By now, most of us are aware of the health hazards of firefighter foam or AFFF. Even though the toxic foam is effective in extinguishing fuel-based fires, it hurts human health because of the PFAS chemicals contained in it. Over the years, firefighters who’ve used this foam to dissolve fires or for training have developed cancers of multiple kinds.
Naturally, they have filed their lawsuits and are awaiting fair compensation to cover the damages endured. It’s 2024 and victims are still waiting to obtain their settlement payout. The endless wait does annoy and disappoint many. The question that most have in their mind is whether the lawsuits will get settled this year.
In 2023, several AFFF water contamination claims were filed by municipalities and local water authorities. All of them have been addressed and resolved through a global settlement agreement. Despite that, the AFFF lawsuit settlement didn’t happen in 2023.
But this year the plaintiffs do hope that the wrongful deaths, and personal injury claims get settled.
In this article, we try to find out if there is a chance of the lawsuits getting settled this year and the probable payout amount.
The Initial Bellwether Trial Settled
TruLaw states that it is necessary for every affected individual by AFFF exposure to file a lawsuit and get in touch with a lawyer. They will help you to walk through the legal journey with the guidance you require. Since new cases are being added, it is necessary to ensure that your case doesn’t get lost.
The lawsuit update for March 2024 states that close to 176 new cases had been added to MDL. That means the total number of pending cases is 7,000. However, the first bellwether test trial for AFFF class action MDL was fixed to be in June 2023. It was the City of Stuart against the 3M Co. et al. case. The former case included claims that the AFFF had polluted the municipal water system in Florida.
However, this trial didn’t take place as in June 2023, all the defendants decided to solve every water contamination case. Based on the reports, this settlement deal includes a $10.3 billion payment to be done in the next 13 years. The plaintiffs can use this amount to resolve issues related to PFAS contamination in the water systems.
Is Settlement Anticipated in 2024?
A few lawyers feel that the AFFF class action lawsuits might have a few settlement payouts in 2024. Can one completely guarantee this or rather hope for it? Keeping in mind the current scenario, it’s likely to be the latter.
However, the pressure of this trial triggered a global settlement among the municipality claims of a few of these defendants. That aside, a few rumors were circulating amongst the lawyers. It was all about the defense lawyers indicating that the leading defendants wished to go past these cases at the earliest.
AFFF Settlement Payout: What Is the Probable Amount?
Victims are keen to know the settlement payout for their AFFF lawsuits filed. In all probability, the amount will range between $250,000 and $450,000. This settlement has the chance to develop a tiered system where the singular claims will be classified in tiers depending on the plaintiff’s case strength.
The cases that get ranked in the highest tier will receive more settlement payout compared to the ones in the lower tiers. The moment a person’s case gets ranked the factors considered will include the following:
- The type of cancer the plaintiff suffered from
- The extent of AFFF exposure a plaintiff endured
- The plaintiff’s age
The types of cancer which have a prominent link to AFFF exposure include bladder, thyroid, kidney, and testicular cancer. All the cases, including these types of cancer and exposure records, might just be in the top tier.
Lastly, a plaintiff’s individual exposure record indicates their exposure duration to the toxic foam. For instance, a plaintiff who has been exposed to this foam for 2 or 3 times or about 5 years will possess a weaker case compared to the one who’s been exposed for 10 or 20 years.
In conclusion, many people to date have been affected by AFFF exposure, including firefighters, Air Force personnel, and even average people. The concerned authorities must resolve the claims so that people can move past their damages. One can only hope that the plaintiffs receive their due share of the settlement this year.
But the delay shouldn’t stop you from filing a lawsuit if you qualify for it. If your medical records and healthcare data can establish that your ailment is because of AFFF exposure, you should seek legal aid.
