New York, New York AFFF Lawsuit Help Center

AFFF Exposure in New York: Understanding Your Potential Legal Options

Aqueous film-forming foam, commonly called AFFF, has historically been used to control dangerous fires involving jet fuel, gasoline, petroleum products, and other flammable liquids. Firefighters, airport personnel, industrial workers, emergency responders, maintenance crews, and military personnel may have encountered these firefighting foams during emergency situations, training exercises, equipment inspections, repairs, and cleanup.

Exposure did not necessarily require directly spraying AFFF. Workers could potentially come into contact with the foam while maintaining suppression systems, filling storage tanks, servicing firefighting vehicles, handling protective equipment, or cleaning areas following a foam discharge.

Some older AFFF formulations contained PFAS chemicals such as PFOA and PFOS. Certain PFAS compounds are persistent and can remain in the environment and human body for extended periods.

If you were exposed to AFFF in New York City, elsewhere in New York State, or during military service and later developed a serious illness, your individual circumstances may warrant a legal review.

REQUEST A FREE, CONFIDENTIAL CASE REVIEW

An initial review can be requested without charge, and learning about your potential options does not obligate you to file a lawsuit.

AFFF Exposure May Have Occurred in More Than One Way

AFFF exposure was not limited to major fire emergencies.

Fire-suppression systems can require regular testing, inspection, maintenance, refilling, and repair. Training exercises may also involve repeated foam applications, while cleanup activities can create additional opportunities for contact with foam residue.

Potential exposure circumstances may include:

• Participating in firefighter training
• Responding to fuel, petroleum, or aircraft fires
• Taking part in emergency-response drills
• Testing foam-suppression equipment
• Filling, draining, or maintaining foam tanks
• Repairing pumps, hoses, valves, and delivery systems
• Servicing firefighting vehicles
• Cleaning equipment following foam deployment
• Handling protective clothing after a discharge
• Working around aircraft fueling operations
• Inspecting specialized fire-protection systems
• Cleaning facilities after an AFFF spill or release

When exposure occurred many years ago, the exact product may be difficult to identify. Employment records, training histories, military documents, and historical information about a facility may help reconstruct potential exposure.

What Is AFFF?

AFFF is a specialized firefighting foam developed primarily for fires involving flammable liquids. It can spread over burning fuel, helping suppress vapors, cool the fire, and reduce the possibility of reignition.

Some historical formulations contained PFAS chemicals because of their resistance to heat, water, oil, and degradation.

PFOA and PFOS are two PFAS compounds that have been extensively studied. AFFF formulations changed over time, so products used at different facilities and during different periods may not have had identical chemical compositions.

A potential exposure evaluation may consider the product involved, where it was used, the time period, the person's job duties, frequency of contact, and available documentation.

New York-Area Settings Where AFFF Exposure May Be Relevant

New York's extensive aviation, transportation, emergency-response, industrial, and military infrastructure creates numerous types of locations that may be relevant when investigating historical AFFF exposure.

New York City Firefighters and First Responders

Firefighters may have encountered AFFF during specialized training, emergency responses, equipment testing, and post-incident cleanup.

Contact could also occur while maintaining apparatus, cleaning hoses, handling protective equipment, or servicing foam-delivery systems.

Former firefighters may want to preserve department records, training histories, assignments, and service dates when documenting potential exposure.

Airport and Aviation Workers

AFFF has historically been used in aircraft rescue and firefighting because aviation-fuel fires can be particularly difficult to suppress.

Potentially exposed personnel may include:

• Aircraft rescue firefighters
• Airport emergency personnel
• Aircraft mechanics
• Fuel handlers
• Maintenance crews
• Hangar workers
• Fire-system technicians
• Contractors
• Aviation training personnel

Potential contact may have occurred during drills, emergency responses, equipment inspections, system testing, repairs, and cleanup.

Industrial and Manufacturing Workers

Industrial properties may have specialized fire-suppression systems designed for facilities where fuels, chemicals, petroleum products, or other combustible materials are present.

Employees and contractors could encounter AFFF during equipment testing, system inspections, maintenance, repairs, emergency response, or cleanup.

Mechanics, electricians, maintenance technicians, equipment specialists, and contractors may have relevant exposure histories even when firefighting was not their primary occupation.

Port, Marine, and Transportation Personnel

Workers involved in transportation, fuel handling, vessel operations, maintenance, and emergency response may have encountered specialized firefighting systems depending on the facility and period involved.

Potentially relevant workers may include maintenance employees, mechanics, emergency personnel, contractors, fuel workers, and fire-protection technicians.

Military Personnel and Veterans

A New York resident's AFFF exposure may have occurred outside New York.

Military firefighters, aircraft mechanics, aviation crews, fuel handlers, maintenance personnel, and crash-response teams may have encountered AFFF at military installations and training facilities.

Military records can sometimes help identify locations and dates that are important when reconstructing historical exposure.

Who May Want an AFFF Exposure Review?

A potential evaluation may be appropriate for someone who previously:

• Handled, mixed, sprayed, or transported AFFF
• Worked as a firefighter or emergency responder
• Participated in specialized firefighting exercises
• Responded to aircraft or fuel fires
• Worked around aircraft-rescue equipment
• Maintained foam tanks or fire-suppression systems
• Repaired pumps, hoses, valves, or related equipment
• Cleaned vehicles or protective gear following foam use
• Worked around aviation or fuel-handling operations
• Worked at an industrial facility using specialized firefighting foam
• Performed maintenance around foam-suppression equipment
• Experienced repeated workplace foam spills, leaks, or releases
• Lived or worked near an area associated with historical PFAS use
• Used water potentially affected by an AFFF release
• Later developed a serious medical condition following potential exposure

A person's occupation or diagnosis alone does not establish eligibility. The exposure history, medical records, employment history, military service, and applicable law may all be relevant.

Firefighters and Emergency Personnel

For many first responders, AFFF contact may have been part of routine duties rather than one isolated event.

Training drills, emergency calls, equipment testing, foam-system maintenance, apparatus cleaning, and handling of protective equipment may all be relevant.

Former firefighters may want to gather information about previous departments, specialized training, assignments, and dates of service.

Aviation, Fuel, and Maintenance Personnel

Direct employment as a firefighter is not required for an AFFF exposure history to be relevant.

Aircraft mechanics, fuel-service employees, airport contractors, hangar workers, maintenance crews, and emergency responders may have worked around foam equipment, aircraft fueling areas, suppression systems, or training facilities.

The type of work, location, dates of employment, and frequency of contact may help establish potential exposure.

Industrial and Contract Workers

AFFF exposure may also involve workers performing maintenance and support functions.

Mechanics, electricians, cleaning personnel, equipment technicians, maintenance crews, and contractors may have worked around specialized fire-suppression equipment without realizing the potential significance of historical foam use.

The facility, job responsibilities, employment period, and frequency of contact may all be important when evaluating a potential claim.

Could PFAS From AFFF Affect Drinking Water?

Certain PFAS compounds can persist following historical AFFF releases. Depending on environmental conditions, they may move through soil and groundwater and potentially reach nearby water sources.

This can raise questions for people who lived or worked near locations where firefighting foam was historically used.

However, finding PFAS in water does not automatically establish its source or prove that a particular illness resulted from the exposure.

Water-testing results, environmental investigations, groundwater information, historical facility records, and other evidence may be needed to evaluate the potential source.

FIND OUT WHETHER YOUR EXPOSURE HISTORY MAY DESERVE A REVIEW

A confidential evaluation can help identify potentially relevant occupational, military, environmental, and medical records.

Medical Conditions Being Studied in PFAS Research

Research concerning PFAS exposure and human health remains ongoing. Scientific studies and federal health authorities have reported associations between certain PFAS compounds and particular health outcomes.

An association does not automatically establish that PFAS caused an individual's illness.

A potential AFFF-related claim may therefore require examining medical records alongside exposure history, scientific evidence, timing, and other possible risk factors.

Kidney Cancer

PFOA exposure has been studied in connection with kidney cancer. Someone diagnosed with kidney cancer who also has a history of potential AFFF exposure may want to have their circumstances evaluated.

A review may consider the exposure location, duration and frequency of contact, timing of diagnosis, treatment history, and other possible risk factors.

A diagnosis alone does not establish that AFFF caused the cancer.

Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer has also been investigated in connection with PFOA exposure and has been alleged in PFAS-related litigation.

Whether an individual's diagnosis may support an AFFF-related claim depends on the available exposure evidence, medical history, scientific information, and applicable legal standards.

Other Health Conditions

Researchers continue to examine additional cancers and health outcomes in connection with different PFAS compounds.

The evidence may vary depending on the particular chemical and medical condition. A serious diagnosis should therefore be evaluated together with the person's actual exposure history rather than assuming that every illness automatically qualifies for an AFFF lawsuit.

What Compensation Could Potentially Be Pursued?

Depending on the facts and applicable law, an AFFF personal-injury claim may potentially seek compensation for:

• Medical treatment and healthcare expenses
• Hospitalization and surgery
• Prescription medications
• Rehabilitation and continuing care
• Future medical treatment
• Lost wages
• Reduced earning capacity
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Diminished quality of life
• Loss of companionship or support
• Funeral and burial expenses in qualifying wrongful-death cases
• Other damages permitted under applicable law

The potential value of a claim varies according to the individual's circumstances. The severity of the illness, medical expenses, lost income, evidence of exposure, causation, and applicable law may all affect potential damages.

No specific settlement, verdict, or compensation amount can be guaranteed.

Preserve Your AFFF Exposure History

If you believe you encountered AFFF in New York City, elsewhere in New York, or during employment or military service in another state, records from years ago may still be valuable.

Employment documents, military records, training histories, medical files, former workplace information, environmental reports, and water-testing results may help establish when and where potential exposure occurred.

REQUEST A FREE, CONFIDENTIAL CASE REVIEW

Requesting an evaluation does not obligate you to pursue litigation. Potential legal options depend on your individual exposure history, medical circumstances, available evidence, and the law applicable to your situation.