Workers Compensation Legal News Articles & Interviews

Charleston, SCOn 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.  

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Santa Clara, CA 3M Company, which manufactures toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) products, has promised to end production of ‘forever chemicals” by 2025. Critics say 3M’s move is related to its more than 3,000 firefighter foam cancer lawsuits, and attorneys anticipate more product liability complaints. Will the company make good its commitment? Will it stop making Scotchgard products?

Alameda, CA  On November 10, the state of California filed a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS/PFOA) lawsuit in California Superior Court against 3M Co. and more than a dozen other defendants involved in the manufacture and distribution of these toxic “forever chemicals.” California v. 3M Company alleges that these substances, which have been widely used in the manufacture of products from firefighting foam to dental floss, have contaminated soil and water supplies and are now found in the bloodstreams of 98 percent of California’s 39 million people. Even at low concentrations, they have been linked to cancer and a variety of other health problems.