Firefighter Cancer Caused By Chemical Exposure

Jed Dietrich, Esq. and His Elite Team of Lawyers at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. Fight to Obtain the Best Result for Firefighters Who Developed Cancer After Being Exposed to Firefighting Foam and Other Harmful Chemicals in Buffalo, New York

Recent studies uncovered cancer risks concerning firefighters who were exposed to hazardous chemicals. Firefighters are regularly subjected to even higher amounts of toxic chemicals than previously thought. To make matters worse, the more fires a fireman fights, the greater the chemical exposure he or she will confront. Scientists at Oregon State University and the Center for Fire, Rescue and EMS Health Research provided firefighters with chemical detecting sensors which found 18 different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Researchers have discovered a strong relationship between exposure to PAHs and cancer. Additionally, most firefighting foams contain known carcinogens, such as per- fluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). In the mid-1960s, firefighter foam began to commonly contain PFAS. These poisonous substances can bind to proteins in the blood and accumulate with each exposure to fire foam. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most PFAS tend to remain in the blood, liver, and kidneys. Exposure to per-fluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances are frequently associated with a multitude of adverse health problems such as high cholesterol, obesity, thyroid disease, hormone suppression, liver damage, decreased fertility, and cancer.

If you have been diagnosed with cancer or other related health problems after being exposed to firefighting chemicals, although no amount of money can erase your pain and suffering, you may have the right to pursue monetary compensation. Above all, filing a lawsuit will force reckless firefighting foam manufacturers to take legal responsibility for their lack of concern regarding the public’s health and ensure that some level of justice is served. We will hold the manufacturers accountable for knowingly subjecting you to toxic chemicals commonly used in firefighting agents. As a firefighter, you risked your life to protect our community. Now, it is time for the best of the best at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. to fight for you. Jed Dietrich, Esq. founded the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. in 2005 with a mission to provide the highest level of personal injury service to victims. Since 1999, Jed Dietrich, Esq. has exclusively handled serious personal injury and product liability cases. Over time, our veteran attorneys have seen the devastating impact that toxic products can have on a victim’s life, ranging from immune system problems and cancer to death.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s battle-tested team of firefighter chemical exposure attorneys in Buffalo, New York, recognizes the emotional and psychological consequences of being diagnosed with cancer. We aim to help ease the legal burdens that you will face so that you can spend more time with your loved ones and receive proper treatment. Our team is highly experienced, aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking. Insurance companies have paid Jed Dietrich, Esq. over $175,000,000.00 in verdicts and settlements to compensate his clients for their injuries and illnesses. Call us today for your free consultation. We are available 24 hours per day and 7 days per week by calling 716-839-3939 or by filling out the online consultation form. 

If you worked as a firefighter and have noticed any unusual symptoms, it is extremely crucial to contact your doctor for a cancer screening. You should mention any irregularities such as bloody stool, fatigue, weakness, unintended weight loss, or abdominal pain to your doctor. Numerous experiments and other laboratory studies have linked exposure to PFAS to an increased risk in the development of different cancer types, including:

1. Brain cancer;
2. Kidney cancer;
3. Liver cancer;
4. Lung cancer;
5. Bladder cancer;
6. Prostate cancer;
7. Intestinal cancer;
8. Pancreatic cancer;
9. Testicular cancer;
10. Ovarian cancer;
11. Breast cancer;
12. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma;
13. Leukemia; and
14. Neuroendocrine tumors.

As a growing number of former firefighters have begun pursuing product liability lawsuits against firefighting foam manufacturers, legislation has been passed at both federal and state levels. In 2018, the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act was signed into law. This law recognizes the impact of occupational cancer on firefighters and requires the CDC to foster and maintain a registry gathering documentation on the prevalence of certain cancers in firefighters. The registry will provide scientists with crucial data to fully determine the effects of occupational hazards, such as smoke inhalation, on a firefighter’s health.

In New York State, Senate Bill S7880B was recently passed, which will partially prohibit the burning of firefighting foam that contains cancer-causing chemicals. Also, any melanoma or condition of cancer involving the neurological, digestive, urinary, lymphatic, hematological, breast, prostate, or reproductive systems, which leads to partial or total disability or death to a professional firefighter, who passed a physical examination upon entering into the firefighter service, shall be presumptive evidence that such a disability or fatality (a) was caused by the natural and proximate result of firefighting, and (b) was sustained in the performance and discharge of their work. This legislation makes it possible for firefighters suffering from cancer to receive workers’ compensation.

If you, or a loved one, were diagnosed with cancer after being exposed to firefighting foam, you should contact Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his top rated team of firefighting foam cancer attorneys, at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C., to learn more about your legal rights.

It is believed that firefighting foam manufacturing companies might have been aware of the associated health risks for decades. Many firefighters could have possibly avoided devastating health consequences if only proper safety recommendations and adequate warnings would have been provided. Instead, these companies continued to manufacture and sell their harmful products. Some widely known PFAS chemical manufacturers include:

1. DuPont;
2. 3M Company;
3. Buckeye Fire Equipment Co.;
4. Corteva, Inc.;
5. Chemguard;
6. Chemours Company;
7. National Foam; and
8. Tyco Fire Products.

Our seasoned product liability lawyers will evaluate your claim and discuss the possibility of filing a lawsuit against the responsible manufacturer. Firefighters deserve justice for being exposed to carcinogens while performing their duties. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. is here to hold negligent and careless manufacturers liable for all of your damages. You may have a legal right to monetary compensation for your present and future medical bills, lost time from work, diminished earning capacity, and pain and suffering. We are dedicated and determined to get you the best possible result after your cancer diagnosis in Buffalo, New York, throughout New York State and beyond. Our highly experienced team can be reached 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, at 716-839-3939. Call us today!

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 716-839-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Buffalo, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!