As a former U.S. Air Force military base in northeastern Maine, near Limestone and Caribou, Loring Air Force Base was founded between 1947 and 1953. The installation was also home to a civilian population, many of whom were employed alongside active-duty military members. Loring Air Force Base had gradually become contaminated with PFAS since the '60s, when the hazardous fire suppressant AFFF started being used, which means both civilians and military personnel were exposed to these dangerous chemicals.
At the 1970 and 1980 censuses, the population of the base was a little over 6,000, while at the 2000 one, it consisted of 225 people, 82 households, and 57 families inhabiting the former installation. Today, veterans and family members who resided on Loring Air Force Base face an increased risk of cancer and other adverse health effects from prolonged exposure to PFOS and PFOA, the active ingredients in fluorosurfactant-containing firefighting foams such as AFFF.
In 2018, the groundwater concentration of PFOS and PFOA at Loring Air Force Base was 8,936 ppt, which exceeds the safe exposure limit by a whopping 2,234 times. If you or a loved one spent at least one cumulative year at this military installation and now struggle with a disease that might have been caused by PFAS exposure, we strongly encourage you to contact our expert team, as you might be entitled to financial compensation.
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, studies in humans have shown that exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), the key components in AFFF, may cause cancer, tissue damage in the liver, and multiple changes to the immune system and thyroid, neurobehavioral performance deficits, congenital birth defects, and other health issues.
If veterans or family members have any concerns about PFAS exposure and health consequences, they should consult with their healthcare practitioner. These are the diagnoses that make veterans and their family members eligible to seek financial compensation:
If you are suffering from one of the diseases above and you lived at Loring Air Force Base, either as a military member or a family member of one, for at least one cumulative year, you might receive the maximum compensation available for your suffering. Contact Atraxia Law to find out more about the legal process and have your case evaluated thoroughly.
Our experienced team has been assisting victims of hazardous exposure for over 35 years, and we'll be able to assist you as well if you were diagnosed with an illness as a result of PFAS exposure that occurred at Loring Air Force Base during your time there. Call Atraxia Law, and we will be able to tell you if you qualify to file a PFAS claim. If you do, we will promptly connect you with a specialized attorney.