AFFF (Fire Fighting Foam) is a type of foam that firefighters use to put out fires. It has been used throughout the State of California for the last 40 years. However, manufacturers of AFFF used dangerous chemicals—called PFAS—to manufacture the foam as far back as the 1960s. Sadly studies have shown exposure to PFAS can lead to serious health complications, including various types of cancer.
If a medical provider has diagnosed you with cancer after exposure to AFFF while on the job—or at some other time—you are eligible to file a product liability claim that seeks monetary compensation and damages for your cancer.
The type of cancers are as follows (list types here)
The expert Modesto AFFF cancer lawyers at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers have recovered more than $750 million in settlements and verdicts for our clients over the years.
When you entrust our legal team to handle your claim or lawsuit, you can rest assured that we will zealously advocate for your interests and work to get you the full amount of compensation that you deserve. We will aggressively advocate for you during settlement negotiations, and in the event a jury trial becomes necessary, we will fight for all of your rights in court.
Please contact us today for a free consultation. Alternatively, you can use the texting feature on this page. Let our legal team help you hold AFFF manufacturers accountable for your illness or injury.
What Is the Link Between AFFF Fire-fighting Foam and Cancer?
Although manufacturers and merchants have sold AFFF foam to the public for decades, the side effects and medical complications associated with exposure have not come to light until very recently.
Some of the most common medical illnesses and complications arising from exposure to AFFF include:
- Thyroid cancer
- Renal failure
- Colorectal cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Cancer of the testicles
- Liver cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Lymphoma
- Bladder cancer
- Leukemia
- Prostate cancer
A person who suffers one or more of these illnesses or complications from exposure to AFFF may need to undergo significant medical treatment, including one or more surgeries and other procedures. All of this treatment can cost a lot of money. The experienced Modesto AFFF cancer attorneys at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers will file your claim against the responsible manufacturer and pursue compensation that will obtain for you the most compensation.
What Occupations Have the Highest Risk of AFFF Exposure?
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Several occupations have a high risk of exposure to AFFF and the medical complications that arise from it.
High-risk jobs include:
- Firefighters who work at airports
- Firefighters who work for the military (and who have been using AFFF foam since the 1960s)
If you have worked in one of these professions and believe you suffered the consequences of AFFF exposure, speak with the expert team of AFFF cancer lawyers at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers as soon as possible. Our legal team can discuss your symptoms with you and explain all of your legal options in clear and easy-to-understand terms. We can then file a claim against the AFFF manufacturers and pursue the monetary damages you deserve.
What Is a Product Liability Claim, and How Do I Recover Monetary Compensation for My Medical Complications?
A person who has suffered cancer or some other medical complication, illness, or injury as a result of exposure to AFFF might be eligible to file a product liability claim. A product liability claim alleges that the manufacturer of a product did something wrong, or in some cases, that they are strictly liable for the harm they caused. In addition, the person who suffered exposure must have experienced an adverse reaction, medical complication, illness, or injury as a result.
In California, an injured individual might file two types of product liability claims. First of all, a person can file a strict liability claim or lawsuit against an AFFF manufacturer. In a strict liability claim, the manufacturer can be responsible for failing to provide individuals with sufficient warning about adverse side effects associated with use or exposure to a certain product. In addition, a manufacturer can be strictly liable for a defective product design that resulted in an illness or other complication.
In addition to a strict liability claim, someone can file a negligence claim against a product manufacturer. In that instance, the plaintiff must demonstrate that the manufacturer acted unreasonably or did something wrong under the circumstances.
For example, the manufacturer may not have tested the product sufficiently to weed out potential complications and side effects. As a result, someone must have suffered an injury or illness from exposure to the product—or from using the product the way the manufacturer intended.
If you have cancer from AFFF exposure, the skilled team of Modesto AFFF cancer lawyers at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers is ready and willing to help. Our legal team can analyze your circumstances and help you determine the claim you might be eligible to file. We can then file the claim on your behalf and pursue the damages you deserve for your illness or injury resulting from AFFF exposure.
Filing a Claim or Lawsuit Against the AFFF Manufacturers Seeking Monetary Compensation and Damages
Firefighters and other workers who have suffered cancer from exposure to AFFF are eligible to file a claim against the manufacturer. We can file a product liability claim on behalf of an individual or a group of people in a class action claim or lawsuit.
Hypothetical Class Action
In a class action, the attorney files a claim/lawsuit on behalf of a group of similarly situated individuals—in this case, those who suffered medical complications from prolonged exposure to AFFF. The lawyer then files the claim against a manufacturer of the defective product.
The claims-filing process begins when the plaintiffs’ attorney submits a demand on behalf of the affected individuals. These demand packages will typically include copies of important documents, like medical records and bills, impact statements and wage loss statements. The package may also include a settlement demand letter that makes a monetary demand for settlement in the case.
Once the insurance company adjuster reviews the demand packages, they will determine whether or not to accept liability. If the insurance company accepts liability, the adjuster will typically make a monetary offer to resolve the case through settlement.
At that point, the plaintiffs’ lawyers may negotiate to see if they can resolve the claims favorably. If the parties to the case reach an impasse, the lawyer may need to file a lawsuit in court on behalf of the affected individuals. However, even after the lawyer files suit and litigation commences, the parties can still settle out of court.
However, once the case is in litigation, the attorney for the manufacturer may take the plaintiffs’ depositions to learn more about the case and the alleged illnesses or injuries. After that point, the insurance company might increase their settlement offers in the case. At a court-imposed settlement conference, the parties may have one additional opportunity to resolve their case through settlement.
If the case does not resolve at a court-ordered settlement conference, the parties may decide to take their case to trial and let a jury decide the outcome. At a jury trial, the jury will resolve all of the disputed issues, including any monetary compensation and damages in the case.
As an alternative to a jury proceeding, the parties might try their case before an arbitrator. Arbitration is a type of alternative dispute resolution and takes the place of a traditional jury trial. During arbitration, the parties present evidence, including oral testimony, medical records, medical bills, and lost wage documentation, to prove their case.
The lawyer for the manufacturer can then cross-examine the individuals after they testify. The arbitrator will then decide on damages—usually within certain pre-set high/low parameters. An arbitrator’s decision is then final, and it is not subject to appeal by any of the parties to the case.
Binding arbitration is often a favorable way to resolve product liability disputes since it guarantees that the similarly situated plaintiffs will receive some money, and it takes out some of the uncertainty associated with a traditional jury trial.
If you have suffered cancer following exposure to AFFF, the expert team of Modesto AFFF cancer lawyers at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers can assist you with every step of the claims-filing and litigation processes. If you decide to litigate your case in court, we can represent you at all court hearings, including at jury trials and binding arbitration proceedings. Our legal team will work zealously to help you obtain the most favorable result in your case.
Recovering Monetary Compensation for Medical Complications and Other Damages Arising from Prolonged AFFF Exposure
Victims of AFFF exposure experience certain types of cancers. Cancer treatment can involve chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries and other long-term and expensive procedures. In addition, victims of AFFF exposure can suffer extreme pain, and their lives are never the same again. Therefore, as part of a strict liability or negligence claim, an affected individual might be eligible to recover various types of monetary compensation and damages.
The amounts of compensation that an individual may recover will depend upon various factors, including the type of cancer treatment that they had to undergo, the extent of their cancer treatment, and the cost of their treatment. Other factors will include the severity of their cancer and whether or not they suffered a permanent medical condition, as determined by a knowledgeable healthcare provider. Generally speaking, the more significant and costly the medical treatment, the higher the case’s value.
As part of a negligence or strict liability legal action, an individual who suffered the after-effects of AFFF exposure can recover monetary compensation for all related medical expenses, including the costs of surgery, chemotherapy and other medical treatment.
If a person cannot work after exposure, they might file a claim for lost income or earning capacity. If the person must undergo a future medical procedure, they might recover the anticipated costs associated with it.
In addition to these economic damages, individuals can pursue compensation for pain and suffering, emotional anguish, mental distress, loss of use of a body part, lost quality of life, and inconvenience.
If you or a person you love suffered medical complications resulting from prolonged exposure to AFFF, the expert team of Modesto AFFF cancer attorneys at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers can work to get you fully and fairly compensated for your damages. Our legal team will zealously fight for your rights to the economic benefits that you deserve.
What Conditions Can I Receive Financial Compensation For?
Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers is helping AFFF victims recover financial compensation for:
- Thyroid disease
- Hypo or hyperthyroidism
- Hashimoto’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Kidney cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Blood cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Leukemia
- Multiple myeloma
- Endometrial cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Breast cancer – male only
- Liver cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostate cancer
Speak to a Knowledgeable Modesto AFFF Cancer Lawyer About Your Legal Matter Today
If you developed cancer because of prolonged AFFF exposure, you have legal rights and options.
The expert team of local attorneys at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers can review the circumstances of your potential case with you and can file a product liability claim on your behalf against the AFFF manufacturers. If the insurance company won’t offer you the compensation you deserve, our team welcomes the opportunity to litigate your case in court.
For a free case evaluation and legal consultation with the expert Modesto AFFF cancer lawyers, please call us today at (209) 232-2933 or contact us online to discuss your potential claim or lawsuit.
