The class action lawsuit against PFAS is for people who suffered an illness as a result of exposure to these dangerous chemicals. This is a lawsuit where a group of people are suing the manufacturers of PFAS, attempting to receive compensation for illnesses and injuries. If your case is similar to others, you could qualify to join this class action.
Understanding the PFAS Class Action Lawsuit
A class action lawsuit involves a group of individual parties taking legal action against one or more defendants. Rather than having hundreds or thousands of people bring individual lawsuits against a defendant for the same basic issue, which could overwhelm the legal system, all of the similar cases will combine into one case.
Those who have suffered a similar injury or illness as others can join the lawsuit, and they will be part of the class.
Should the plaintiffs win the lawsuit, all of them would split the judgment amount.
PFAS Exposure
In 2019, a federal judge ruled that those injured because of exposure to PFAS will be able to bring a class action lawsuit against the manufacturers of PFAS chemicals. Any American resident who suffered exposure to PFAS, resulting in illnesses or injuries, can join the class action lawsuit.
To join the lawsuit, a person must be able to show that they have a detectable level of PFAS in their blood. The person then has to be able to show they have suffered an injury because of this exposure.
How to Tell if You Have PFAS Exposure
Doctors can test your blood, looking for the presence of PFAS chemicals. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the chemicals that make up the PFAS do not break down over time. They instead can accumulate in the human body, so someone who has received long-term exposure could have quite a significant concentration of these chemicals in his or her blood.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says those who have suffered PFAS exposure could show multiple signs of health problems, including:
- Increased risk of cancer
- Weakened immune systems
- High cholesterol
- Diminished organ function (liver, thyroid, and pancreas)
Because scientists continue to study the effects of PFAS chemicals on humans, they may discover additional health problems related to PFAS. You may have suffered a PFAS related illness or injury that is not one of the most common ones. Discussing your symptoms with your doctor may show PFAS caused the uncommon injury.
Common Areas with PFAS Exposure
In some parts of the United States, PFAS is not common, so doctors may not look for it normally. However, if you live in an area where PFAS chemicals appeared with regularity in the past, doctors may run tests to see what level of exposure you may have suffered.
Those who live near former industrial sites may suffer a PFAS exposure, for example, because the PFAS in use at that site could have contaminated the groundwater in the area. Some cities in the United States have found PFAS chemicals in their municipal water sources, leading to exposure for people who drink the water.
Multiple companies manufactured PFAS, starting in the 1940s, and use PFAS in a variety of circumstances. Some of these items include:
- Firefighting foams in use at training facilities
- Stain repellant fabrics
- Non-stick cookware
- Food packaging
- Military bases with airfields
Because these chemicals do not break down, usage of PFAS in manufacturing from decades ago could still be causing exposure today.
Manufacturers Involved in Using PFAS
One of the most common ways people become exposed to PFAS chemicals is through working at a facility that used the chemicals regularly. Employees who worked around PFAS may have suffered a significant level of exposure over the years. It is possible that the effects of this exposure may not have shown up until just recently.
Some of these companies may be part of the class action lawsuit regarding PFAS.
We Will Defend Your Right to Receive Awards
When you have suffered from exposure to PFAS, you may qualify to join the class action lawsuit against PFAS. Those joining this lawsuit will attempt to receive compensation for the injuries and illnesses they develop after exposure to this dangerous chemical.
This can be a confusing situation to tackle on your own. At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, our team is ready to take on the toughest cases, and we will defend your right to receive compensation. Call us today at (800) 794-0444 for a free consultation.