Class Action Lawsuit Filed For PFOA Contamination in Yaphank, New York

MELVILLE, NY--(Marketwired - October 11, 2017) - Napoli Shkolnik PLLC has filed a class action lawsuit against five manufacturers of aqueous firefighting foams ("AFFF") containing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid ("PFOS") and perfluorooctanoic acid ("PFOA") for the contamination of the groundwater relied upon by the residents of Yaphank, New York. The class action complaint was filed in the Supreme Court for the State of New York, Suffolk County, and names the The 3M Company, Tyco Fire Products L.P., Buckeye Fire Protection Co., National Foam, Chemguard, and others as Defendants.

The class action complaint alleges that plaintiffs and other similarly situated residents of the Yaphank area have been exposed to high levels of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), and are now at an increased risk of several health effects, including effects on the liver and the immune system, high cholesterol, changes in thyroid hormone, as well as kidney and other cancers. The complaint also states that property values in the area have dropped as a result of the contamination.

Since 1959, the Suffolk County Firematics Training Facility on Pine Street in Yaphank, conducted firefighting training drills using AFFF firefighting foam containing PFCs. The class action complaint further alleges that Suffolk County carelessly discharged PFCs into the surrounding environment, contaminating the groundwater and water supply in Yaphank. The AFFF used at Suffolk County Firematics Training Facility manufactured by the Defendants has been linked to the contamination of surface and groundwater with PFCs throughout the country.

"It is just another example of this fire-fighting foam popping up in public water supplies and negatively impacting residents and the community as a whole," said Paul Napoli, one of the attorneys who filed the class action.

In May of 2017, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) declared the Suffolk County Firematics Training Facility a Class 2 Superfund Site that presents a significant threat to public health and/or the environment. The NYSDEC has recommended a full remedial investigation at the Training Site and surrounding area in Yaphank in order to determine the full extent and magnitude of the PFOS/PFOA contamination.

Studies show an association between increased PFOA blood levels and increased risks for several health effects in children (for example, effects on birth weight, cognitive and behavioral development, immune function, and cholesterol levels).

"We think it is time to hold these manufacturers accountable for the harm their products have caused so many communities locally and across the country," said Napoli Shkolnik environmental litigator Patrick J. Lanciotti.

If you own property in Yaphank, New York, or have been diagnosed with testicular cancer, kidney cancer, liver or thyroid disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure that may be the result of your exposure to PFOA or PFOS, you may be able to recover damages. Napoli Shkolnik PLLC is ready to help those who pursue personal injury and property claims related to PFC contamination in Yaphank.

About the Firm
Napoli Shkolnik PLLC is a national litigation firm providing representation to persons in class action lawsuits and complex commercial cases, as well as victims of environmental contamination disasters, aviation accidents, defective prescriptions drugs and medical devices, asbestos-related illnesses, and other serious personal injury matters. With their principal offices in New York City and additional offices in California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas, as well as affiliates throughout the United States, Napoli Shkolnik PLLC is readily available to clients.