Located approximately 10 miles northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota, the military base has a population of military members, civilian employees, and family members of 8,000. Today, Ellsworth Air Force Base is a Superfund site, which the Environmental Protection Agency is still cleaning, as several toxic agents infiltrated the drinking water, as well as the air and the soil, on the base during the last century. The agency is currently cleaning 12 areas of the base, including landfills, a fire protection training area, and spill sites. If you lived for at least 1 year, either alone or with your family members, on the base and subsequently developed a disease that may be the consequence of exposure to toxic agents from drinking water, you are eligible for compensation.
For decades, Ellsworth Air Force Base has been using AFFF to put out aircraft fires. The fire suppressant, while very effective, contains a group of chemicals known as PFAS, which are toxic to human health. The most common way of exposure to PFAS is drinking contaminated water. It is worthy of note that, once inside the body, PFAS will not lead to a disease immediately, as these chemicals gradually cause damage to the organs. Thereby, it may take 10 to 20 years for a disease to occur. The remedies the EPA has been applying on Ellsworth Air Force Base in their attempt to clean the area up include groundwater pump-and-treat systems, soil excavation, and institutional controls. If you are a veteran or a family member of one who spent 1 year or longer on Ellsworth Air Force Base and developed a disease, you may be eligible for compensation.
In addition to PFAS, which was the primary contaminant on the base, there were other toxic agents polluting the drinking water. Similarly to PFAS, a disease will not ensue immediately after exposure, since these dangerous chemicals take years to cause health problems. The following are other toxic agents that could be found in the drinking water at Ellsworth Air Force Base:
People who were stationed on Ellsworth Air Force Base after 1970, when AFFF became popular, are the most susceptible to developing a terrible disease as a result of exposure. Firefighters are particularly at high risk, as they would handle AFFF every day, which inevitably led to exposure. If you are a veteran or a family member of one and experience a new onset of symptoms, please seek medical attention immediately, as you may have developed a disease as a consequence of PFAS exposure.
Although medical literature suggests a connection between exposure to AFFF and multiple health issues, there are only certain diseases for which you can seek financial compensation. If you have one of the diagnoses below and were stationed for at least 1 year at Ellsworth Air Force Base, you qualify for compensation. The following are the diseases that make you eligible for applying for compensation:
In the unfortunate case that you developed one of the diseases above and were stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base for at least 1 cumulative year, do not hesitate to contact Atraxia Law, as we will carefully evaluate your situation and will subsequently prepare your claim for submission.
Atraxia Law is here to help you recover the compensation you deserve if you are a veteran or a family member of one who was stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base for at least 1 cumulative year and developed a linkable disease. The process, quick and easy and over the phone, will require minimal involvement on your part, as you will only have to provide our team with your military and medical records. If deemed eligible an experienced and skilled attorney will file a PFAS claim on your behalf.
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*No fees unless compensation is obtained