Founded in 1904 as the Rock Island Military Reservation, Camp Grafton is the main Army National Guard installation in North Dakota, located near Devils Lake. Twenty years later, the military base was renamed after Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert C. Grafton, a renowned National Guardsman who served in the militia.
Because military firefighters and trainees would use AFFF to extinguish fires, PFAS were inevitably released into the environment, where they will persist. Furthermore, the drinking water on Camp Grafton is contaminated with PFAS, which is why, if you are a veteran or a family member of one who lived on the base for at least one cumulative year and developed a serious disease, you are entitled to financial compensation.
As a large group of synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer products since the '50s, PFAS are highly dangerous, as prolonged or frequent exposure can lead to serious, even life-threatening diseases. The fire suppressant AFFF has historically contained mostly short-chain PFAS, also known as C6, which do not break down in the environment, meaning that once they infiltrate drinking water, they will persist for a long time. This is why these toxic chemicals are often dubbed "forever chemicals." At the moment, PFAS are lurking in Well 1 at Camp Grafton, in a concentration of 9.3 ppt, which slightly exceeds the safe exposure limit.
Currently, PFAS are the only contaminants of concern that have been detected in the drinking water of Camp Grafton. Still, many AFFF formulas are known to have contained up to 98% short-chain PFAS, which persist in the environment once released by firefighters. In the past, the level of these chemicals was higher, which implies a greater risk for veterans and their family members stationed at this military base of developing terrible diseases, including cancer.
There are multiple diseases associated with exposure to PFAS, as the chemicals are very harmful to our health and can easily damage the vital organs in the body. While exposure to PFAS can also occur by inhaling the toxic agent, the majority of military and family members who spent time on Camp Grafton came in contact with these dangerous chemicals by drinking contaminated water. The following are the diseases that can ensue several years after you were exposed to PFAS, as well as the diagnoses that make you eligible for seeking financial compensation:
If you experience a new onset of symptoms, regardless of how much distress they cause you in your daily life, please seek medical attention as soon as possible, as you may have developed a disease as a result of exposure to PFAS at Camp Grafton. However, because these diseases are often misdiagnosed, it is a very good idea to seek a second opinion from medical specialists.
With over three decades of experience in vetting toxic exposure cases, we are here to help you file a claim if you are a veteran or a family member of one who developed a disease as a consequence of PFAS exposure during your stay at Camp Grafton. After we deem you eligible, a PFAS attorney will promptly file a claim on your behalf. Our process is quick and takes place over the phone. Eventually, you might receive the maximum compensation available, which can help you afford superior healthcare and treatment.