Can You Sue for PFAS Exposure If You’ve Developed a Health Condition?

What is PFAS and Can I Sue For Exposure?

Over 15,000 PFAS cases are or have been filed in federal court, with potentially many more people affected and unaware that PFAS exposure is the cause of their illness or health condition. Knowing what PFAS is and how it affects people is crucial so you can be sure whether or not PSAF has negatively impacted your health through exposure.

PFAS is an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances. These are human-made substances called forever chemicals because they remain for a long time in the environment.

If you have been exposed to PFAS and there is evidence that ties it to your health issues, the good news is that you may be able to sue for exposure. However, important details affect whether someone will take your case and what kind of compensation you could expect.

What Health Issues Have Are Linked to PFAS?

The unfortunate reality is that PFAS chemicals are widespread and can cause serious health issues in several different ways. Below are a few of the most well-known problems that have been studied and links that have been found:

Reproductive Issues– Circumstances of people suffering from decreased fertility have been cited, as well as issues with increased and high blood pressure in women who are pregnant, all as a result of PFAS.

Growth & Developmental Issues– Instances of developmental defects and delays in children, from low birth weight and variations in bone development and structure to accelerated puberty and behavioral changes, have all been linked to PFAS exposure.

Reduced Immunity– PFAS exposure has been shown to reduce the body’s ability to fight induction and respond to vaccines.

Hormonal Abnormalities– People affected by PFAS exposure have noted issues and interferences with the body’s natural ability to produce, control, and release their natural hormones.

Additional Health Risks– PFAS exposure has also been found to have a potential effect on a person’s likelihood of risk for obesity, as well as an increased risk of higher cholesterol levels.

While these are the most frequently noted and researched effects of PFAS exposure, there may be other symptoms and disorders as well. That’s why it’s ideal to speak with a knowledgeable attorney such as the Benner Law Firm, which has experience handling cases like this.

How Do I Prove That PFAS Caused My Illness?

This is ultimately one of the most challenging and important aspects of a potential PFAS case. Some people who have believed they have a case regarding PFAS exposure have been unable to get attorneys to take their cases, but there is an explanation.

The vital element needed to put together a successful PFAS case is causation. To get a successful verdict and settlement, you must be able to prove that it is more likely than not that PFAS exposure is what led to your illness or health issue.

While that may be something you believe is true, some factors can put it into question. For instance, if other mitigating factors affect health, such as smoking, drinking, or drug use, those could have an equal or more significant impact on health than PFAS exposure. Some tests can be done to show the amount of PFAS in your system, which can provide context on whether the level is sufficiently high to demonstrate its high likelihood of being the root cause of the illness.

To be sure, you should contact an attorney who has handled PFAS cases previously so they can provide you with an explanation and the process by which you can discern the level of PFAS and whether it gives you a good chance of success.

How Much Compensation Can I Get for a PFAS Health Issue?

As with any type of personal injury or mass tort case, the individual’s circumstances can impact the final level of compensation. For example, the average settlement for a typical PFAS settlement can range anywhere from mid-$100,000 to potentially millions of dollars. That’s undoubtedly a broad window, and that’s because results are related to the specifics of the case.

Firstly, the quality of representation can have a considerable impact. If you don’t choose an experienced, knowledgeable, and passionate attorney who provides the best possible legal representation, the possibility of getting a low settlement or none at all rises considerably.

Secondly, the duration and level of exposure can impact the final settlement result. The more prolonged and extreme the exposure, the more impact it could have on the size of the settlement.

Thirdly, and most importantly, the severity of the impact of the PFAS on your health has the most significant impact on the settlement. In such cases, the focus is on establishing financial compensation for the losses suffered. The greater or more permanent and limiting the losses are, the more that will be reflected in the size of the settlement.

Each of these elements impacts the potential settlement in different ways, and it’s essential to have a competent and well-versed attorney on your side to help you understand what those impacts mean in terms of how they affect your potential final settlement.

Do I Need an Attorney for My PFAS Case?

As with many other cases involving severe health issues caused by chemical exposure, many complicated medical and scientific details go into proving causation and impact. It would be nearly impossible for the average person to understand them, let alone find the right experts who can provide the testing and research necessary to prove them.

In addition, getting those tests and results can be expensive, and most people don’t have the disposable income to afford them. There are also many legal and technical hoops to jump through, with documentation needing to be signed and delivered on deadlines and expert witnesses secured for testimony.

For those reasons and many others, it is the safest and most intelligent option to secure legal counsel that can provide the knowledge, experience, and financial support. Benner Law Firm can share that knowledge, display that experience, and provide that financial support for you.

You’ve spent too long suffering from the effects of someone else’s negligence, and you shouldn’t have to seek compensation for it on your own. Call Benner Law Firm at 714-497-2544 today so we can start getting you the compensation you deserve.