Tag Archives: toxic tort

Virginia Firefighters Seek $1.5 Billion from PFAS Companies

Six Virginia firefighters and the estate of a deceased firefighter have filed suit against 25 companies associated with per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) seeking $1.5 Billion in damages. The named lead plaintiff in the action is Sara P. Chiaverotti, wife of Virginia Beach Fire Captain Matthew Chiaverotti who died from anaplastic thyroid cancer last year.

Two More Fire Departments Suing AFFF-PFAS Manufacturers

Two additional fire departments have filed suit against the AFFF manufacturers. The Harrisville Fire District in Rhode Island and the North Collier Fire Control And Rescue District in Florida have filed suit against the foam manufacturers.

Two More AFFF Toxic Tort Suits Filed

Two more AFFF toxic tort lawsuits are in the fire law news today. In New York state, the Hampton Bays Fire District has filed suit against thirty named manufacturers of aqueous film forming foam. The suit alleges that AFFF caused contamination of the soil and groundwater at the district’s facilities.

Virginia Court Rejects Application of Firefighter’s Rule

A Virginia court has rejected the claims of a waste management company that firefighters who were injured at a fire in 2017 are prohibited from suing by the Firefighter’s Rule. The suit was brought by firefighters Jeffrey W. Cockey and Andrew J. Neuhaus against Covanta Fairfax, Inc. alleging negligence and gross negligence.

Multiple Suits Allege Toxic Tort Against AFFF and PPE Manufacturers

Forty-four current and former California firefighters have filed suit against chemical companies and PPE manufacturers claiming that they were exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) and their turnout gear.

Florida Firefighter Sues AFFF Manufacturers

A Florida firefighter has filed suit against a group of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) manufacturers contending that exposure to their products caused her breast cancer. Debbie Rittinghouse, who served with Broward County Fire Rescue from 1994 to 2018, filed suit against 17 current and former AFFF manufacturers.

More LA Firefighters Join SoCalGas Suit

A lawsuit filed last October by 29 Los Angeles firefighters against Southern California Gas Company is in the headlines again as word that additional firefighters are continuing to sign on to the suit. The suit alleges SoCalGas knowingly exposed the firefighters to hazardous levels of toxins like benzene and formaldehyde during a leak in 2015-2016 in Aliso Canyon, but concealed the dangers.

San Diego Facing Class Action Suit Over Asbestos Exposure

Twenty-one employees of the City of San Diego, including several employees of the San Diego Fire Department, having filed a class action lawsuit claiming the city exposed them to asbestos and then misrepresented the danger. The lawsuit filed last week in San Diego County Superior Court claims the city was aware of the presence of asbestos in a 19-story building referred to as the Executive Complex.

Illinois Firefighter Injured in Ammonia Spill Files Suit

An Illinois firefighter is among five people suing the driver and owner of a tractor trailer responsible for an anhydrous ammonia leak last April. Thomas Stall of the Beach Park Fire Department was one of 11 firefighters injured in the incident.

Dayton Sues Foam Manufacturers Over AFFF Related Contamination

The City of Dayton is the latest community to file suit against the nation’s largest firefighting foam manufacturers, blaming them for the contamination of the area surrounding Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The contamination is due to two toxic byproducts of AFFF, namely perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid.

Texas Responders Sue Chemical Plant

Seven first responders to the disastrous chemical fire in Crosby. Texas last month have filed suit against the chemical company and three of its top managers seeking damages in excess of one million dollars in damages. The explosions and fire occurred after Hurricane Harvey struck the region.

Fire Academy Threatened With Suit Over Groundwater Pollution from AFFF

The Barnstable County Fire Academy on Cape Cod is facing an environmental lawsuit and possible shut down over ground water pollution attributed to the use of AFFF over the years. According to local officials, two wells that provide drinking water to several area communities had to be closed last spring due to elevated levels perfluorooctane sulfonate. The wells are adjacent to the academy.

WV County and City Seek to Recoup Costs of Hazmat Spill

Kanawha County and the City of Charleston, West Virginia have filed a civil suit against the parties responsible for the 2014 Elk River chemical spill. The action was filed in Kanawha County Circuit Court last week naming West Virginia American Water, Eastman Chemical Company and several affiliated parties.