Summary
- AFFF chemicals affect your life long-term and the damage can be irreversible at times
- The toxic chemicals in AFFF firefighting foam can cause cancer, such as pancreatic, testicular, liver, and kidney cancer
- Cancer symptoms like physical pain, weight loss, jaundiced skin, and internal bleeding can affect someone long-term
- Those exposed to toxic AFFF can also experience kidney and liver damage that affects their ability to filtrate toxins out of the body
- The immune system may not function properly after AFFF exposure, leading to someone suffering consistent illnesses and infections
Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) is the industry-standard firefighting foam used by military and civilian units, but it uses toxic chemicals that can cause cancer. Per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) help fight fires by spreading cooling foam, but they have carcinogenic qualities that can cause significant health issues for those exposed to large amounts.
PFAS can seep into the body and persist there for years, as these substances do not break down easily. Firefighters, airport workers, and civilians exposed to PFAS through AFFF firefighting foam can experience long-term complications, such as cancer, physical pain and suffering, extreme weight loss, liver and kidney damage, and immune system ineffectiveness.
Exposure to Toxic Chemicals in AFFF Can Cause Cancer
AFFF firefighting foam contains toxic chemicals that can expose people to cancer risk. Per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in AFFF can seep into someone’s body and bind with protein structures. These “forever chemicals” will not biodegrade and can persist in someone’s body for years.
They can cause cancer by disrupting cell metabolism, damaging DNA, and affecting someone’s hormone levels. Anyone who works with or is exposed to AFFF firefighting foam can suffer from the carcinogenic effect of these toxic chemicals, leading to long-term health complications.
The following are some common types of cancer caused by PFAS in AFFF firefighting foam:
- Liver cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Breast cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostate cancer
How Can Cancer Symptoms Caused by AFFF Exposure Affect Someone Long-Term?
Those exposed to large quantities of PFAS through AFFF firefighting foam can experience cancer symptoms, such as physical discomfort, jaundiced skin, difficulty catching your breath, internal bleeding, extreme weight loss, and physical lumps. All of these symptoms can majorly affect a person’s quality of life and physical conditioning for months or years.
People with cancer will constantly experience pain and suffering from the effect cancer can have on the affected organ. They can also feel groggy from the fatigue and weight loss caused by cancer. If medical treatment cannot heal the major health issues caused by cancer, victims of PFAS exposure can also suffer wrongful death.
Long-Term Health Complications of Liver and Kidney Damage by Toxic PFAS
The toxic chemicals in AFFF firefighting foam can cause organ damage, affecting vital organs that control the body’s functions. The liver and kidneys are two major organs that can sustain damage from AFFF exposure. These two vital organs help to filtrate toxins out of the body, so people may suffer further internal damage without proper functioning.
The body will produce less urine if the liver does not function as it should. This can cause azotemia when waste products containing nitrogen can build up in the blood. Kidney damage can also cause a buildup of body waste and lead to long-term health complications, such as anemia, decreased appetite, body swelling, and high blood pressure.
Toxic Chemicals in AFFF Can Reduce the Effectiveness of a Person’s Immune System
PFAS exposure through AFFF firefighting foam can cause internal injuries to major organs and bodily systems. The immune system is one of the most vital bodily systems that can suffer adverse effects from PFAS exposure.
Without the immune system operating at total capacity, people can struggle to fight off illnesses. They can become more susceptible to suffering life-threatening illnesses. When someone with a weakened immune system gets sick, they can struggle with medical recovery. Illnesses can also happen more regularly and be more complicated to treat.
Contact The Russo Firm for Assistance With Your AFFF Firefighting Foam Lawsuit
The Russo Firm’s product liability attorneys can determine whether you qualify for the AFFF firefighting foam lawsuit. They can assist you with filing the necessary paperwork to join the consolidated lawsuit, so you can benefit from sharing resources with other lawyers and securing possible financial restitution from a global settlement.
At The Russo Firm, we understand the negative long-term health effects caused by exposure to PFAS through AFFF firefighting foam. We wish to use our product liability expertise to assist you in seeking financial payment for your health problems. Contact The Russo Firm for a free AFFF consultation at (561) 270-0913 or by giving us your information on our online contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions About AFFF Firefighting Foam
Can Exposure to PFAS in AFFF Cause Endocrine Disruption?
Another long-term health impact of AFFF exposure is endocrine disruption. This has to do with how the body regulates and controls the production of hormones. Hormone imbalance is a serious issue, particularly for women.
If hormone levels become imbalanced, women can struggle with fertility problems, health issues during pregnancy, and endocrine-related illnesses. If you suffer endocrine disruption from AFFF exposure, you could join thousands of other people who filed product liability lawsuits because of toxic firefighting foam.
Is Eye and Skin Irritation a Symptom of Exposure to Toxic PFAS in AFFF?
Intense exposure to PFAS in AFFF firefighting foam can cause skin and eye irritation. Those affected by AFFF exposure may find themselves itching their skin constantly, leading to redness. They may suffer emotional problems from how their skin has changed and quality of life negative effects from how irritating their skin being itchy can be.
They may also struggle with eye irritation, with people exposed to AFFF constantly itching their eyes. This can affect their vision and cause deep discomfort for months after exposure. Those who experience these problems can join the AFFF firefighting foam mass tort to pursue payment for financial and psychological damages.
How Can a Product Liability Lawyer Assist With Your AFFF Firefighting Foam Lawsuit?
AFFF firefighting foam lawsuits have consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (MDL), allowing over six thousand lawsuits to be viewed as one before one judge. If you wish to join the AFFF firefighting foam MDL, a product liability lawyer can help you file the paperwork to benefit from the consolidated lawsuit.
An experienced product liability lawyer can assist you in joining the MDL, collecting and sharing evidence with other lawyers, and negotiating an AFFF settlement to pay for individual damages. After suffering AFFF exposure, your best chance to financially recover to pay for long-term medical problems is with the help of a lawyer with mass tort and product liability experience.
