Are you a firefighter by profession? Or are you a member of the armed forces and reside close to a military base?
In both cases, you have a chance to suffer from AFFF or firefighter foam exposure. Even though it might not seem to be fatal to you, this toxic foam is the reason many firefighters have suffered from fatal types of cancer and other health hazards.
Simply put, AFFF (Aqueous film-forming foam) is a firefighting foam that is used for smothering fires which include flammable liquids like gasoline and oil. The AFFF products are highly effective, but they can pose ample health risks because of the presence of PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) which are also known as ‘forever chemicals. The reason is that these chemicals don’t break down and persist in nature and the human body, which causes severe harm to both.
The military residents and firefighters have been exposed to PFAS during their work tenure and faced several health hazards. Testicular cancer is one of the leading ailments that they have suffered from.
This article will discuss how AFFF exposure made firefighters and other military personnel suffer from this deadly disease and how victims of this toxic foam exposure seek compensation.
AFFF Exposure & Testicular Cancer: The Degree of Suffering
In August 2023, KFF Health News reported the story of Gary Flook who had been working in the Air Force for about 27 years and had suffered from AFFF exposure. He used this toxic foam for his training all through his working tenure not being aware that it would cause cancer in his body.
Flook even volunteered at a local fire department where the foam was used with him not realizing the dangers he was to encounter later. In 2000, when he was 45 years of age, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. As a result of this cancer, he had to undergo an orchiectomy and chemotherapy.
Today, many people have filed their AFFF foam cancer lawsuits, and Flook is one of them seeking compensation for the same. The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and National Cancer Institute (NIC) made use of the banked blood from Air Force servicemen to study the link between AFFF exposure and cancer.
The findings revealed that firefighters who had increased levels of PFAS in their blood had a chance to develop testicular cancer later in life. Mark Purdue, a co-author of the study, revealed that the study was the first of its kind to check the PFAS levels present in the military population in the United States. Hence, it brings a set of new evidence to make the correct inferences. However, there is a need for further studies to completely affirm this claim.
AboutLawsuits.com also mentioned that in a NIC study, federal researchers studied 1,060 active-duty Air Force personnel to understand the PFAS exposure rates and cancer incidence. Based on the findings, the service members who were living and working on the base with an increased PFAS level in drinking water had a higher chance of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) by 4.6 times compared to others who weren’t exposed to this foam.
Most of the AFFF cancer foam lawsuits claimed that the manufacturers were aware of the hazards of the foam but failed to inform the firefighters. A timely notice would have helped the firefighters to exercise caution and maybe their degree of suffering could have been lesser. That aside, even the firefighting units could have monitored the use of the foam so that there was less damage caused.
Navigating the Legal Path
Now that you are aware of the dangers of AFFF, it is necessary to know what you can do if you or your loved one have been affected by this foam. The first step is to seek medical attention and treatment needed to arrest testicular cancer so that it doesn’t cause more harm to the body. Once you have medical documents supporting the claim that AFFF exposure caused cancer, it’s time for you to ask for legal help.
TorHoerman Law suggests that it is necessary to get in touch with a lawyer if you want to file a lawsuit. They will first determine if you are eligible for it and will guide you about the legal system. Once they have studied your case and have collected the necessary evidence, they will also let you know about the settlement payout for the testicular cancer you’ve suffered from, which is case-specific.
In conclusion, it’s a known fact that AFFF exposure leads to cancer and other health hazards in firefighters and Air Force servicemen. With more legal complaints, the issue will gain visibility and will force the firefighting authorities and the governments to take the initiative to arrive at safer alternatives.
However, if you’ve been affected by the PFAS levels in your bloodstream and have developed testicular cancer, you can ask for the compensation you deserve to cover all economic and non-economic damages.
