Mon - Fri 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

admin@hackettfirm.com

Call Us: (415) 410-9931

Class Action Investigation

Were you exposed to PFAS "forever chemicals" in your drinking water, and later developed cancer or a serious illness?

PFAS chemicals contaminate water supplies near military bases, industrial sites, and manufacturing facilities across California. If you were exposed and developed a linked illness, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. Fill out the form for more information »

🏭 Defendants: 3M · DuPont · Chemours

💧 Contaminated Water in 50+ CA Counties

📍 Federal & State Courts

Case Snapshot

Case

In Re: Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) Products Liability Litigation

MDL No.

2:18-mn-02873

File Date

2018 (ongoing)

Status

Active

Defendants

3M Company
DuPont de Nemours
Chemours Company
BASF / Tyco

The Issue

Hackett Law Firm is actively recruiting California residents who were exposed to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) through contaminated drinking water and subsequently developed serious health conditions. These chemicals — manufactured by 3M, DuPont, Chemours, and others — were knowingly released into the environment for decades and have been detected in water supplies across more than 50 California counties.

Definition: PFAS "Forever Chemicals"

“A class of over 12,000 synthetic chemicals that do not break down in the human body or the environment. They accumulate in blood, organs, and tissue over time — and have been linked to cancer, immune disruption, and hormone disorders.”

Primary defendants named in active litigation:

🏭 3M Company

⚗️ DuPont de Nemours

🧪 Chemours Company

🔬 BASF Corporation

💧 Tyco Fire Products

PFAS Contamination Class Action Investigation

Background

PFAS chemicals have been used since the 1940s in products including non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, food packaging, and — most critically — aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), a firefighting suppressant used extensively at military bases and airports. For decades, manufacturers knew these chemicals were toxic and persistent, yet continued to sell them and suppress scientific findings linking them to disease.

In 2023, 3M agreed to pay up to $12.5 billion to settle claims related to PFAS contamination of public water systems. DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva followed with a combined $1.185 billion settlement. Despite these landmark payouts, individual personal injury claims — from people who developed cancer or other serious conditions from PFAS exposure — continue to be pursued separately, and Hackett Law Firm is actively signing qualified plaintiffs.

How People Are Being Harmed

Unlike most toxins, PFAS chemicals accumulate in the body over time — a process called bioaccumulation. Even low-level chronic exposure through drinking water can result in PFAS blood levels associated with significantly elevated cancer risk. Because the health effects often don’t manifest for years or decades after exposure, many people are only now being diagnosed with conditions linked to contamination that occurred years earlier.

The following conditions are the focus of active personal injury litigation linked to PFAS exposure:

Kidney Cancer
Testicular Cancer
Thyroid Disease & Cancer
Ulcerative Colitis
Bladder Cancer
High Cholesterol (PFAS-linked)
Preeclampsia / Pregnancy Complications

Immune System Disorders

Your Rights as a California Resident

California has some of the nation’s strictest PFAS regulations, and courts in this state have been receptive to PFAS personal injury claims. If you lived near a known contamination site — or if your municipal water supply has tested positive for PFAS above safe thresholds — and you later developed one of the conditions above, our attorneys can evaluate whether you have a viable claim.

Qualifying does not require you to have tested your own blood for PFAS. Our team will investigate your exposure history, cross-reference contamination records, and coordinate expert medical analysis to build your case — at no cost to you.

Legal Position

Our legal team alleges that 3M, DuPont, Chemours, and co-defendants knowingly manufactured and sold PFAS-containing products — particularly AFFF firefighting foam — while concealing decades of internal research demonstrating toxicity. Claims include products liability, negligence, fraudulent concealment, and violations of California environmental and consumer protection statutes.

The landmark water utility settlements from 2023 confirm corporate liability. Individual personal injury plaintiffs occupy a separate legal track with distinct damages not covered by municipal water system awards.

Related Documents

Complaint 01/26/26

No Cost to You

In no case will any plaintiff ever be asked to pay any out-of-pocket sum. Hackett Law Firm handles all PFAS personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis — meaning we only get paid if and when we secure compensation for you. In the event a settlement or judgment is reached, the court will determine a reasonable legal fee from that recovery. You pay nothing upfront, ever.

Case Timeline