Exposure to PFAS on military bases doubles the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
During the last century, a myriad of toxic substances lurked on military bases nationwide, greatly endangering the health of service members. One class of chemicals that were present on military facilities are perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, often dubbed PFAS, exposure to which can result in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma several years or even decades later. Veterans who came in contact with PFAS are twice as likely to come to struggle with this cancer than the general population.
The following are the top eight most contaminated military bases in the country. To understand how acute the situation is, it is important to keep in mind that the current safe exposure PFAS limit is only 70 ppt.
- England Air Force Base (Louisiana): 20,700,000 ppt
- Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake (California): 8,000,000 ppt
- Patrick Air Force Base (Florida): 4,338,000 ppt
- Myrtle Beach Air Force Base (South Carolina): 2,640,000 ppt
- Langley Air Force Base (Virginia): 2,225,000 ppt
- Naval Air Station Jacksonville (Florida): 1,397,120 ppt
- Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (New York): 1,310,000 ppt
- Grand Prairie Armed Forces Reserve Complex (Texas): 1,247,000 ppt
Once in the environment, PFAS break down extremely slowly, persisting there and making it easy for toxic exposure to happen. Most military bases had their drinking water contaminated with these harmful chemicals, but they can also pollute the soil. If you were stationed at a military base with documented PFAS contamination, developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and want to file a claim, these are the eligibility criteria you will have to meet:
- you must have been discharged from the military other than dishonorably
- you must have been exposed to PFAS or other chemicals linked to the disease
- you must have a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma due to toxic exposure
It is important to note that family members and civilians who spent time at military bases can also file a toxic exposure claim if they now have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. While the former must provide our attorneys with evidence of their stay at the military installation, the latter will need to send in their employment records. Furthermore, to be able to thoroughly assess your case and determine whether you have a case, we will request your military records, which you must retrieve, and your medical records.