PFAS Lawsuits: Settlements, Health Risks, Steps (2026)

What Are PFAS?

PFAS refers to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances. These chemicals are resistant to heat, water, and oil, making them effective in many home and industrial products, including:

• Non-stick pans and cookware
• Food packaging
• Carpets, rugs, and other home textiles
• Medical equipment
• Personal care products such as baby wipes
• Umbrellas and water-repellent clothing
• Firefighting foams (like those in the ongoing AFFF lawsuit)

The problem with PFAS is they don’t break down easily in the environment or human bodies. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly every American has measurable levels of PFAS in their blood.

When PFAS persist, they contaminate groundwater and can cause cancer in humans. The AFFF lawsuits, for example, list several types of common cancers arising from PFAS, including kidney, testicular, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. PFAS also cause waterborne illnesses, which often result in emergency visits and painful symptoms.

Some manufacturers used "GenX" chemicals like HFPO-DA (Hexafluoropropylene Oxide Dimer Acid) to replace PFOA in non-stick cookware. Unfortunately, these chemicals share some of the same harmful properties.

The History of PFAS: Key Milestones

Many people are just hearing about PFAS for the first time, but these chemicals have been around for decades. Here’s a quick look at their history:

• 1940s: PFAS were created by DuPont and 3M
• 1950s-1960s: PFAS became more widely used, and companies began to learn of their harmful effects — but kept it quiet
• 1970s: A growing body of research pointed to PFAS’s toxicity to humans, animals, and the environment
• 1980s: Researchers continued to sound the alarm on toxicity, but PFAS became even more widespread
• 1990s: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies began to introduce regulatory control of PFAS
• 2000s: Some of the most dangerous PFAS were phased out, and the first PFAS lawsuits were filed
• 2010s-2020s: Awareness and regulations continue to build, and more lawsuits were (and are) filed

Despite these changes, PFAS still remain widespread — but increasing lawsuits may lead to stricter regulation.

The EPA has already taken a major step. It finalized the first national drinking water standard for six PFAS, which requires public water systems to monitor and reduce PFAS levels.

Health Risks Associated With PFAS Exposure

As PFAS build up in your body, they increase your risk of health issues like these:

• Many kinds of cancer
• Fertility problems
• Thyroid dysfunction and disease
• Liver damage
• Increased risk of preeclampsia and other pregnancy-related conditions
• Developmental delays
• Ulcerative colitis

Even minimal exposure to PFAS can increase your risk of health problems.

What is the PFAS Lawsuit?

Current PFAS lawsuits include:

• AFFF lawsuits
• Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit
• Municipal Claimants
• Consumer complaints, such as in the Lululemon case
• Firefighter turnout gear lawsuits

PFAS Class Action Lawsuits and MDL

The lawsuits take different forms. Some claims are within class action lawsuits. In these suits, an individual or group of individuals represents the interests of other individuals who experienced similar impacts. The larger group is called a “class.” Settlements and judgments are distributed to the class, not individual plaintiffs.

MDLs are similar to class action lawsuits in grouping similar claims under one case number. However, unlike a class action, plaintiffs still sue as individuals. The court just manages the cases under the same deadlines, discovery rules, and procedures to make it easy to manage multiple similar claims.

In an MDL, the court designates one or two cases as “bellwether” cases. It schedules these first for trial, and their outcomes and values predict the success of other cases. Claims continue going to trial if the defendants refuse to settle them.

Also, these lawsuits are not always in federal court. An Illinois lawsuit concerning PFAS discharge from a 3M facility in Cordova remains in state court. 3M attempted to secure federal jurisdiction as a federal contractor, but the 7th Circuit kept the case at the state level. So, many smaller lawsuits are likely not accounted for in class actions or an MDL.

Parties

PFAS lawsuits contain diverse plaintiffs, including:

• Firefighters
• Military personnel
• Municipal and county governments
• Consumers

Defendants are manufacturers who produce or use PFAS. The biggest companies include:

• BASF Corp.
• 3M Company
• Dupont
• Chemguard
• Chemours Company
• Johnson & Johnson
• Tyco Fire Products
• Corteva

What Military Bases Are in the PFAS Lawsuit?

There are 720 military sites with known or suspected discharges of PFAS. Individuals, states, and local governments filed claims against these military sites, especially with their discharge of AFFF. As indicated above, the most recent base suspected of PFAS contamination is Fairchild Air Force Base in Airway Heights, Washington.

Service members and their families face impacts from drinking contaminated water. However, the PFAS also leaks into the community, polluting municipal groundwater and soil, leaving the Department of Defense (DOD) vulnerable to lawsuits.

Plaintiffs in these lawsuits include states, cities, private property owners, and local businesses. States and cities seek damages to cover their costs for water remediation. Property owners and businesses claim damages to their land’s viability. For example, one business plaintiff is a dairy that claims PFAS killed its cattle. Another farm lost its blueberry crop to PFAS.

The DOD sought dismissal of these claims due to immunity under the federal Tort Claims Act, but that effort was unsuccessful. Plaintiffs continue filing lawsuits, and the Camp Lejeune claims will likely go to trial in a year. Also, the DOD is working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to test water and release the results.

Notable PFAS Settlements

PFAS manufacturers have paid billions to resolve contamination claims from states, cities, and water providers. Major settlements include:

• 3M – $10.3 billion (up to $12.5 billion) to public water systems in 2023
• DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva – $1.18 billion to about 300 drinking water providers in 2023
• Tyco Fire Products and BASF – $750 million and $316.5 million to public water systems, approved in November 2024
• Chemours – $450 million to the Justice Department and EPA over water contamination at four facilities in three states in June 2026
• 3M – $850 million to the state of Minnesota in 2018
• DuPont – $670 million to residents of Parkersburg, West Virginia, in 2017
• 3M – $98.4 million to Alabama communities along the Tennessee River

Most of these deals pay for water testing and cleanup, not personal injuries. The individual injury claims in the AFFF MDL have no global settlement yet.

Geographic Impact of PFAS Contamination

Unfortunately, the PFAS contamination problem is widespread, and there are at least 2,800 identified contamination sites. Because PFAS get into groundwater and city water systems, they can spread far from the initial site. Contamination sites are usually near areas like these:

• Military bases
• Commercial airports
• Industrial sites

Authorities estimate that at least 16 million people have been exposed to PFAS-contaminated water.

Well-known hotspots include Parkersburg, West Virginia, the Cape Fear River region in North Carolina, Hoosick Falls, New York, and communities near Camp Grayling in Michigan. You can check your area on this PFAS contamination map.

Cause of Action

Plaintiffs filed lawsuits to recoup costs and receive compensation for illnesses or the death of a loved one. Municipalities incur costs to clean up water, but individual plaintiffs face many dire consequences.

Individual plaintiffs typically seek compensation for medical bills, future treatment and medical monitoring, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damage.

Chronic exposure to certain PFAS compounds, directly or via contaminated water, causes many health risks, including:

• Thyroid and other hormone disruption
• Increased cholesterol levels
• Reduced immune response and vaccination efficacy
• Fetal and child development issues
• Increased risk of preeclampsia in pregnant women
• Changes in liver enzymes
• Kidney and testicular cancer
• Reproductive issues

The largest group alleging chemical exposure is firefighters, airline personnel, and service members whose PFAS exposure arose from Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF). These are the most numerous claims, currently numbering over 15,000.

However, PFAS risk doesn’t just involve water and firefighting foam. Consumers are also realizing the dangers of PFAS in everyday products, such as Prime drinks, and suing companies for putting them at risk.

Bandaid lawsuits have also emerged. A study revealed that 65% of bandages tested positive for PFAS. Band-Aid, Walmart, and CVS brands are among them. Corporate defendants so far include Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue Inc.

PFAS Statue of Limitations

The statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit for injuries related to PFAS exposure varies from state to state. It starts running from the date you discover your illness. Depending on your state’s law, you may have two to four years from your diagnosis to file a lawsuit.

For example, if your doctor informed you of a cancer diagnosis on February 2, 2024, and your state has a four-year statute of limitations, you have until February 2, 2028 to file.

Talking to a lawyer is a good idea, even if you think it is too late. Medical claims often benefit from flexibility in some state laws, and there may be facts and circumstances that help your case. Attorneys who take these cases usually offer free consultations, so you have nothing to lose by asking for a case review.

Who Can File a PFAS Cancer Lawsuit?

You can file a PFAS cancer lawsuit if you are a current or former service member or firefighter who developed cancer after being exposed to firefighting foam or other PFAS products. Community members who suffered from PFAS contamination from corporate or military pollution may also have claims.

In many cases, law firms look for at least one year of exposure to contaminated water or firefighting foam, followed by a diagnosis such as certain cancers or ulcerative colitis. You must also file within your state’s statute of limitations.

You can request a PFAS blood test to check for possible exposure. It will show PFAS levels in your body and lead to additional testing to check for thyroid issues or cancer.

Do You Qualify to File a PFAS Lawsuit?

If you were exposed to PFAS-contaminated water and suffered major health issues as a result, you might be eligible to join the PFAS MDL. If you aren’t sure if you’ve been exposed, you should get a PFAS blood test and schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer.

Before your consultation, it may help to gather your medical records, proof that you lived or worked near a contaminated site, and notes on how long your exposure lasted. Water quality reports and blood test results can also support your claim.

PFAS impacts are often physically and financially devastating. Rather than suffer alone, see if you qualify for a class action or individual lawsuit to receive compensation. Complete ConsumerShield’s online form to start a free case review.