LAWSUITS NEWS & LEGAL INFORMATION
Workers Compensation Legal News Articles & Interviews
44 Million Americans Drink PFAS-Contaminated Water, Says New Study
March 4, 2024. By Jane Mundy.
Washington, DC Data released by the Environmental Protection Agency shows that 44 million people in the U.S. have toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS in their drinking water, but that could be just the tip of the iceberg as the full scale of PFAS contamination is likely much more widespread. However, scientists at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) estimated in 2020 that more than 200 million Americans are exposed to forever chemicals in their drinking water.
Read [ 44 Million Americans Drink PFAS-Contaminated Water, Says New Study ]
DuPont, Corteva and Chemours to Pay State of Ohio $110 million
December 11, 2023. By Jane Mundy.
Washington County, OH The chemical manufacturers of “forever chemicals”, namely DuPont, Corteva and Chemours, have reached a $110 million settlement with the state of Ohio. The PFOA lawsuit was filed by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, claiming that PFOA, the manmade chemical perfluorooctanoic acid, was released in the air and water from DuPont’s Washington Works facility in Parkersburg, West Virginia, and just across the border from Ohio’s Washington County.
Read [ DuPont, Corteva and Chemours to Pay State of Ohio $110 million ]
Lawsuit Links PFAS PFOA Water Contamination to Ulcerative Colitis
November 27, 2023. By Anne Wallace.
Charleston, SC On September 13, Marye Smith filed a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. Smith v. 3M Company alleges that Ms. Smith developed ulcerative colitis because of years of exposure to toxic PFAS in drinking water contaminated with aqueous firefighting foam.
Read [ Lawsuit Links PFAS PFOA Water Contamination to Ulcerative Colitis ]
Exposure to PFAS Doubles Cancer Risk in Women
October 18, 2023. By Anne Wallace.
Ann Arbor, MI A study, published on September 18 in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology suggests that exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS and PFOA) compounds greatly increases the risk of melanoma, ovarian and uterine cancers in women. The precise mechanism is unknown, but PFAS exposure appears to affect the immune and hormonal systems, liver function and other bodily processes.
Read [ Exposure to PFAS Doubles Cancer Risk in Women ]
$12.5 Billion PFAS Settlement Revised to Extend 3M Liability
September 29, 2023. By Anne Wallace.
Charleston, SC On August 29, the District Court for the District of South Carolina preliminarily approved a revision to the $12.5 billion proposed settlement in a class action perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl lawsuit brought by a long list of water utilities. The settlement was reached after a five-year legal battle that involved 37.4 million pages of discovery documents and more than 160 depositions. The revision is specifically designed to protect the utilities from some future liabilities.
Read [ $12.5 Billion PFAS Settlement Revised to Extend 3M Liability ]
Maryland’s Largest Water Utility Files PFAS Lawsuit
August 30, 2023. By Anne Wallace.
Greenbelt, MD On August 4, Maryland’s largest water utility, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC), filed a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS/PFOA) lawsuit against 3M and DuPont de Nemours among other defendants. Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission v. 3M Company alleges that the PFAS manufacturers made and marketed PFAS-contaminated fire-suppression foams and concealed the toxic nature of the materials from the public.
Read [ Maryland’s Largest Water Utility Files PFAS Lawsuit ]
3M to Settle PFAS/PFOA Water Contamination Lawsuit for $10.3 Billion
July 24, 2023. By Anne Wallace.
Stuart, FL On June 22, the 3M Company announced that it had agreed to settle a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS/PFOA) lawsuit brought by the City of Stuart, Florida for $10.3 billion. This will end the first bellwether PFAS lawsuit brought as part of the multidistrict litigation consolidated in the District of South Carolina. The settlement follows similar agreements made by Chemours, DuPont and Corteva. More settlements may be on the horizon. The collective judgment of the chemical companies seems to be that limiting future financial liability may be the best they can do. Although the details of each of these toxic contamination lawsuits are different, some facts are common.
Read [ 3M to Settle PFAS/PFOA Water Contamination Lawsuit for $10.3 Billion ]
As Goes the Water in Waterville, so Goes the Nation’s
June 13, 2023. By Anne Wallace.
Waterville, ME Waterville, Maine, on the banks of the Kennebec River, is 23 miles northeast of Augusta, the capital of Maine. In 2021 it had a population of 15,828. More to the point, however, Waterville’s drinking water is contaminated with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS/PFOA) compounds, a situation faced by many towns and cities.
Read [ As Goes the Water in Waterville, so Goes the Nation’s ]
PFAS Linked to Obesity
May 26, 2023. By Anne Wallace.
Kingston, RI A University of Rhode Island study has confirmed that increased PFAS content in blood promotes weight gain and makes it harder to keep a lower body weight after weight loss. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS/PFOA) “forever chemicals” have previously been linked to a variety of health conditions, including cancers, liver disease and thyroid disease. The newly-found connection with obesity effectively doubles the health risks caused by this environmental contaminant.
Read [ PFAS Linked to Obesity ]
Can PFAS and PFOAs be Scrubbed from Drinking Water?
April 27, 2023. By Anne Wallace.
Washington, DC New reports suggest that technological innovations may be effective in scrubbing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS/PFOA) “forever chemicals” from the nation’s drinking water. These innovations suggest part of a prospective remedy for the widespread health and environmental damage caused by these chemicals.
Read [ Can PFAS and PFOAs be Scrubbed from Drinking Water? ]
- 3M Promises to end PFAS Toxic Chemical Production by 2025 By Jane Mundy (Jan-11-23)
- California Files PFAS/PFOA Lawsuit against 3M Company By Anne Wallace (Dec-26-22)
- Department of Defense to Stop Using PFAS-Based Firefighting Foam in 2024 By Anne Wallace (Nov-14-22)
- PFAS Water Contamination Lawsuits Update By Jane Mundy (Oct-5-22)
- Retired Judge Discusses Workers’ Compensation Claims By Jane Mundy (Apr-19-22)
- Navy Veteran Claims PFAS Firefighting Foam Caused Testicular Cancer By Jane Mundy (Oct-28-21)
- PFAS Breast Cancer Lawsuit and PFAS Links to Breast Cancer By Jane Mundy (Sep-22-21)
- Maine First to Enact Ban on Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) By Jane Mundy (Aug-26-21)
- Taxpayer Dollars up in PFAS Smoke? By Jane Mundy (Jul-28-21)
- Air Force Veteran Files Kidney Cancer Lawsuit Citing Firefighting Foam By Anne Wallace (Jun-22-21)
- City of LaCrosse sues 3M Company over PFAS Water Contamination By Anne Wallace (Mar-30-21)
- Firefighting Foam $17.5M Settlement a “Huge Milestone” By Jane Mundy (Feb-16-21)
- Forever Waiting for EPA’s Limits on PFAS “Forever Chemicals” By Jane Mundy (Jan-27-21)
- “Do I Have a Firefighting Foam or Contaminated Water Lawsuit?” PFAS Contamination Lawyer Weighs In By Jane Mundy (Jan-20-21)
- After $7.9 Million Jury Verdict, Chipotle Settles California Labor Lawsuit To Avoid Punitive Damages By Lori Prapas (Jun-5-18)
- Handy Guidance for Colorado Workers’ Compensation By Gordon Gibb (Dec-1-17)
- Asbestos Mesothelioma Victim Was a Sitting Judge in Texas By Gordon Gibb (Nov-29-17)
- Denial of Benefits May not be the Only Problem Plaguing WA Workers Comp By Gordon Gibb (Oct-29-17)
- Qualified Attorney Important for Florida Workers’ Compensation Claims By Gordon Gibb (Aug-25-17)
- Duality Observed in Illinois Cause for Confusion, but Plaintiff Benefits Nonetheless By Gordon Gibb (Jul-30-17)
- The Best Strategy for Dealing with Proof of Disability Letters By Brenda Craig (Jun-7-17)
- State Legislatures on Track to Reform Workers' Compensation for First Responders By Deb Hipp (May-6-17)
- Denied Workers Compensation Claims Always Deserve a Second Opinion By Brenda Craig (Apr-14-17)
- Retired Frontline Workers Can Make Worker Compensation Claims By Brenda Craig (Mar-28-17)
- Is Donning and Doffing About to Change in Health Care? By Gordon Gibb (Nov-5-16)
- Wells Fargo Faces California Labor Lawsuit Alleging Failure to Pay Overtime, Wrongful Termination By Heidi Turner (Oct-3-16)
- California Passes Farmworker Overtime Laws By Heidi Turner (Sep-28-16)
- Donning and Doffing: Does Every Minute Count? By Jane Mundy (Sep-20-16)
- Rules Regarding Donning and Doffing Not Always Clear-Cut By Heidi Turner (Sep-17-16)
- California Labor Law is Often Ignored by Employers By Gordon Gibb (Sep-12-16)
- California Overtime Lawsuit against Nike Certified as a Class Action By Gordon Gibb (Sep-11-16)
- California Farm Workers Could Receive Bump in Overtime Pay By Heidi Turner (Aug-31-16)
- California Trucking Company Hit with California Labor Law Class Action By Gordon Gibb (Aug-29-16)
- Hotel in Boston Hit with Unpaid Wages Lawsuit By Gordon Gibb (Aug-25-16)
- Mesothelioma Victim Awarded $8.75 Million Has Only Months to Live By Gordon Gibb (Aug-21-16)
- California Caregivers - Attorney Discusses Whether You Qualify for Overtime By Jane Mundy (Aug-9-16)
- Startup Defending California Labor Lawsuit Alleging Misclassification By Gordon Gibb (Jul-25-16)
- Florida Workers’ Compensation Law Unconstitutional By Jane Mundy (Jun-10-16)
- Mediation Offers an Option to Court By Brenda Craig (Nov-17-15)
- Appellate Court Finds for Plaintiff in Neck Injury Case By Gordon Gibb (Jan-24-13)