Our AFFF firefighting foam lawyers believe the defendants will settle most of these lawsuits this year (2025) before a single trial.
Our lawyers are focused on six types of claims:
April 17, 2025
If the settlement door closes soon, there will be little notice. Lawyers are rapidly verifying cases with proof. If you are considering filing a claim, do so immediately. Some lawyers have stopped taking new claims.
April 10, 2025
A Science Day is scheduled for June 20, 2025, focusing on liver and thyroid cancer causation. Each side will present four experts to explain the science to the Court. This session aims to shape the judge’s understanding of the science and may influence future expert testimony and rulings. Presentations are off the record but strategically important.
April 1, 2025
The AFFF MDL added 498 new cases in March, totaling 8,928 pending lawsuits. Expert disclosures for thyroid and liver cancer claims are ongoing, with Science Day set for June 20.
March 28, 2025
Key deadlines for expert reports for liver and thyroid cancer cases are set: plaintiffs’ experts by July 11, 2025, and defendants’ experts by August 22, 2025. A Science Day on these cancers is June 20, 2025. Schedules for other conditions remain under existing orders.
March 18, 2025
Three more ulcerative colitis plaintiffs were added to the discovery pool. These cases will undergo intensive fact discovery, and some may be selected for bellwether trials absent a global settlement.
March 8, 2025
The AFFF MDL saw 338 new cases in February, totaling 8,430 pending cases amid settlement rumors.
February 15, 2025
AFFF lawsuits are rising again, with 270 new cases in December and 459 in January, totaling 8,092. Settlement rumors are driving this increase as attorneys seek to file before potential cutoffs.
February 13, 2025
Expert discovery must be completed by February 14, 2025.
January 23, 2025
A new AFFF firefighter lawsuit was filed for a retired Yonkers firefighter diagnosed with thyroid disease after decades of PFAS exposure from firefighting foam and gear. His spouse also seeks damages for loss of consortium. The lawsuit alleges negligence and failure to warn by manufacturers.
January 28, 2025
Punitive damages, intended to punish egregious misconduct, are likely to increase AFFF settlement amounts and pressure defendants to settle before the first personal injury trial. Allegations include concealing PFAS toxicity risks for decades.
January 21, 2025
Diseases with strong scientific links to AFFF and exposure patterns include:
Pancreatic, prostate, male breast, bladder, and liver cancers are also being pursued with strong evidence.
January 15, 2025
A Flagstaff, Arizona firefighter and his wife filed an AFFF lawsuit alleging his recurrent testicular cancer was caused by prolonged PFAS exposure during his career since 2002. He had direct skin contact with AFFF during training and operations and was not warned of risks. His wife also seeks damages.
January 7, 2025
A new study shows how specific PFAS compounds impact neuronal function, linking them to neurodegenerative and behavioral disorders. The research on human neuronal cells identified gene expression alterations and lipid imbalances, providing molecular evidence for neurological harm relevant to PFAS exposure cases.
December 12, 2024
New firefighting foam lawsuits continue to be filed in the MDL. A former U.S. Navy firefighter from Amanda, Ohio, sued alleging his thyroid disease was caused by AFFF exposure during his service. The lawsuit cites negligence, failure to warn, design defects, and fraudulent concealment.
November 24, 2024
Insurance disputes are a growing issue in the AFFF MDL, with battles between corporate defendants and insurers over coverage for legal costs. A recent ruling in South Carolina highlights this. While it may add complexity, it is not expected to delay AFFF settlements significantly.
November 14, 2024
The Tier 2 Group A bellwether trial is set for October 6, 2025. The immediate focus is on the admissibility of plaintiffs’ expert witnesses under Daubert challenges. The defendants’ settlement strategy (before or after Daubert rulings) is key.
November 1, 2024
A new case management order outlines the timeline for discovery, expert witness disclosures, and trial preparations for personal injury bellwether cases. Fact-finding for Tier 2 Group A continues until December 16, 2024, with expert depositions by May 14, 2025. Trial designations and motions are due by April 2025, and Daubert motions by June 6, 2025.
October 23, 2024
A plaintiff from Boerne, Texas, filed a new lawsuit alleging thyroid cancer and other issues from AFFF exposure during a U.S. Navy career.
October 5, 2024
The deadline for plaintiffs’ attorneys to outline their experts’ opinions on the link between PFAS and cancer is approaching. These reports will face Daubert challenges. Favorable rulings for plaintiffs could increase settlement pressure.
September 19, 2024
A North Carolina man filed a lawsuit alleging his kidney cancer was caused by PFAS exposure from AFFF during firefighter training in Virginia and contaminated water.
September 9, 2024
The first Telomer Water Provider lawsuit is scheduled for March 3, 2025. Resolution of these cases may shift focus to individual firefighter claims.
September 1, 2024
Daubert challenges, focusing on the admissibility of plaintiffs’ scientific evidence linking PFAS in AFFF to diseases, will be key. Plaintiffs are expected to overcome these challenges, increasing settlement pressure.
August 6, 2024
A new AFFF lawsuit was filed as a wrongful death and survival action for a New Jersey firefighter and hazardous materials technician who died from kidney cancer allegedly caused by prolonged AFFF exposure.
July 22, 2024
Judge Gergel selected nine plaintiff-proposed cases for the initial trial list, involving kidney, testicular, thyroid cancer, and ulcerative colitis claims from Pennsylvania and Colorado.
July 17, 2024
Plaintiffs’ lawyers proposed selecting specific cancer and location cases (kidney/testicular cancer in PA, thyroid/ulcerative colitis in CO) to streamline the litigation process.
July 11, 2024
A former Navy firefighter from Georgia filed an AFFF lawsuit after being diagnosed with kidney cancer, alleging it resulted from prolonged exposure to PFAS-containing materials during his service.
June 27, 2024
A new study on PFAS absorption through human skin models shows that dermal exposure can significantly contribute to the body burden of PFAS, strengthening claims against manufacturers.
May 16, 2024
Our AFFF lawyers are focusing on kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease/hypothyroidism, ulcerative colitis, liver cancer, and thyroid cancer.
May 7, 2024
A rough outline for selecting and managing initial bellwether trials for plaintiffs alleging kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease, and ulcerative colitis has been established.
March 21, 2024
New CMO #28 sets a schedule for identifying scientific studies on AFFF diseases beyond water contamination cases and outlines the path to a Science Day, an educational briefing for the MDL judge on the scientific and medical principles of the litigation.
Our AFFF firefighting foam lawyers are handling AFFF firefighting foam lawsuits around the country.
March 6, 2024
The court is increasingly focusing on turnout gear PFAS claims. These claims allege that PFAS in firefighters’ protective clothing has caused various health issues, including cancer. A new court order, Case Management Order No. 5F, establishes procedures for Plaintiff Fact Sheets specific to turnout gear claims.
February 26, 2024
A new firefighting foam lawsuit from a former Nevada firefighter diagnosed with bladder cancer, with AFFF exposure from 1992 to 1997, was transferred into the MDL.
February 25, 2024
New research suggests that diets high in processed meats, butter, and takeout food may contribute to elevated PFAS levels in the bloodstream.
February 16, 2024
Plaintiffs’ lawyers and BASF entered into a tolling agreement in nine AFFF cases, suspending the statute of limitations to facilitate pretrial proceedings and settlement discussions.
October 24, 2023
A study indicates a 56% increased risk of thyroid cancer among individuals with elevated levels of linear perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).
October 5, 2023
A new study provides strong evidence linking AFFF exposure to testicular cancer.
August 20, 2023
A recent study confirms a potential link between AFFF exposure and an elevated risk of testicular cancer.
August 18, 2023
A new AFFF lawsuit from a former Air Force firefighter diagnosed with prostate cancer, allegedly from AFFF exposure during his service, was directly filed in the MDL.
August 1, 2023
Judge Gergel granted a motion to substitute the deceased Alabama plaintiff with his daughter in a wrongful death AFFF lawsuit.
June 2, 2023
Chemours, DuPont de Nemours, and Corteva reached a preliminary $1.185 billion settlement agreement for PFAS-related drinking water claims involving public water systems.
May 24, 2023
The EPA’s proposed limits on PFAS in drinking water will be admitted as evidence in the first AFFF lawsuit trial brought by the City of Stuart, Florida.
March 7, 2023
A former Marine firefighter from Texas filed an AFFF lawsuit alleging his prostate cancer resulted from exposure to fluorochemical products during his service.
February 3, 2023
The statute of limitations for AFFF lawsuits is typically 2-3 years, but the discovery rule in many states can extend this deadline until the plaintiff knows or should have known of the injury and its cause.
January 12, 2023
A study in Occupational Medicine reported that firefighters have a 60% higher cancer death rate than the general population, with significantly higher rates for prostate, leukemia, and kidney cancers, potentially linked to carcinogenic chemicals in AFFF.
November 1, 2022
Retired judge Layn Phillips was appointed as a settlement mediator to facilitate global settlement discussions in the AFFF litigation, which includes both individual cancer claims and municipal water contamination claims.
Prolonged use or exposure to certain chemicals in AFFF firefighting foam can cause cancer. Individuals regularly exposed and diagnosed with kidney, pancreatic, prostate, or testicular cancer may be able to file a lawsuit for financial compensation.
All federal AFFF lawsuits are consolidated in an MDL in South Carolina. As of August 2022, over 2,500 plaintiffs with firefighting foam cancer lawsuits are pending. The MDL is expected to end in a global settlement after bellwether trials.
AFFF is designed to extinguish high-intensity fires and contains PFAS (poly-fluoroalkyl substances). PFAS are highly resistant chemicals that do not biodegrade, earning them the name “forever chemicals.”
Scientific research indicates that chronic PFAS exposure from firefighting foam can cause certain cancers. The EPA noted links to kidney and testicular cancer in animal studies (2016). The IARC found increased rates of kidney, prostate, and testicular cancer in humans exposed to PFAS. The CDC and American Cancer Society also list these chemicals as human carcinogens.
Regular, long-term exposure to AFFF firefighting foam can create a cancer risk from PFAS through:
Individuals in jobs with regular AFFF use are at risk. Firefighters, especially those in the military (since the 1960s/70s) and at commercial airports or industrial facilities, have significant occupational exposure. Our lawyers are handling many Navy AFFF lawsuits.
Consumption of drinking water contaminated with PFAS from AFFF is another exposure route. Contamination often occurs near military bases or airports where AFFF was used, with PFAS seeping into the groundwater.
Chronic exposure to AFFF firefighting foam is linked to increased rates of:
Our firm currently focuses on ulcerative colitis, liver cancer, kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease/hypothyroidism, and thyroid cancer due to the strongest scientific evidence.
As of March 2025, nearly 10,000 lawsuits are pending in the AFFF MDL-2873, including water contamination and personal injury claims, many from firefighters alleging cancer due to AFFF exposure.
Defendants are AFFF manufacturers like DuPont and 3M. Evidence suggests these companies were aware of the environmental toxicity of PFAS by the 1970s and the human health risks, including cancer links, by the 1990s.
The AFFF lawsuits are expected to be resolved through a global settlement with a settlement fund for individual plaintiffs. Compensation will likely be tiered based on the strength of the case, exposure level, and cancer type.
Top-tier cases with long-term occupational exposure and severe cancers linked to AFFF (prostate, testicular, thyroid disease, liver cancer, ulcerative colitis) may see average settlements of $300,000 to $600,000. Second-tier cases could range from $150,000 to $280,000, and third-tier settlements might be $75,000 or less. These are predictions, and the actual settlement amounts and timeline are not guaranteed. Speculation suggests a potential settlement with some defendants in the first half of 2025.
Many people exposed to AFFF have filed lawsuits against the companies that made the foam. The lawsuits allege that the companies were aware of the health risks but continued to sell the foam nonetheless. The lawsuits argue that the companies should be held accountable for the harm caused by AFFF.
Our lawyers at Class Action Lawsuiit are currently accepting new AFFF firefighting foam cases in all 50 states. Every case has a potential statute of limitations issue. So act now. Contact our AFFF class action lawyers today to get your case started with a free online consultation.
