PFAS Lawsuits

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals used in products like cookware and firefighting foam to resist heat, grease and water. Sometimes called “forever chemicals,” the use of PFAS can contaminate the air, soil and water.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost all Americans have PFAS in their blood.

Thousands of lawsuits have been filed over the potential health effects of PFAS exposure.

People are currently filing PFAS water contamination lawsuits after drinking chemical-contaminated water and developing serious health issues.

Over the years, PFAS chemicals have contaminated the air, soil and groundwater, impacting animals and humans. Since PFAS do not break down easily, they linger in the environment. This has helped these chemicals spread across the globe and into numerous water supplies.

“Because they’ve been produced for so long, largely without any regulation, we can now find them everywhere in the world,” Scott Bartell, a health researcher at UC Irvine who has studied PFAS for nearly 20 years, told Drugwatch. “You can go sample ocean creatures. You find them up in the Arctic.”

Some of the exposure symptoms that have been connected to contaminated water supplies include kidney cancer, testicular cancer and ulcerative colitis.

Attorneys have filed thousands of PFAS contamination lawsuits over these concerns. Cities, public drinking water systems and individuals who have been exposed to these chemicals have filed claims against PFAS manufacturers like 3M and Chemours.

In 2023, 3M agreed to pay more than $10 billion to settle claims with various cities and public water systems over PFAS contamination. Dupont, Chemours and Corteva similarly agreed to a $2 billion settlement with the state of New Jersey in 2025.

While billions have been paid out to water systems, cities and states, personal injury claims for individuals who say they were impacted by these issues are ongoing. Thousands of lawsuits remain active, with more being filed.

A major source of contamination is aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), a firefighting foam used at airports and military bases to extinguish liquid-based flames like gasoline fires.

When this foam is used to put out a fire, for training or for system testing, it can seep into the surrounding area and contaminate water. Since these chemicals don’t break down easily, they can accumulate over time.

“It is very common to have PFAS water contamination around military bases, airports, places they practice with AFFF,” Bartell said.

Attorneys have filed AFFF lawsuits over these concerns.

Firefighters are at an increased risk of exposure to PFAS through AFFF and tend to have higher cancer rates than the general population. A meta-analysis of several studies shows that testicular cancer rates for firefighters are 100% higher than the average person.

AFFF cases have been consolidated in multidistrict litigation (MDL), which is where many similar cases are grouped together before one judge. As of February 2026, there were 15,216 lawsuits active in the AFFF MDL.

Exposure to firefighting foam is not the only PFAS-related concern for firefighters. People have also filed turnout gear lawsuits over claims that firefighter gear contains dangerous chemicals.

According to the International Association of Firefighters, studies have shown that all three layers of firefighter gear contain potentially harmful PFAS.

Firefighters, paramedics and first responders who developed cancer after repeated exposure to PFAS may be eligible to file lawsuits.

Many lawsuits involving turnout gear have been included in the AFFF MDL.

Legal industry estimates suggest that the individual payout for a PFAS settlement could range from $75,000 to $500,000. However, these figures are speculative. Each payout depends on the circumstances of the individual case.

Several factors can impact your payout in a potential PFAS lawsuit verdict or settlement.

While defendants have agreed to multi-billion-dollar settlements with cities and public water systems, there has not yet been a global settlement for the more than 10,000 PFAS and AFFF cases grouped together in federal court.

PFAS litigation is taking place across the country. Here’s a timeline of some of the key developments in the lawsuits.

Check back for updates as these lawsuits progress.