In 2019, the U.S. Department of Defense revealed that the environment of over 400 military installations across the country is polluted with PFAS, including many bases in South Carolina, such as Fort Jackson. Today, the number of contaminated military bases in the United States surpasses 700. Due to the major extent of contamination, the Environmental Protection Agency classified Fort Jackson as a Superfund site and is striving to remove contaminants of concern from the premises.
What toxic agents are present on Fort Jackson?
The primary toxic agent on Fort Jackson is PFAS, a group of harmful chemicals that were released in the environment of the base by military firefighters and trainees. By using AFFF, a dangerous fire suppressant, military firefighters and trainees would frequently pollute Fort Jackson with PFAS, which abound in AFFF. Over the years, the degree of contamination became extremely severe, and now, people who spend more than one or two months at the military base are at high risk of developing serious diseases as a consequence of toxic exposure.
To exacerbate the issue of toxic exposure, another contaminant was found to be present on Fort Jackson, which is RDX. It is typically used in the manufacturing of explosives by the U.S. military, and the fact that it exists on the site of Fort Jackson is because soldiers who were being taught the basics of warfare would shoot 3.5-inch rockets, each containing a pound of RDX, on a regular basis. Exposure to RDX can cause seizures or, in severe cases, various cancers.
What health problems can exposure to PFAS result in?
Without a shadow of a doubt, most people would agree that cancer is the most terrible disease PFAS exposure can result in, particularly if it occurred frequently. The higher the concentration of these harmful chemicals in your blood, the greater your chances of developing a form of cancer are. Nonetheless, PFAS exposure can lead to other health issues as well, which can also be very serious. The following is the complete list of health problems people can develop due to exposure to PFAS, as well as the diagnoses that deem members of the military and their families eligible for compensation:
In the unfortunate case that you received one of these diagnoses, please give our expert legal team a call, as we have been handling toxic exposure claims since 1990 and will be able to provide you with the assistance you need to recover financial compensation for your distress. Finally, if you are a woman, spent time at Fort Jackson while you were pregnant and gave birth to a baby with health issues, you should also contact our law firm, as you can obtain compensation on behalf of your child too.