As a widow of a veteran who was exposed to AFFF firefighting foam, and died of cancer, what claim if any do I have?

PO1 Sharon Jackson — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 13:47:24 -0400

My deceased husband suffered and died in 2014 from Cancer - Colon and Bladder. He was a Navy Veteran, boot camp at Great Lakes, USS John F Kennedy and other - exposed to the AFFF foam. At the time of Cancer diagnosis, no family or genetic connection and he was in otherwise good health. Now in the news I see the Firefighting foam being linked to Cancer. I have created an Intent to File (6/29/23) and am trying to contact Texas Veterans Commission for assistance. I am the surviving spouse, I was also active duty Navy but a Viet Nam era female Vet who was not exposed to the AFFF. However we lived in Navy housing outside Andrews AFB in the early 1980's and after we moved on learned it was closed due to PFAS in the ground water. What claim if any do I have?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2023 12:50 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 00:50:12 -0400

Talk to a Veteran Service Organization to see what you can do.

Response by Cristina Johnson made Sep 2 at 2024 6:29 AM

Cristina Johnson — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 06:29:09 -0400

You mentioned that your late husband served at Naval Station Great Lakes, which is currently designated as a Superfund site, due to the severe issue of PFAS contamination. The site is contaminated with multiple pollutants, with PFAS being the most concerning.
While firefighters were most at risk of exposure, other military personnel living at the Naval Station Great Lakes could have also been exposed by consuming contaminated water, as PFAS is believed to have infiltrated the groundwater and drinking water sources. These chemicals have also been found in food, particularly fish caught in the area.
Prolonged exposure to PFAS/AFFF can lead to cancer, with bladder cancer being a specific risk.
The surviving family members of someone exposed to AFFF can file a wrongful death lawsuit to seek compensation. However, certain eligibility requirements must be met, and I am not well-versed in the legal aspects of this process.
I know that the legal process for wrongful death cases is more complex and requires solid evidence to support the lawsuit. Therefore, I would advise reaching out to an environmental litigation group that specializes in PFAS/AFFF toxic exposure cases. They can assist in recovering compensation for the loss of your husband.