Bladder cancer

processing claims for over 50 years

Bladder cancer  video

Although the most common risk factors for bladder cancer are tobacco smoking, chronic bladder inflammation, being male, and old age, toxic exposure can also cause it. Exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, usually known as PFAS or "forever chemicals" can result in bladder cancer. Every year, over 81,000 people receive a bladder cancer diagnosis in the United States, the disease being significantly more prevalent in men and in people over the age of 55. While the prognosis of bladder cancer is often favorable when it is found in the early stage, with 96% of the patients living for five years or longer, if the disease has spread to distant organs, the survival rate drops substantially, with only 6% of patients living for five years or longer. If you have a history of occupational or military toxic exposure and struggle with bladder cancer, we advise you to contact our attorneys.

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Male veterans are 4 times more likely to develop bladder cancer due to solvent exposure than female veterans

Male veterans & bladder cancer

Over 700 military bases in the country have a grim legacy of toxic environmental contamination, which has been contributing to the prevalence of bladder cancer among veterans.

The chemicals associated with a high risk of bladder cancer that were also lurking on military bases are industrial solvents.

According to a study from the medical journal Environmental Health Perspectives, perchloroethylene exposure has a strong link to bladder cancer, with people exposed to it for a long time having a nearly 2 times greater risk of developing this cancer. Furthermore, exposure to the following solvents on military bases also has a significant connection with bladder cancer:

  • trichloroethylene
  • alicyclic hydrocarbon solvents
  • benzene
  • aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents
  • toluene
  • aromatic hydrocarbon solvents

Some of these industrial solvents, as well as PFOS and PFOA, two chemicals from the PFAS group, were present in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune for 34 years during the last century. Therefore, veterans and civilians who spent time there are likely to come to struggle with bladder cancer. If you lived at this military base, we might be able to help you file a Camp Lejeune toxic water claim or lawsuit and a VA disability claim if you are a veteran. However, you have to meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • you must have been discharged from the military other than dishonorably as a veteran
  • you must have drunk contaminated water at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 consecutive days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987
  • you must have a correct, accurate diagnosis of bladder cancer that is the result of drinking toxic water

Even if you meet the above requirements, you might not be entitled to financial compensation under the new Camp Lejeune Justice Act or from the VA. For this reason, to determine whether you qualify for filing a claim, our experienced attorneys will have to assess your employment or military records, which you must retrieve, and your medical records.

If you want to file a claim as a family member of a veteran whom you lived with at Camp Lejeune, you will have to send us evidence of your stay at the military base along with your medical records. Finally, it is important to know that women who stayed at Camp Lejeune while pregnant and gave birth to a child with a congenital malformation may also be eligible for compensation.

Eligibility criteria for filing a claim for toxic exposure on military bases

For veterans and civilians who lived on any other military base than Camp Lejeune, the eligibility requirements below apply. Still, you will have to send in your employment or military records and your medical records so that our attorneys can determine whether you are indeed entitled to financial compensation. These are the eligibility criteria if you intend to file a claim for toxic exposure that occurred on military bases:

  • you must not have been discharged from the military dishonorably as a veteran
  • you must have been exposed to at least one toxic agent for a significant time
  • you must have a correct diagnosis of bladder cancer that is service-connected

Similarly, the family members of veterans will have to provide our legal team with proof of their stay at the military base in addition to their medical records. If you are a woman, either a female veteran or the spouse of one, who was pregnant during your time spent at the military base, and your child was born with a congenital malformation, we may also be able to help you obtain compensation.

The bladder cancer risk among military and civilian firefighters who used AFFF is nearly 2 times higher

Bladder cancer risk

A study from Environmental Health Insights found that people with a high level of PFAS in their blood are nearly twice as likely to develop bladder cancer than the general population. This is often the case with military and civilian firefighters who used the fire suppressant AFFF, which contains between 50% and 98% of these toxic chemicals.

Not only do PFAS persist in the environment once they are released by employing AFFF, but they also stay in the body for a long time. This increases the risk of numerous life-threatening diseases, including bladder cancer. Moreover, firefighters are exposed to PFAS from the very personal protective equipment they wear.

It is worthy of note that, when it is the consequence of AFFF exposure, bladder cancer may take several years to several decades to develop. The following are the most common symptoms of bladder cancer, regardless of the cause:

  • pain or a burning sensation during urination
  • lower back pain on one side of the body
  • feeling the need to urinate many times at night
  • blood in the urine and frequent urination
  • feeling the need to urinate yet not being able to do so
  • trouble urinating or a weak urine stream

Eligibility requirements for AFFF exposure claims

Whether you worked as a military or civilian firefighter, if you used AFFF and have bladder cancer, chances are there is a causal relation at play. Nevertheless, to make sure you qualify for compensation from the liable manufacturers, our resourceful attorneys will have to check your eligibility by reviewing the documents you will need to send in, which are your employment or military records and your medical records clearly stating your bladder cancer diagnosis. You will also have to meet the following criteria:

  • as a military firefighter, you must have been discharged other than dishonorably
  • you must have used aqueous film-forming foam, commonly known as AFFF, regularly
  • you must have a correct, accurate diagnosis of bladder cancer related to PFAS exposure

File a toxic exposure claim for bladder cancer with our specialized assistance

People with a history of toxic exposure who suffer from bladder cancer should get in touch with our law firm, as we have been pursuing this kind of case for nearly 30 years. Our legal team has the necessary knowledge, experience, and resources to help you recover the compensation you may be entitled to from the liable manufacturers or any other responsible party. You will only have to send a series of basic documents so that we can begin evaluating your case to find out whether you qualify for compensation.

Eligible people will have their claims filed with the culprits, and veterans will also have a VA disability claim filed for bladder cancer. Our law firm operates on a contingency fee basis, so we will not ask you for any money unless we obtain compensation on your behalf. We will strive to recover the maximum compensation available for your diagnosis, and if everything works in our favor, you may benefit from the money you deserve for your unjust suffering.