AFFF Lawsuit Settlement Amounts: May 2024

Elliot Figueira

Contributor

Reviewed By Adam Ramirez, J.D.

Editor

Read in 7 mins

Financial compensation for injured victims ensures accountability for the manufacturers of Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF). If you are considering whether to join an AFFF lawsuit, you might be wondering about the potential payout and previous settlements.

The exact level of compensation depends on several factors. You may receive a different level of compensation if you settle with a manufacturer outside of court. This is a viable alternative to litigation, and it may prove beneficial for those who need compensation sooner rather than later. Those who remain committed to pursuing trials may experience different levels of compensation due to the inherently unpredictable nature of juries, judges, and courts. A jury could potentially order AFFF manufacturers to pay a higher level of compensation than.

In the end, your potential payout would depend on various potential “damages.” These include:

  • Medical Expenses. Perhaps the most obvious damage associated with PFAS exposure is the cost of your medical treatment. Various forms of treatment can be very expensive, and a successful lawsuit has the potential to compensate you fully for these financial losses.
  • Lost Wages. Some firefighters are forced to stop working due to health issues caused by PFAS. An AFFF lawsuit may provide compensation for all lost wages – both in the past and the future. If the firefighter passes away, their family may continue to receive compensation for the wages they would have earned throughout their career.
  • Pain and Suffering. Pain and suffering is a broad term that covers all of the various emotional or psychological issues associated with AFFF exposure. This might include depression, the pain or discomfort of surgeries/chemotherapy, and much more.
  • Loss of Enjoyment of Life. Many health issues associated with AFFF exposure diminish the quality of your life. For example, pregnancy issues caused by PFAS may leave you unable to achieve your life goal of starting a family.
  • Loss of Consortium. If AFFF exposure killed your spouse, you may be entitled to sue the manufacturer for “loss of consortium.” You may also sue the manufacturer if your spouse left you due to the burdens of your AFFF-related health issue.
  • Funeral Costs. Funeral costs are legitimate economic damages, and families can claim compensation for these expenses after winning their AFFF lawsuits.

To learn more about your legal options, contact ConsumerShield today. With our longstanding commitment to victims’ rights, we’ll guide you toward the next legal steps.

AFFF Lawsuit Settlements & Payouts

Lawsuits and legal actions have been initiated by affected communities and individuals against manufacturers and users of AFFF. Settlement amounts refer to the monetary compensations awarded to plaintiffs or affected parties.

Lawsuits against AFFF manufacturers and users seek to hold them accountable for the damages caused. The settlement amount represents the negotiated or court-determined sum that aims to cover various losses, including cleanup costs, medical expenses, property devaluation, and other damages suffered due to AFFF contamination.

Do I Qualify for

Aqueous Film-Forming Foam Lawsuit Compensation?
Free Case Review

How much compensation will I get if I am exposed to AFFF?

There are many different factors that determine the amount of compensation each victim receives in an AFFF lawsuit. How long they have been exposed to the chemical and how severely they have been injured matters a lot.

Here is a summary of the compensation tiers and expected sums for individuals exposed to AFFF (Aqueous Film-Forming Foam) based on the provided sources:

  • Tier 1 Settlements (Higher Compensation): Estimated payouts range from $200,000 to $500,000 for individuals in Tier 1 who have developed serious medical conditions as a result of AFFF exposure.
  • Tier 2 Settlements (Moderate Compensation): The estimated value for Tier 2 cases is expected to be between $150,000 to $280,000. These cases involve individuals who have experienced health problems linked to AFFF exposure but may not have suffered as severely as Tier 1 plaintiffs.
  • Tier 3 Settlements (Lower Compensation): Tier 3 cases may result in settlement payouts of $75,000 or less. These cases typically cover individuals with less severe health issues or minor health concerns related to AFFF exposure.

Settlement Amounts for AFFF FireFoam Lawsuits

There are higher chances that AFFF's lawsuit will end up in a mass tort global settlement as per the number of complaints and the severity of the loss faced by the victims. The defendants are also raising funds to provide timely help to the victims who have been suffering from the harmful impacts of the AFFF extinguisher.

The court will follow a hierarchical approach to release individual victim compensation to all the complainers. The first slot goes to the AFFF-acquired cancer victims, who will receive a large amount of compensation. Other victims who have not suffered from too much health loss are given lower slots.

Therefore, based on the intensity of their condition, these victims are not going to receive a more significant amount of compensation. The cancer victims who were exposed to AFFF can avail the benefit of compensation for meeting their medical needs and expenses.

Factors Affecting AFFF Settlement Amounts

Some important factors that can influence the scope and amount of compensation for AFFF victims, including:

  • Extent of Contamination: The settlements will be extensive if the extinguisher expires and leads to irreversible health loss for the victims.
  • Health Impacts: Due to the severity of its exposure, if victims have undergone adverse damage, then they will receive much better compensation.
  • Environmental Damage: The regulatory authorities who have been compromised by AFFF will also receive the rightful compensation to meet their loss and damage.
  • Economic Losses: All sorts of economic and financial losses that victims have faced due to the AFFF can also receive compensation on all counts.
  • Legal Costs: The compensation will help the plaintiffs also cover their legal costs and feasibly bear the burden of legal expenses with the help of compensation.

Role of Lawyers in Negotiating Settlement Amounts

You can’t overstate the value of experienced attorneys when pursuing an AFFF lawsuit. The role of the lawyer in such critical cases is important. They not only know the art of targeting the prosecution’s weak points but also increase the victim’s chances of acquiring the rightful compensation for their loss and damage.

The attorneys working with ConsumerShield can deal with all the complexities for you. Class action litigation can be overwhelming for all involved. That’s why ConsumerShield will support you at every step of the case.

AFFF Class Action Updates

The following are some recent AFFF lawsuit updates to stay abreast of:

  • August 22, 2023: Judge Gergel has asked both the defense and the prosecution to update him regarding the development of the AFFF lawsuit from time to time.

The victims are in complete touch with Judge Gergel and have also submitted a special EPA press release that sheds light on PFAS chemicals as well.

The producer does not support the speculations regarding these chemicals at all. The EPA chemicals largely comprise PFOA and PFOS, which are highly harmful carcinogens that have the potential to cause different health problems.

  • August 20, 2023: There have been victims who have suffered from Testicular cancer due to AFFF’s exposure. They are constantly contacting the defense to look into their complaints as well.
  • August 19, 2023: In the past 2 months, the number of AFFF lawsuits have increased rapidly. This product is compromising the health of people on a large scale, and victims are demanding rightful compensation through legal negotiations and settlements from the responsible party.
  • August 18, 2023: A 73-year-old man who has served as a firefighter and who was exposed to the fluorochemical. Due to frequent exposure to the fluorochemical, the man develops prostate cancer. Therefore, his lawsuit is based on demanding rightful compensation for this health loss so that he can meet his medical expenses easily. The case has been registered in MDL, South Carolina.
  • August 1, 2023: Judge Gergel immediately looked into granting a substitute for the victims after one victim passed away due to severe AFFF exposure.
  • July 17, 2023: There is a rapid increase in AFFF exposure lawsuits in MDL. The staff is unable to keep up with the complaints and help every victim out there. Victims are also put on the waiting list, which makes things more riskier for them as well. The MDL is also unable to differentiate between prostate cancer cases and AFFF exposure lawsuits in the meantime.
  • July 1, 2023: The MDL has received tons of complaints regarding harmful AFFF exposure. Due to this reason, since July, plaintiffs have been undergoing severe health complications due to the overall negative impact of the AFFF lawsuit. Since then, we can see a considerable difference in the pace of trials and court proceedings from both sides.

Do I Qualify for

Aqueous Film-Forming Foam Lawsuit Compensation?
Free Case Review

Are You Eligible to Bring an AFFF Fire Fighting Lawsuit?

It is important to find out if you are eligible to file an AFFF lawsuit. Not everyone will qualify. In this section, you can track whether you could file suit or not.

  • AFFF Exposure: It is important for the victims to prove that they have been working as firefighters in the past years and that prolonged exposure to AFFF has caused them irreversible health loss.
  • Firefighter cancer lawsuit: If you have been diagnosed with cancer, like kidney, pancreatic, testicle, and bladder cancer, then you are completely eligible to hire us and rely on our legal assistance. However, to prove this, you would have to provide your medical reports, test results, and evidence of medication that you have been taking lately in this regard.

You have legal rights. To best protect them, contact us for a Free AFFF Case Review.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The compensation in an AFFF lawsuit can cover medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium. The specific amount will depend on the details of your case, including the severity of your illness and the impact on your life. Past AFFF lawsuits have resulted in substantial settlements, with some victims receiving millions of dollars.

  • The average settlement for an AFFF lawsuit varies by tier, reflecting the severity of health conditions due to AFFF exposure. Tier 1 settlements, for serious conditions, range from $200,000 to $500,000. Tier 2, for moderate health problems, are estimated between $150,000 and $280,000. Lastly, Tier 3 settlements, for less severe issues, may result in payouts of $75,000 or less. The overall average isn't specified without the number of cases in each tier.

  • It is hard to say. In some cases, the attorneys were able to wind up the case within 2 years. While in some other complex and intricate cases, it can take much longer to resolve. Since AFFF lawsuits are so complex, one can not easily determine how long cases take to settle.

  • Our network of attorneys operates under a contingency fee system, which means you only pay if we successfully secure compensation for you. Initially, we provide a free consultation to understand your case. We collaborate with skilled lawyers experienced in handling AFFF litigation.

More About Aqueous Film-Forming Foam Lawsuit

Stay up to date

Get updates on all of our legal news on lawsuits, research and legal updates.