Dover Air Force Base was established by converting the civilian airport of the city into a military one when the United States Army Air Corps expressed the need for a training airfield. The construction of the military base consisted of runways and airplane hangars with 3 concrete runways, multiple taxiways, a large parking apron, and a control tower.
Nevertheless, after 1970, military firefighters began using AFFF to extinguish jet fuel and petroleum fires, which inevitably led to heavy contamination with PFAS on the site. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the military base also has 23 areas used for the disposal of industrial waste. The agency is still striving to clean up Dover Air Force Base at the moment since PFAS were not the only contaminant present on the military base.
What toxic agents were present on Dover Air Force Base?
In addition to PFAS, out of which PFOS and PFOA are the most common toxic substances, there were also volatile organic compounds and heavy metals polluting Dover Air Force Base.
Exposure to these hazardous chemicals can lead to the development of serious disease over the years, as once they reach the inside of the body through inhalation or ingestion, they remain there forever, gradually damaging the organ or tissue they attach themselves to. The following were the other toxic agents present on Dover Air Force Base:
- trichloroethylene
- tetrachloroethylene
- carbon tetrachloride
- mercury
- chromium
- cadmium
If you spent time at Dover Air Force Base, you were inevitably exposed to these harmful substances, which places you at high risk of developing a disease such as cancer. Thereby, you need to keep a close eye on your health and seek medical attention as soon as you notice a new onset of distressing symptoms.
Both veterans and the family members who were stationed at this military base with them are at high risk of coming to struggle with a serious disease as a result of toxic exposure.
What diseases can you develop following toxic exposure at Dover Air Force Base?
The toxic exposure that occurred at Dover Air Force Base is correlated with multiple terrible diseases, the most serious being cancer. However, there are other awful health issues exposure to hazardous chemicals can lead to, either immediately or within several years of your first contact with these toxic substances.
The following are the diseases you may develop as a result of toxic exposure at Dover Air Force Base, as well as the diagnoses that qualify you for seeking compensation:
It is worthy of note that if you develop any other cancer than the malignant diseases listed above, you are still eligible for compensation, as exposure to toxic substances has a strong causal relation to numerous types of cancer.
Thereby, regardless of the malignant disease you struggle with, we highly encourage you to contact our law firm if you were stationed at Dover Air Force Base and we will thoroughly review your case. Eventually, you will benefit from the maximum compensation you are entitled to from the liable party.
