If you’re a fan of legal dramas, you’ve probably got your finger on the pulse of the AFFF cases brought before U.S. courts. The class action lawsuit could be the biggest in the country’s history.
For those playing catch-up, here’s a quick refresher… Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) was found to contain toxic chemicals called PFAS. The foam was used by firefighters and the US Navy to extinguish fires. Unbeknownst to them, PFAS was a health risk and a possible catalyst for several cancers.
Manufacturers such as 3M, BASF and DuPont were named as defendants in the AFFF firefighting foam lawsuit. Why? Because firefighters and first responders claimed they knew nothing about the dangers of PFAS.
Lawsuits Against Firefighting Foam Makers Pave Potential Road to Justice
The AFFF lawsuit for Navy personnel is the outcome of the U.S. Navy entering the battle against firefighting foam manufacturers. This makes the magnitude of these claims much bigger.
As it currently stands, there are 8,270 pending AFFF lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the South Carolina multidistrict litigation (MDL), according to consumer advocacy group Consumer Notice.
The potential link between AFFF, PFAS exposure, and cancer has far-reaching implications, states TruLaw.
Although some class action lawsuits seldom end in settlements, it’s worth taking a look at those that made headlines around the globe due to their excessive payouts.
Thanks for Smoking
Many legal experts believe the AFFF lawsuit could eclipse that of the 1998 Tobacco Masters Settlement.
The ruling set a precedent for future class action lawsuits. Four leading cigarette manufacturers were ordered to pay the U.S. states $206 billion in damages. A further $1.5 billion was meant for an anti-smoking campaign.
The cigarette companies were also instructed to:
- Increase the price of cigarettes
- Limit advertising
- Ban payments for product placement in movies, TV and theaters
Facebook, Is That You?
In September last year, Facebook was ordered to pay $725 million in its privacy settlement case. Forbes reported that about 17.7 million Facebook users submitted claims in the settlement.
Online users embarked on a four-year battle with Facebook’s parent company, Meta. The multinational technology conglomerate was accused of sharing private information with third-party companies.
To date, it could be the largest number of claims filed in a U.S. class action case. “I was kind of blown away by how many people made claims,” Judge Chhabria said at the San Francisco hearing.
Despite the settlement, Meta still denies breaking any law.
Something Smelly About ‘Apple Tax’
Accused for years of inflating their App Store prices, Apple could soon be forced to explain their ‘Apple tax’ in a federal court. About 100 million Apple account holders were permitted to sue the smartphone maker over in-app purchases.
The antitrust case is a major turning point in a 13-year clash between Apple and iPhone users, wrote Fast Company’s Clint Rainey.
In the latest development, Epic Games will take on Apple in court. Things got ugly when Epic added a direct payment method for its Battle Royale game, Fortnight. Apple said it violated its rules and removed the game from the App Store. Epic then responded with an antitrust lawsuit. The judge has yet to deliver a ruling.
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
The largest marine oil spill in history, Deepwater Horizon spawned a collection of Hollywood movies and documentaries.
Fourteen years later, the effects of the April 20 incident are still far-reaching. The explosion on the oil rig off the Gulf of Mexico sparked a cataclysmic series of events. It started with a surge of natural gas that exploded through a newly installed concrete core.
Details later divulged on WikiLeaks revealed the core was likely too weak to withstand the pressure of the blast. The documents mentioned a similar incident on a BP-owned rig in the Caspian Sea years prior. Blasting through Horizon’s platform where it ignited, the explosion left 11 dead and 17 injured.
Two days later, the rig capsized and sank, resulting in oil spillage into the gulf. The oil made landfall on Mississippi, Alabama and Florida beaches.
The U.S. Department of Justice and BP eventually reached a settlement agreement for $20 billion.
The amount was to cover civil claims relating to environmental damage. As of April this year, BP was said to have paid only $1,300 to 79% of the Deepwater Horizon victims, reported Fortune.
The AFFF lawsuit is far from over. As the world keeps its eye on the class action MDL, those accused of lying to the public about the toxic effects of AFFF exposure will have to answer for their complicity.
