin working on your behalf if we determine you have a case. For a free consultation, contact us today at (800) 788-4155.