Published April 2026 — Updated Regularly

PFAS Lawsuit Eligibility: Who Qualifies and How to File a Claim

Last updated: May 2026

If you've been exposed to PFAS through contaminated drinking water, firefighting foam, or an industrial site — and you've developed a serious health condition — you may have legal rights. Most people in this situation have no idea they can file a claim, or they assume it's too complicated to bother with.

It's not. Here's who qualifies, what health conditions are covered, which companies are being sued, and how to start.

The Two Main Types of PFAS Lawsuits

There are currently two major categories of PFAS litigation:

1. Water System Contamination Claims (Mostly Resolved)

These are lawsuits by cities, municipalities, and water utilities against PFAS manufacturers for contaminating public water supplies. The major cases involving 3M and DuPont/Chemours have largely settled:

• 3M: Agreed to pay up to $12.5 billion to settle water system contamination claims in 2023
• DuPont/Chemours/Corteva: Settled water system claims for $1.185 billion

If you are a water utility or municipality, these settlements may be relevant to you. This guide focuses primarily on the second category — personal injury claims by individuals.

2. AFFF Personal Injury Claims (Actively Ongoing)

These are claims by individuals — military veterans, firefighters, base workers, and community residents — who developed cancer or other serious health conditions from PFAS exposure. These cases are consolidated in MDL 2873 (In Re: Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation) in the District of South Carolina before Judge Richard Gergel.

This MDL contains tens of thousands of individual personal injury claims and is still actively accepting new cases.

Who Qualifies for the PFAS Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Qualifying Exposure Sources

Military bases: The strongest cases involve military veterans, family members, civilian workers, and neighboring residents who were exposed to PFAS through drinking water contaminated by AFFF foam used at military installations. The Department of Defense has identified contamination at hundreds of bases nationwide.

Airports: Commercial and private airports also used AFFF for firefighting and fire training. Nearby communities and airport workers may qualify.

Municipal firefighters: Firefighters who used AFFF in their professional work have some of the highest documented PFAS exposures of any population. Many are developing cancers at elevated rates.

Industrial facility neighbors: People who lived downwind or downstream of PFAS manufacturing facilities — 3M plants, DuPont/Chemours sites, and others — may have experienced significant PFAS exposure through air, water, and soil.

Agricultural areas: People who lived on or near farms where PFAS-containing biosolids were applied, and who drank from affected private wells, may qualify.

Qualifying Health Conditions

The following conditions are currently being accepted in PFAS personal injury litigation:

Cancer (strongest cases):

• Kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma) — strongest evidence
• Testicular cancer — strongest evidence
• Bladder cancer
• Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Leukemia
• Prostate cancer (some cases being accepted)
• Breast cancer (some cases, research ongoing)
• Ovarian cancer (research ongoing)
• Thyroid cancer

Non-cancer conditions (case-by-case evaluation):

• Thyroid disease (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism)
• Ulcerative colitis
• Testicular dysgenesis (in men)
• Pregnancy complications in exposed mothers
• High cholesterol requiring medical treatment

Cancer cases — particularly kidney and testicular cancer — have the most substantial scientific support and typically the highest settlement value.

How Long Were You Exposed?

Attorneys generally look for significant PFAS exposure — not just occasional contact. The stronger cases involve:

• Drinking contaminated water for 1 year or more
• Living near a contaminated site for an extended period
• Occupational exposure (firefighter, military) over months or years

The longer the exposure and the higher the PFAS concentration in the water, the stronger the case. However, even shorter exposures may qualify depending on your specific diagnosis.

Who Are the Defendants?

The main companies named in PFAS personal injury lawsuits include:

• 3M Company — one of the primary PFAS/AFFF manufacturers, now largely settled water system claims but still facing personal injury litigation
• DuPont de Nemours, Chemours, and Corteva — successors to the chemical operations that created many PFAS compounds
• Tyco Fire Products / Chemguard — major AFFF manufacturers
• Kidde-Fenwal
• National Foam
• Buckeye Fire Equipment
• Other AFFF manufacturers and distributors

Plaintiffs allege these companies manufactured and sold PFAS and AFFF products while knowing — or having strong reason to know — that they caused cancer and other serious diseases, and that they concealed this information from the public.

Filing Deadlines — Act Quickly

PFAS claims are subject to statutes of limitations that vary by state. These deadlines can be complex because they typically run from the date you knew — or reasonably should have known — that your illness was caused by PFAS exposure.

However, courts do not always apply the discovery rule generously, and some deadlines may be running from your original diagnosis date. This is particularly urgent for people diagnosed years ago who are only now learning about the PFAS connection.

General statute of limitations ranges by state:

• Most states: 2–3 years from discovery
• Some states: as short as 1 year
• A few states: up to 4–6 years in certain circumstances

Do not assume you have time. Consult with a PFAS attorney immediately if you believe you may qualify.

What Is MDL 2873 and How Does It Work?

MDL 2873 — formally titled "In Re: Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation" — is the federal multidistrict litigation consolidating AFFF-related personal injury and property claims. It is centralized in the District of South Carolina before Judge Richard Gergel.

MDL consolidation exists for efficiency. Instead of thousands of individual cases proceeding in courts all over the country, all federal PFAS personal injury cases related to AFFF are managed under a single court. Key activities in the MDL include:

• Bellwether trials: A small number of representative cases go to trial first. Their outcomes help estimate the value of similar claims and often prompt settlement discussions.
• Discovery: Evidence obtained from defendants (internal documents, research files, communications) is shared across all cases — meaning plaintiffs benefit from the efforts of the entire MDL
• Settlement negotiations: Most MDL cases settle collectively. You do not have to wait for your individual trial; most claimants receive compensation through the settlement process.

Even if your case is ultimately resolved through settlement rather than a trial, being part of the MDL gives you access to the evidence, legal resources, and negotiating power of thousands of combined plaintiffs.

What Compensation Might Be Available?

Compensation in PFAS personal injury claims can include:

• Medical expenses: Past and future costs of treating your PFAS-related health condition — surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, ongoing monitoring
• Lost income: Wages lost because your illness prevented you from working, plus future lost earning capacity
• Pain and suffering: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life
• Loss of consortium: Compensation for the impact of your illness on your relationships
• Wrongful death damages: If a family member died from a PFAS-linked condition, surviving family members may be entitled to compensation

The value of any individual claim depends on the strength of the exposure history, the severity of the diagnosis, your age and economic situation, and the specific defendants involved. Cancer cases — especially kidney and testicular cancer — typically command the highest values in PFAS litigation.

How to File a PFAS Claim

1. Document your exposure. Gather anything that establishes where you lived, worked, or drank water — utility bills, lease agreements, military service records, employment records
2. Gather medical records. Pull records documenting your diagnosis, treatment, and timeline of illness
3. Get blood testing if possible. A serum PFAS blood test can document your actual PFAS levels — useful evidence in a claim
4. Contact a PFAS attorney for a free consultation. Mass tort attorneys handle PFAS cases on contingency — no upfront cost
5. File your claim. Your attorney handles the paperwork and litigation process

There is no cost to file. Attorneys are paid only if you receive compensation.

See if you qualify for a PFAS lawsuit today →

Sources

• U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina. "In Re: Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation." MDL No. 2:18-mn-2873-RMG.
• U.S. EPA. "PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation." April 2024. epa.gov/sdwa/pfas-drinking-water-regulation
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. "Guidance on PFAS Exposure, Testing, and Clinical Follow-Up." 2022.
• ATSDR. "Toxicological Profile for Perfluoroalkyls." 2021. atsdr.cdc.gov
• Environmental Working Group. "PFAS Contamination in the U.S." ewg.org/pfaswater
• 3M Company settlement agreement, Public Water System PFAS claims, 2023.
• DuPont/Chemours/Corteva settlement, water system claims, 2023.