China Lake Naval Base accounts for 85% of the U.S. Navy’s land for weapons and armaments research, development, acquisition, testing, and evaluation use, as well as for 38% of the U.S. Navy’s land holdings worldwide. There are 94 sites contaminated with PFAS on this military base, the primary source of this toxic agent being AFFF, a fire suppressant employed by firefighters to extinguish jet fuel and petroleum fires. While AFFF is very effective in putting out class B fires, the carcinogenic substances it contains greatly endangered the health of the military personnel who spent time at China Lake Naval Base after 1970.
The Environmental Protection Agency has spent $127 million for the cleanup of the site so far and the process of removing PFAS from the environment of the military base will be completed at the end of 2023. However, the agency estimates that it will need another $104 million to complete the cleanup process.
What toxic agents were present on China Lake Naval Base?
While the PFAS that came from the use of AFFF were the only contaminant at China Lake Naval Base, their concentration in the environment was very high, which is why today, numerous members of the military struggle with serious diseases as a consequence of toxic exposure. Two of the most studied chemicals from this group are PFOS and PFOA, both known human carcinogens, exposure to which can trigger the development of multiple terrible diseases, and health issues. Therefore, if you were exposed to PFAS, you may not immediately develop a disease, as it may take several years for a health problem to occur following exposure.
Once inside the body, PFAS will make their way to various organs or tissues, gradually causing damage and eventually leading to the occurrence of a disease. Thereby, if you were stationed at China Lake Naval Base, either alone or with your family members, and experience distressing symptoms, we strongly advise you to seek medical attention.
What diseases can you develop following toxic exposure at China Lake Naval Base?
There are numerous diseases exposure to PFAS can lead to, particularly cancer. Because this group of toxic agents is known as forever chemicals, they cannot be eliminated by the human body, which is why the risk of developing disease following exposure is high. The longer you were in contact with PFAS, the greater the risk of coming to suffer from a related disease is.
These are the diseases you may develop after exposure to PFAS at China Lake Naval Base, as well as the diagnoses that make you eligible for filing a personal injury claim to recover compensation:
It is essential to know that if you develop any other cancer than the malignant diseases above, you are still eligible for seeking financial compensation, as exposure to PFAS has a strong causal relation to multiple types of cancer.
Therefore, regardless of the malignant disease you struggle with, we strongly encourage you to contact our attorneys if you spent time at China Lake Naval Base and they will gladly help you obtain the money you deserve for your injury.
