AFFF LAWSUITS

AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) or Firefighter Foam is a fire suppressant used to extinguish fires. It is particularly useful at putting out flammable liquid fires such as jet fuel and petroleum fires. The formula for AFFF was developed by the United States Navy and the 3M company in response to a deadly fire that took the lives of 134 sailors on the aircraft supercarrier, USS Forrestal, in 1967. Soon after, all vessels within the U.S. Navy fleet were required to have the firefighting foam onboard. The entire Department of Defense followed the Navy’s lead by ordering AFFF be stored and used at all military installations where there was a risk of a fuel or liquid fire. In addition, both public and private civilian airports as well as many municipal fire departments began keeping the foam in their firefighting inventories. Aqueous Film Forming Foam continues to be used today in some military and civilian applications.

AFFF is a blend of highly toxic chemicals known as PFAS and is stored in a concentrated solution. When it is used in firefighting efforts, it is mixed with water to create a foam that suffocates fire. Major health and environmental organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the American Cancer Society (ACS), and the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) have warned that the PFAS chemicals found in firefighting foam may be linked to increased risks of cancer and other health conditions.

People who have been diagnosed with serious health problems and either used AFFF directly or lived or worked in proximity to where it was being applied are filing lawsuits against the manufactures of Aqueous Film Forming Foam. In these lawsuits, victims are claiming they were not properly warned of all the health dangers and are seeking to recover compensation for the full extent of the injuries and damages they have suffered.

Attorney Ethan Vessels accepts AFFF cases in both Ohio and West Virginia. If you or a loved one used or was exposed to firefighting foam, and developed a serious health condition such as cancer, you may be entitled to compensation, please contact Ethan Vessels for a free, no obligation consultation. He can be reached by calling 740-374-5346 or sending a message here from this website.

People who have been either directly or indirectly exposed to the toxic PFAS chemicals contained in AFFF solutions may suffer from a long list of health conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure, fertility issues, fetal development disorders, as well as a variety of different types of cancers, including the following:

• Bladder Cancer
• Blood Cancers
• Breast Cancer
• Colon Cancer
• Colorectal Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Leukemia
• Liver Cancer
• Lymphoma
• Multiple Myeloma
• Pancreatic Cancer
• Prostate Cancer
• Testicular Cancer
• Thyroid Disease
• Thyroid Cancer
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Uterine or Endometrial Cancer

PFAS are often referred to as “forever chemicals” because it takes hundreds if not thousands of years for them to break down. Therefore, PFAS may remain in the body, building up over time and causing numerous health problems.

Until 2018, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) required airports to use PFAS-containing firefighter foam. Civilian airport and military airbase firefighters are at high risk of developing cancer due to frequent exposure to AFFF. However, anyone who has worked or volunteered as a firefighter may be at an increased risk of cancer if they’ve been exposed to it.

The U.S. military has been utilizing firefighting foam since the 1960s to extinguish actual fires as well as training exercises. It was stored and used on all vessels in the U.S. Navy fleet, thereby exposing all sailors who were stationed on these ships to harmful AFFF chemicals. It was also present at military air base installations to put out jet fuel fires. Thereby, exposing all who were stationed at these bases to the harmful chemicals, both military personnel and civilian contractors. The Department of Defense (DOD) is looking into PFAS-free firefighting foam alternatives to curb PFAS contamination.

For more than sixteen years, people in Ohio and West Virginia have been contacting Ethan Vessels for legal advice, guidance, and representation when they developed cancer or other serious health problems because they were exposed to dangers chemicals such as those contained in Aqueous Film Forming Foam.

Lawsuits involving toxic chemicals can be highly complex and difficult to prove. That’s why an attorney with Ethan’s experience, reputation, and resources is needed. Ethan typically handles these cases with co-counsel at no additional expense to the client.

Ethan is a proven trial attorney who adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards. His focus is representing those who have been injured due to the negligence of others, including companies who manufacture dangerous chemicals but fail to properly warn people of the health dangers. 

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with one or more of the health conditions listed above and you believe it may have been caused by either direct or indirect exposure to firefighting foam, please contact Ethan Vessels for a free, no obligation consultation. He will answer all your questions and provide you with the feedback you need to decide whether you should pursue a claim and the amount of time you have remaining to file a lawsuit. The meeting and its details will be kept strictly confidential.

When he accepts AFFF cases, he typically works on a contingent fee basis, which means there is no fee for his legal services until and unless a settlement or verdict is reached.