Military Cancer Lawsuit

Hundreds of military sites across the United States are contaminated with known toxic chemicals and minerals. These harmful substances have been discovered in the buildings, equipment, soil and water. This creates a toxic environment for service members and their family members who live and work at these military bases. 

Known contaminated military bases are some of the largest in the United States. Among them are Fort Bragg (North Carolina), Fort Campbell (Kentucky), Fort Hood (Texas) and Camp Lejeune (North Carolina).

Toxic substances found at military sites include:

• Asbestos
• Benzene
• Dichloroethylene (DCE)
• PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances)
• Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)
• Trichloroethylene (TCE)
• Vinyl chloride

Exposure to these substances has been linked to serious health effects, including multiple cancer types and even death.

PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large class of synthetic chemicals. They can be found in many products across industries. Known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS molecules have strong carbon-fluorine bonds that keep them from easily degrading in the environment.

PFAS can leach into the soil, water and air. Because PFAS breaks down slowly, people and animals can be exposed repeatedly over time, causing PFAS in blood levels to build.

People can be exposed to PFAS through PFAS-contaminated water or food, products made with PFAS or air containing PFAS. Exposure to toxic chemicals like PFAS can have critical impacts on a person’s health. Research shows immediate effects can include pregnancy-induced hypertension and pre-eclampsia, cholesterol level increases and lower antibody response to vaccines. Long-term health issues include kidney and testicular cancer.

For decades, the military has used a firefighting foam called aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) during training exercises and emergencies. AFFFs contain PFAS chemical compounds that are extremely effective in suppressing fires, including jet fuel fires. These foams can easily leak and contaminate nearby water and soil.

There are 720 military sites with known or suspected discharges of PFAS. This list of military bases linked to cancer includes locations scattered across the country, from Florida to Maine and California to Washington. 

Studies have linked PFAS exposure to a higher risk of several serious health conditions, including liver disease, multiple cancer types, immune system issues and type 2 diabetes.

PFAS exposure and cancer

Research has linked PFAS exposure and cancer. 

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified PFOA as a human carcinogen and PFOS as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) are lab-made chemicals part of the PFAS family. The EPA has also warned that evidence shows PFAS are likely carcinogens.

Cancers linked to PFAS exposure include:

• Bladder cancer
• Brain cancer
• Breast cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Lung cancer
• Lymphoma
• Prostate cancer
• Testicular cancer

PFAS cancer lawsuit

Service members and workers who have been exposed to PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl) and have developed cancer may be able to file a lawsuit. Research has linked the use of PFAS and a higher risk of cancer. Military bases across the country use chemicals that contain PFAS, including firefighting foam. In a PFAS lawsuit, military members or those exposed to PFAS on a military base can seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and other damages related to their illness.

Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), is a type of foam used to fight fires that cannot be extinguished with water. AFFF is effective at extinguishing flammable liquids like oil and gasoline. AFFF contains PFAS, which creates a film that cuts off oxygen between a flammable liquid and air. AFFF also can resist heat and spread rapidly, which helps firefighters extinguish flames more quickly.

During fire suppression activities, soil or nearby groundwater can absorb AFFF runoff. AFFF contains perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), a subset of PFAS, as well as other PFAS. Manufacturers have produced PFAAs for more than 65 years. PFAAs are used in industrial processes because they repel oil and water, withstand high temperatures and resist chemical reactions.

Because AFFF contains PFAS, these chemicals can quickly contaminate areas. 

At military bases, fire crews often complete required testing. This requirement is especially needed at airfields and on aircraft carriers where jet fuel and other highly flammable substances are present. Firefighters practice using AFFF to extinguish fires so that when spills or accidents occur, they are prepared.

Over time, PFAS can build up at military bases, exposing humans to toxic levels that can lead to serious health issues like cancer. 

AFFF exposure and cancer

Exposure to aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) has been linked to cancer and other severe illnesses. 

Health organizations have designated PFAS as carcinogens or likely carcinogens. These chemicals can contaminate drinking water and persist in the environment, leading to long-term health risks. Military service members exposed to AFFF may be entitled to compensation through legal action against the foam manufacturers.

Research has linked AFFF exposure to multiple cancer types, including:

• Bladder cancer
• Brain cancer
• Breast cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Lung cancer
• Lymphoma
• Prostate cancer
• Testicular cancer

AFFF cancer lawsuit

AFFF has been widely used since the 1970s to extinguish fires. The military has extensively used the firefighting foam on its bases, aircraft carriers and airports. Communities near these locations may have been exposed to the chemicals in AFFF through natural resources.

Motley Rice attorneys are currently representing harmed communities in litigation against AFFF manufacturers. Cases filed in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) allege groundwater contamination around sites where AFFF was used. The AFFF MDL is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. It has several types of plaintiffs in the litigation- water service providers, land owners and sick individuals.

An MDL is designed to combine multiple civil lawsuits into one federal district court to make the pretrial process more efficient. Motley Rice is representing several plaintiffs in AFFF lawsuits who were harmed by PFAS exposure from AFFF usage. As of September 2024, there were over 9,500 actions pending in the consolidated case.

Requirements to file an AFFF cancer lawsuit may include:

• Your community discovered PFAS contamination in its groundwater.
• You have suffered personal injuries or property damage from PFAS contamination.
• There is a heightened need for medical monitoring because of PFAS contamination.
• Your community has suffered economic losses connected to contamination from PFAS.

Men and women serving in the military at bases may also have been exposed to PFAS. They may be eligible to sue if they developed a serious medical condition like cancer after being exposed.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that can cause mesothelioma cancer, among other health issues. Asbestos was widely used until the 1980s for its heat- and chemical-resistant properties. 

The military and military contractors used the mineral in barracks, ships, submarines and other military vehicles and equipment. 

Asbestos use has faded over the last few decades but is not fully banned in the U.S. In addition, many old buildings, vehicles and pieces of equipment still contain the mineral. Because of this, asbestos exposure is still a threat for military members and civilian workers.

Asbestos exposure and cancer

There is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Any level can cause various cancers and lung diseases. The primary health concern connected with asbestos is mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that affects the lining of internal organs. 

Health conditions associated with asbestos exposure include:

• Asbestosis
• Lung cancer
• Pericardial mesothelioma (occurs in the lining of the heart)
• Peritoneal mesothelioma (occurs in the lining of the abdomen)
• Pleural mesothelioma (occurs in the lining of the lungs)
• Pleural plaques
• Pleural thickening
• Testicular mesothelioma (occurs in the lining of the testes)

Asbestos cancer lawsuit

People who develop mesothelioma and their family members may be eligible to file an asbestos cancer lawsuit. 

Attorneys at Motley Rice have been involved in asbestos litigation for decades. In the 1970s, firm co-founder Ron Motley worked to uncover internal company documents that showed some companies hid the knowledge that asbestos was harmful. 

Motley Rice attorneys continue to accept and litigate asbestos exposure cases today. We can help pinpoint the source of your exposure, see if you qualify to file a claim with any bankruptcy trusts and bring your case to court.

One of the most widely publicized cases of toxic exposure at a military base is Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. It’s estimated that as many as 1 million staff, service members and their families were exposed to toxic water contaminated with industrial solvents and benzene in the 1950s through 1980s.

Camp Lejeune’s water system pulled from several water distribution plants across the base. Each system received water from a specific water treatment plant. When one distribution system exceeded the supply from its wells, water from another would be pumped into the distribution system to fill the need. However, when one source was contaminated, the exchange of water created cross-contamination. This sharing system affected more than the original contaminated water distribution system.

Some of the most widely detected contaminants at Camp Lejeune were volatile organic compounds (VOCs):

• Benzene
• Dichloroethylene (DCE)
• Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)
• Trichloroethylene (TCE)
• Vinyl chloride

Sources of these contaminants included leaking underground fuel tanks constructed near water supply wells. Nearly 1.1 million gallons of fuel leaked into nearby soil at Hadnot Point Fuel Farm over time. Other sources believed to contribute to soil and water contamination included a nearby dump for chemicals at the base, a former burn dump and military personnel use of degreasers.

VOCs are linked to several short-term and long-term health effects, including dizziness, memory loss, nervous system damage and cancer.

Camp Lejeune water exposure and cancer

Camp Lejeune, a U.S. Marine Corps base in North Carolina which housed training for branches other than just the Marines, experienced significant contamination of drinking water. Documents show the water contained benzene, dichloroethylene and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Health conditions associated with Camp Lejeune’s water contamination include:

• Aplastic anemia
• Bladder cancer
• Cardiac birth defects
• Kidney cancer
• Leukemia
• Liver cancer
• Multiple myeloma
• Myelodysplastic syndromes
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Other kidney and end stage renal diseases
• Parkinson's disease
• Systemic scleroderma
• Systemic sclerosis

Camp Lejeune cancer lawsuit

Thousands of military servicemen and women, loved ones living with them and civilian workers, were exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune for nearly 35 years. Toxins found in the systems that provided drinking water to employees and their families on base have been linked to cancers and severe health conditions. In some cases, these injuries have led to death.

Veterans and employees who worked or lived on base between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, filed Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuits. These lawsuits were possible under the PACT Act, which opened a two-year window to file lawsuits. The deadline has now passed. News regarding Camp Lejeune verdicts and settlements should be forthcoming.

Motley Rice attorneys have advocated for veterans and their families who have been exposed to toxic substances. 

We were involved in the toxic military burn pit litigation and are currently involved in ongoing lawsuits related to asbestos exposure, PFAS exposure, firefighting foam (AFFF) usage and Camp Lejeune contaminated water lawsuits.

With our commitment to hold responsible parties accountable for the impaired health of military personnel and their loved ones, our attorneys have fought to secure the compensation these heroes deserve. Our attorneys have also fought for nearby communities that have experienced the detrimental effects of toxic substances on their physical and economic health.

Read more on our toxic exposure litigation experience.