Leukemia claims

processing claims for over 50 years

Leukemia originates in the bone marrow and occurs when it starts producing too many abnormal white cells, which cannot fight infection. Every year, nearly 60,000 Americans receive a leukemia diagnosis. While the cause of this cancer is unknown, medical researchers have identified certain risk factors and one of them is toxic exposure. Leukemia can be the result of exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, and benzene, a highly toxic solvent. People who were stationed at contaminated military bases, and military firefighters are at high risk of developing leukemia. If you are in one of these situations and struggle with the disease, we encourage you to contact our diligent attorneys.

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Benzene exposure on military bases increases leukemia risk by 40%

As a chemical that is colorless or light yellow at room temperature, benzene has been documented in the medical literature for causing leukemia for over a century.

If one is frequently exposed to benzene, the solvent may cause abnormalities in the DNA that controls the development of blood cells in the bone marrow, eventually triggering the onset of leukemia. It is worthy of note that leukemia develops only within 5 to 20 years from the person’s first contact with benzene.

Everyone who spent time at one or more military bases during the last century is at risk of coming to struggle with leukemia, as nearly all of these installations were contaminated with benzene and other leukemia-causing substances. Ethylene oxide and formaldehyde also have a significant association with leukemia, and they might have been present on military bases, too. Furthermore, PFAS can accumulate in the blood and the internal organs, which might cause a form of bone marrow cancer such as leukemia.

These chemicals were lurking in the drinking water of numerous military bases during the last century, and efforts to clean these facilities are still ongoing. PFAS do not break down in the environment, and once they enter the body, they remain there for a long time. The source of these substances on military bases was firefighters’ use of the fire suppressant AFFF, which sometimes contains up to 98% PFAS. The following are the eligibility criteria you must meet to file a toxic exposure claim if you spent time at military bases across the country:

  • as a veteran, you must have been discharged from the military other than dishonorably
  • you must have been exposed to toxic chemicals that are linked to leukemia
  • you must have a leukemia diagnosis that has a strong connection to toxic exposure
  • as a family member, you must send in evidence of your stay at the military base
  • as a civilian, you must provide our attorneys with your employment records

Still, if you meet all these requirements, you might not be entitled to financial compensation, as deciding whether a case is eligible is a complex process. For this reason, we will ask you to send our legal team your military records, which you must retrieve, and your medical records. These documents will serve as a starting point in evaluating your case and will also help our attorneys when filing your claim if you qualify for compensation.

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In firefighters who used AFFF, leukemia risk increases with the duration and frequency of exposure

The fire suppressant AFFF was devised by the U.S. Navy and the 3M Company in 1966. One year later, it became the norm for extinguishing fires stemming from flammable liquids or gases.

Both civilian and military firefighters have been using AFFF since then, with the latter mostly using it to put out jet fuel and petroleum fires on military bases.

Nevertheless, this fire suppressant is highly dangerous, as it contains between 50% and 98% PFAS, exposure to which can lead to the development of leukemia. Firefighters have a higher risk of leukemia than the general population.

Whether you were a civilian or military firefighter and now struggle with leukemia, we advise you to reach out to our compassionate attorneys, who will gladly review your case. To become eligible, you will have to meet the following criteria:

  • you must have used AFFF as a civilian or military firefighter for a significant time
  • you must have developed leukemia as a result of toxic exposure
  • as a military firefighter, you must have been discharged other than dishonorably

In addition to meeting the above requirements, you will also be asked to send in your employment or military records, which you must retrieve, and your medical records so that our experienced attorneys can determine whether you qualify to file a claim. These documents will also help our legal team along the line in preparing your claim for submission if we establish that you are entitled to financial compensation from the AFFF manufacturers whose products you used.

Claim Evaluation

Quality legal assistance for veterans, family members, and consumers with leukemia

For over 30 years, we have been pursuing financial compensation for toxic exposure victims and will readily do the same for you. Whether you are a veteran exposed to harmful substances in the military, if you have leukemia, we strongly encourage you to contact our law firm. The legal process is simple and will mostly take place over the phone. You will only have to send in your employment or military records, which you must retrieve, and your medical records if you want to file a claim as a veteran.

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