Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M)

During the last century, 3M made use of asbestos in large amounts, as the mineral has numerous convenient properties, such as excellent resistance to fire, electricity, and a wide range of chemicals. Furthermore, it was also very cheap at the time. It is worthy of note that veterans may also have been exposed to asbestos by using the products of this company while they were serving in the military. While the company is renowned for introducing numerous innovative products such as waterproof sandpaper and videotape to the world, 3M has also greatly endangered the health of their workers for the better part of the last century. The occupations at the highest risk of developing a serious disease as a result of exposure to the asbestos products of this company are:

• factory workers
• construction workers
• maintenance workers
• engineers
• mechanics
• shipyard workers
• boilermakers

By employing asbestos, company executives completely disregarded the lives of the people who took part in the manufacturing process. As a consequence, plenty of former 3M workers have subsequently come to suffer from harrowing diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer. It was not until 1986 that the company was forced to stop using asbestos. However, a sliver of hope is that people whose health was affected by asbestos exposure can now recover financial compensation from 3M with the help of a specialized attorney. Former employees of 3M whose job involved handling asbestos and came to struggle with the following diseases are eligible for compensation:

• mesothelioma
• lung cancer
• gastrointestinal cancer
• colorectal cancer
• bronchial cancer
• throat cancer
• esophageal cancer

Similarly, if you are the family member of a former 3M worker and developed one of these diseases, you may be eligible for compensation, as secondary asbestos exposure was a very common occurrence during the last century. The term 'secondary exposure' refers to asbestos exposure that occurs indirectly, such as inhaling or ingesting the toxic fibers that were brought home by a 3M worker on their clothes, skin, and hair. Lastly, if one of your family members who worked for 3M passed away from a disease related to occupational asbestos exposure and had not filed a claim for compensation, our attorneys can help you file a wrongful death claim so that you can recover money on their behalf.

In 1948, 3M Company bought the patent to create PFAS by bonding carbon and fluorine atoms. The chemistry resulted in successful products such as Teflon, Scotchgard, and AFFF. The firefighting foam was made to address life-threatening challenges military personnel were facing in live combat missions and training exercises. Shortly after its formula was devised, AFFF became widely used within all branches of the U.S. military. Nevertheless, in 1978, some internal 3M Company studies found that PFAS were toxic to lab animals.

In response to the PFAS contamination of the Mississippi River and nearby area, 3M Company stated the area would be "cleaned through a combination of groundwater pump-out wells and soil sediment excavation," but the hazardous chemicals could not be removed.

As of February 2024, there were roughly 9,200 pending lawsuits in the AFFF class action MDL-2873, a significant number of which involve civilian or military firefighters whose health was irreversibly affected by PFAS exposure from 3M Company's products. In 2023, many AFFF water contamination claims filed by local water authorities and municipalities were finally resolved in a global settlement agreement. 3M Company is one of the defendants that will reportedly pay $10.3 billion, money that is estimated to be necessary to resolve the claims.

Because the manufacturer claims it has a longstanding commitment to environmental stewardship and values human health, 3M Company announced a phase-out of PFOS and PFOA in 2000 but still uses other PFAS with different properties.

The following are the diseases for which you can recover financial compensation if you were exposed to the AFFF manufactured by 3M, either as a civilian or military firefighter:

• Kidney cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Ulcerative colitis
• Thyroid disease
• Liver cancer
• Thyroid cancer

PFAS are known as forever chemicals, which means that, once they are released into the environment, they persist. Similarly, once they reach the inside of the human body, they cannot be eliminated, which, over the years, may lead to the development of a serious disease. In the regrettable case that you received one of the diagnoses above and worked as a civilian or military firefighter, we strongly encourage you to contact our law firm, which will help you recover the financial compensation you are entitled to from 3M. With over 30 years of experience in pursuing compensation for the victims of toxic exposure, our legal team has the necessary resources and knowledge to provide you with quality assistance in filing a claim with 3M if you were exposed to their AFFF.

At the moment, there are over 700 military sites on which PFAS, a group of dangerous fluorinated chemicals, are lurking. Many of these sites are military bases where people are stationed, either alone or with their family members. Exposure to PFAS is a very serious issue, as it can lead to the development of numerous awful diseases over the years. Since PFAS are forever chemicals, once they enter the human body, they cannot be eliminated. PFAS exposure occurs through inhalation and ingestion. The primary source of PFAS on these military bases is the use of aqueous film-forming foam, commonly known as AFFF, by military firefighters and trainees. This is a fire suppressant used to extinguish jet fuel and petroleum fires. However, in addition to PFAS, there are other toxic agents on these military bases, which only increases the extent of exposure.

If you were stationed at a contaminated military base and came to struggle with a disease, please contact our law firm, as we specialize in toxic exposure and will be able to help you recover fair compensation for your suffering. Similarly, if one of the family members who was stationed with you developed a disease, they are also eligible for compensation. The following diseases qualify you for filing a toxic exposure claim both with the military base and with the VA if you are a veteran:

• Kidney cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Liver cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Thyroid disease
• Ulcerative colitis

Since 1990, we have been pursuing compensation on behalf of victims of toxic exposure and are willing to go to great lengths to help you recover the maximum compensation available for your diagnosis if you are a member of the military or the family member of one who developed a disease as a result of PFAS exposure. While the legal process is complex and tedious, it will require minimal involvement on your part, as the majority of the documents will be efficiently taken care of by our skillful team. The only documents we will need from you are proof of your stay at the military base in question and evidence of the diagnosis. To ensure the most favorable outcome for your case, our legal experts will conduct extensive research to discover additional evidence for your toxic exposure claim. Eventually, you will receive the largest sum of money you are entitled to if you decide to work with our law firm.