January 8, 2021 — The town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin will get a $17.5 million payout from a class action settlement over water contamination from toxic chemicals in firefighting foam.
It is the first settlement in a Multi-District Litigation (MDL) against Tyco Fire Products and other companies that made firefighting foam.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of around 1,100 people who lived in 270 homes near Tyco’s Fire Training Center in rural Wisconsin.
In 2018, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirmed that wastewater spills from the facility’s use of firefighting foam contaminated the groundwater with highly-toxic PFAS chemicals.
PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam accumulate in the human body, cause cancer and other serious health problems, and take thousands of years to break down in the environment.
The settlement provides $15 million for class-wide claims like property damage, with an estimated payout of $60,000-$70,000 per household.
Residents can get up to $2.5 million if they suffered testicular cancer, kidney cancer, thyroid disease, ulcerative colitis, or pre-eclampsia.
Tyco also said it will also pay for a new water line to provide a permanent source of clean drinking water for the people who live in the area.
Tyco and other companies are currently facing at least 900 firefighting foam lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of South Carolina.
All of the plaintiffs suffered physical injuries, needed medical monitoring, had property damage, or other economic losses, as a result of groundwater contamination from PFAS in firefighting foams that were used near military bases, airports, and other industrial sites.
The lawsuit is Campbell v. Tyco Fire Products et al. — Case Number 2:19-cv-00422.
The case was centralized in the Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation — MDL Number 2:18-MN-2873.
Do I have a Firefighting Foam Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting firefighting foam induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with cancer or other injuries after being exposed to firefighting foam, aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), or the toxic chemical PFAS, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Toxic Chemical Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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