Du Pont de Nemours - AFFF claims

Operating in over 120 countries and with more than 200 years of history, industrial materials maker DuPont de Nemours is one of the world's largest chemical manufacturers. Simply known as DuPont, the American multinational firm brought to life some of the most popular household technologies, like non-stick pans. Now, DuPont is one of the prominent names appearing in thousands of lawsuits tied to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).

Along with dozens of other chemical manufacturers, DuPont has been named a defendant in over 10,000 cases related to PFAS and related applications such as Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF). The company denies directly selling and manufacturing AFFF. However, their historical involvement in production and prior knowledge about the harmful effects of PFAS, a key ingredient in manufacturing AFFF, still make them liable for causing harm to the environment as well as to human health.

DuPont: History of litigation, settlements, and damages

The string of lawsuits against DuPont and other known PFAS and AFFF manufacturers began in 1999 when a West Virginia farmer sought damages for the deaths and illnesses of his cattle. He accused chemical wastes from a nearby DuPont plant of being the culprits, particularly PFOA, a known human carcinogen. PFOA is also commonly found in AFFF formulations.

Over the years, similar legal battles emerged across the country. Some notable lawsuits and legal actions DuPont faced regarding PFAS include:

• 2004: A class action lawsuit alleging DuPont caused widespread water contamination in West Virginia and Ohio resulted in an increase in incidence rates of cancers and other health problems.
• 2015: A resident in Ohio received $1.6 million in compensation when a jury linked her kidney cancer to PFOA in her drinking water.
• 2016: DuPont had to pay $16.5 million in fines to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for PFOA runoffs from their facility in Washington, West Virginia.
• 2017: DuPont agreed to pay a total of $671 million to settle more than 3,500 personal injury claims from a contaminated water source in Parkersburg, West Virginia. 
• 2024: A lengthy and complex litigation involving PFAS contamination in the country’s public water systems culminated in a settlement, with DuPont agreeing to pay up to $1.18 billion. The entire process took roughly five years.

DuPont is also embroiled in multi-district litigation (MDL) involving AFFF claims before a federal court in South Carolina.

Reasons behind DuPont's AFFF lawsuits

DuPont may not have directly produced or sold AFFF, but they're still being held accountable for the harm caused by its PFAS components. Many lawsuits against the company claim that the chemical manufacturer knew the health risks associated with PFAS yet failed to alert the public about the potential dangers of long-term exposure.

Based on multiple internal memos disclosed during the case discoveries, DuPont had been aware of the toxicity of PFAS for decades. In 1961, DuPont scientists learned that rabbits and rats with prolonged exposure to PFAS had enlarged livers.

Learn how to file AFFF claims with the help of Atraxia Law

Firefighters are among those at risk of developing adverse health conditions as a result of routine exposure to AFFF. These include firefighters who worked:

• During emergencies (residential, structural, or wildfires) 
• During training or exercise
• At airplane crash sites
• At military airport hangars
• At commercial airports

If you or a firefighter you know may have developed health issues as a result of AFFF exposure, we encourage you to contact us today, as you may be eligible to receive compensation. Here at Atraxia Law, we have what it takes to offer you the assistance you need when filing AFFF claims. Reach out to our team for a free case evaluation today, and if you qualify, we will promptly refer you to a specialized attorney who can represent your case.