On October 12, 2023, a Pennsylvania firefighter with the Kennett Fire Company filed a claim against 3M Company, alleging that years of battling blazes with 3M's aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) led to his bladder cancer diagnosis. This wasn’t an isolated case; numerous first responders have similarly come forward, pointing squarely at 3M’s PFAs-laden firefighting foam.
Founded in 1902 as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing and now headquartered in St. Paul, 3M grew into a global industrial powerhouse. Among its many products, 3M invented and mass-produced AFFF in the late 1960s, an ultra-effective mixture containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the so-called “forever chemicals.” While AFFF saved lives on the runway and at crash sites, its toxic residues never truly went away.
By 1970, 3M’s AFFF concentrates, such as their 3% and 6% fluorochemical formulations, contained high levels of PFOs and PFOA. Decades of studies, including EPA findings, now tie these compounds to severe health problems:
Even when firefighters wore protective gear, PFAS from aging uniforms and lingering foam particles in hangars and training grounds exposed them day after day.
Across federal courts, hundreds of cases have been consolidated into the AFFF multidistrict litigation (MDL 2873) in South Carolina. Plaintiffs, from municipal firefighters to military contractors, argue that 3M knew about PSAS’s dangers yet continued selling AFFF without adequate warnings. Bellwether trials have already prompted joint motions for settlement talks, underscoring the weight of these claims.
If you intend to file an AFFF claim against 3M Company, you must have:
No family-history exclusion applies. The only limitations are for wrongful-death claims, which follow each state’s filing deadlines.
We know that facing a serious illness is overwhelming. Atraxia Law can make the claim process easy for you. With us, you get:
10 Minutes Over the Phone
*No fees unless compensation is obtained