A 29-year-old man from Ohio has filed a lawsuit, claiming that contaminated drinking water caused him to suffer from testicular cancer.
On July 12, the lawsuit was filed on behalf of Aaron Adkins, naming 24 companies and accusing them of using fluorochemical products that eventually tainted his water supply.
Those products, according to the lawsuit, include PFAS, or polyfluoroalkyl substances, that were used when these companies were making fire suppressant products such as AFFF, or Aqueous Film-Forming Foam.
The two companies that are the largest offenders, according to Adkins’ lawyer Caleb Cunningham, are DuPont and 3M.
The lawsuit also comes not long after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency introduced new limits for certain PFAS compounds, which are legally enforceable. This action from the EPA caused many municipalities across the country to more closely examine the water treatment systems they have in place.
PFAS actually encompass as many as thousands of different chemicals that are man-made and can be found in plenty of items we use every day, including food wrappers that are grease-resistant, cookware that is non-stick and clothing that is water-resistant.
They’re better known as “forever chemicals” because of how long it takes for them to break down. When people are exposed to them in high amounts, it can cause significant harm.
A major issue is that as they breakdown, they can also seep into the water supply and the soil. They threaten the environment the most when products that have PFAS are dumped into rivers and lakes or onto the ground.
Recent studies have shown that PFAS have been noticed in almost half of the tap water in the U.S., and exposure to the chemicals has also been linked to many health issues, including suppressed function of the immune system and certain cancers.
Recently, a spokesperson for 3M told Newsweek:
“As the science and technology of PFAS, societal and regulatory expectations, and our expectations of ourselves have evolved, so has how we manage PFAS. 3M will address PFAS litigation by defending itself in court or through negotiated resolutions, all as appropriate.”
In February, Adkins was diagnosed with testicular cancer, after many years of drinking the tap water.
As the lawsuit states:
“As a result of drinking water contaminated with Defendants’ fluorochemical products, Plaintiff developed and was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which has caused Plaintiff to undergo medical treatment including an orchiectomy, and to suffer, and continue to suffer, severe personal injuries, pain and emotional distress, including the fear of cancer recurrence.”
Before he was diagnosed with cancer, Adkins said he wasn’t aware that the drinking water was contaminated with these chemicals.
His wife, Nicole Adkins, is also a plaintiff in the lawsuit. She claims that she has suffered as well from her husband’s diagnosis, which includes “loss of consortium, society, affection, assistance and conjugal fellowship,” all of which have contributed to the “detriment of her marital relationship.”
As the lawsuit points out, the plaintiffs want punitive and compensatory damages, as well as attorney fees.