There is no PFAS lawsuit average settlement as each case is different. Your illness and its effects on you are specific to you and your family, and your settlement or award should reflect that. However, there have been settlements and awards issued in these cases that could give you a better idea of what you could recover.
A PFAS lawsuit lawyer can help you determine what you may be able to recover and fight for what you deserve.
PFAS Settlements and Awards
A few settlements and awards have recently been reached by plaintiffs and the entities responsible for allowing the contamination of water with forever chemicals.
3M and DuPont Settlements
In August 2023, before the beginning of the bellwether trial that would give plaintiffs an idea of how their cases might proceed, 3M and DuPont offered settlements of between $10.3 billion to $12.5 billion and $1.185 billion, respectively.
U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel finalized the 3M settlement at $10.3 billion, but 3M could pay more, depending on the contamination found.
Wolverine Worldwide Settlement
In 2019, Wolverine Worldwide settled with the state of Michigan for $69.5 million.
It’s important to note that these settlements were awarded to municipalities that sued these companies for water contamination, not individuals. What the municipalities recover depends on their testing results. The settlements will cover the costs of testing water systems and creating, installing, implementing, maintaining, and operating filtration systems. The settlements for individuals who developed illnesses due to these companies could be very different.
There are several existing lawsuits and mass torts. More lawsuits are being filed daily by individual plaintiffs and municipalities against manufacturers, companies, and cities. This means we may receive news of other settlements and awards that could give us a better idea of what plaintiffs can recover.
What Do the PFAS Settlements Cover?
While the settlements awarded are part of the mass tort, they are not injury lawsuits. They focus on testing, remediation, clean-up, and keeping PFAS out of drinking water.
Any injury settlements awarded in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) could cover:
- Medical bills, both current and future
- Lost wages for any time you needed to take off work for your treatment and recovery
- Lost earning capacity if your illness requires you to take a lower-paying job or retire from the workforce
- Miscellaneous expenses, such as hiring a nanny, housekeeper, or lawn care company
- Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, inconvenience, lost quality of life, loss of consortium, loss of companionship, pain, mental anguish, and disability
- Legal fees
Family members who lost a loved one due to PFAS water contamination may be able to recover damages like funeral and burial expenses, lost support and services, loss of inheritance, the decedent’s pain and suffering, the surviving family members’ pain and suffering, loss of consortium, loss of guidance, and loss of companionship and protection.
A lawyer can help you determine what you might be able to recover.
What Is the Difference Between a Mass Tort and a Class Action?
Both mass torts and class actions consolidate a large number of lawsuits against the same defendant(s). This allows lawyers to share resources and save both time and money. It also frees up the court system; instead of thousands of lawsuits against the same company, there is only one (or a group when it’s a mass tort). A jury decides whether to award the plaintiffs compensation. If it does, the award is divided amongst all the plaintiffs.
The PFAS Cases Are a Mass Tort
The PFAS lawsuits are mass tort multidistrict litigation (MDL), not class actions. This is one of the reasons there is no average settlement. A mass tort MDL is different from a class action because a mass tort MDL treats those involved as individuals, while class actions divide a settlement or award evenly, regardless of whether that payout covers your specific injuries and losses.
Do I Qualify for a PFAS Lawsuit?
To qualify for a PFAS mass tort, you must meet the following criteria:
- You drank from contaminated water for at least six consecutive months starting January 1, 1990, AND
- You were diagnosed with liver cancer, kidney cancer, testicular cancer, or ulcerative colitis on or after January 1, 2000.
You can determine whether your water was contaminated by checking the maps provided by the Agency of Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and PFAS-REACH.
Your medical records will help establish your illness. We recommend that you also keep all your receipts related to your illness. You may also want to note your pain levels daily. Your receipts and notes about your daily pain and discomfort will help a lawyer establish what you could recover through a PFAS settlement.
What Are PFAS?
PFAS is the acronym for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of chemicals that are highly resistant to heat, water, oil, and grease. These synthetic substances, also known as forever chemicals, do not break down and easily move through soils and into waterways. They remain in waterways for an extended period of time. These chemicals can cause serious illnesses like kidney cancer, liver cancer, testicular cancer, and ulcerative colitis.
A report from Environment America, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), and the Frontier Group found that PFAS is likely in all major U.S. drinking water supplies. The report also states that nearly every resident of the United States has PFAS chemicals in their blood.
Learn More About What a PFAS Settlement Could Include
You could recover a portion of the PFAS settlement that covers your medical bills, lost wages, other expenses, and pain and suffering. However, fighting for this settlement alone can feel impossible.
You don’t need to handle it alone. Call Guardian Legal Network to connect with a PFAS lawsuit lawyer ready to help you today: (844) 207-0415. You can learn more about what to expect and what an attorney will do for you. The initial consultation is free.