Exposure matters
AFFF firefighting foam exposure
This page is for people who worked around firefighting foam and were later diagnosed with an illness. It says what the court record shows today, what a case check looks at, and what nobody can tell you yet.
Nothing on this page says a product caused an illness, and nothing here says anyone has a claim. Starting a case check does not mean we represent you.
Turnout gear, station bay
The foam was on the gear, in the trucks, and in the wash water.
Photo for illustration. Not a client.
Where these cases stand
Litigation status
Checked against the court record.Updated when it changes.
- Status as of
- July 2026If that date looks old to you, call or text and ask before you rely on this page.
- Where the cases are
- Federal MDL 2873, U.S. District Court, District of South CarolinaCases from around the country are grouped in one court for the early steps.
- Stage right now
- About 15,200 injury cases were pending in that court in July 2026That count comes from the court record. It moves up and down every month.
- Trials so far
- No injury case has reached a jury yetTest trials have been set and moved before. None has been tried to a verdict.
- Settlements so far
- Over 11 billion dollars, and none of it for injury claimsThe makers of the foam paid water systems to clean up drinking water. There is no group settlement for people who got sick.
- Where this comes from
- The public court record for MDL 2873The court posts its own case counts and orders. You can read them yourself.
When the legal facts change, this page changes.
Who this may apply to
Two things get looked at together. One is where and when you were around the foam. The other is what a doctor found.
Part one. The exposure
- Fire serviceTraining burns, structure fires, foam trailers, washing gear and apparatus after a call.
- Military serviceFire school, flight line work, hangar foam systems, crash crews, and base housing.
- Airport and industrialCrash rescue crews, refineries, chemical plants, and places that stored or tested foam.
- Living near a siteA home near a base, an airport, or a plant, or a water notice from your town about these chemicals.
Rough years and place names are enough to start. Most people do not remember exact dates, and that is normal.
Part two. The diagnosis
The firm looks at the conditions the receiving counsel is reviewing right now. That list is written down, it comes from the firm handling these matters, and it changes.
- The name a doctor gave the condition
- The month and year you were told
- The hospital or clinic that found it
- Whether there was a biopsy or a scan
- Treatment you had or are having now
- Whether a family member died from it
If your condition is not on the list, say so anyway.
What records help
Copies are fine. You do not need originals, and you do not need all of it. Missing records never block a case check.
Service records
- [DD-214] or other discharge paperwork
- Orders and base assignments with dates
- Job title or rating while you served
Training and department records
- Fire academy or burn tower records
- Run reports or incident logs you can name
- Years at each station or department
Employer records
- Job titles, plants, hangars, and dates
- Safety sheets or product labels you kept
- Names of foam brands if you remember any
Diagnosis records
- The name of the condition and the date
- Doctors, clinics, and hospitals involved
- Pathology, biopsy, or imaging reports
How a case check works for exposure matters
A crash happened on one day. Exposure happened over years, so the questions are different and there are more of them. A long timeline like this can take more than one call, and you can text records over whenever you find them.
A timeline before paperwork
Where you were, roughly when, and what you did there. Years are fine. You do not need exact dates to begin.
Then the diagnosis
What the doctor called it, when you were told, and who treated you. If you are still being treated, say that.
Records come later
Nobody asks a hospital or a base for your file until you sign a release that names the place and what is being asked for.
A licensed attorney reads it
Same three answers as any other matter. We need more details, a lawyer wants to talk with you about representation, or the firm cannot take this one.
If another firm has to handle it
Depending on where you live and what happened, another law firm may need to assist or handle it. We will name that firm and ask your permission before sharing anything.
What nobody can tell you today
If someone answers any of these before reading your file, that should worry you.
Whether your exposure and your diagnosis add up to a claim
That is the whole point of the review. Anyone who answers it from a web page has not read your file.
What any case is worth
We do not estimate that here, and no honest calculator can. Amounts you see online come from other people's files.
How much time you have
Time limits change by state, by court, and by what happened to you. Do not take a number off a website, including this one.
Whether the current path stays open
Courts change how these cases move. If that happens, the status band at the top of this page changes with it.
Start with the timeline you already have
Where you worked, roughly when, and what a doctor told you. That is enough to begin. A licensed attorney reads it and writes back with a next step, either way.
This page is not legal advice. Starting a case check does not mean we represent you. Representation begins only with a written agreement you read and sign.
Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. The court details and dates on this page come from the public record for MDL 2873 and can change.
Depending on where you live and what happened, another law firm may need to assist or handle it. We will name that firm and ask your permission before sharing anything.
You do not have to sort this out alone
Tell us the years and the diagnosis. We fill in the rest with you, and a licensed attorney gives you a plain next step.
Read the reading roomFree to start. No obligation. Starting a case check does not mean we represent you.