As a consequence of the high levels of PFAS found by the Environmental Protection Agency at Pease Air Force Base, the military base was deemed a Superfund site in 1990. Nevertheless, there were numerous other toxic agents present on the site in addition to PFAS when the agency began cleaning up the military base.
Today, over 25 years after the hazardous chemicals were successfully removed from Pease Air Force Base, the area has 275 businesses employing nearly 10,000 civilian workers. Unfortunately, the Environmental Protection Agency found high levels of PFAS again on the site of the former military base in 2017 and they are striving to remove the harmful chemicals from the site.
If you or one of your family members who was stationed at Pease Air Force Base during the last century came to struggle with a disease as a consequence of toxic exposure, you are entitled to financial compensation, which a lawyer who specializes in this area of practice will help you recover from the liable party.
What toxic agents were present on Pease Air Force Base?
Because aircraft maintenance entails generating hazardous waste, there were multiple dangerous chemicals polluting Pease Air Force Base in addition to the PFAS stemming from the employment of AFFF by military firefighters and trainees.
The following hazardous substances were found by the Environmental Protection Agency lurking on Pease Air Force Base:
- degreasers
- paint strippers
- solvents
- jet fuel
- petroleum
- arsenic
- benzene
- cadmium
- heavy metals
Since 1990, the agency has been making tremendous efforts to clean up the site by using techniques such as soil excavation and disposal, air sparging to treat petroleum and solvent contamination, and soil vapor extraction. Even though the former military base is now deemed clean, contamination with PFAS still exists, since these are forever chemicals that cannot be completely removed from the environment.
Thereby, people who were stationed at Pease Air Force Base must keep a close eye on their health, as they are at high risk of developing a disease as a consequence of toxic exposure. It is worthy of note that disease may not immediately occur following toxic exposure, as PFAS gradually causes damage to the organ or tissue in the body they attach themselves to.
What diseases can you develop following toxic exposure at Pease Air Force Base?
According to medical research, exposure to PFAS can lead to the development of numerous awful diseases and health issues, usually over the course of several years from toxic exposure. Consequently, veterans and the family members who were stationed with them at Pease Air Force Base during the last century must immediately seek medical attention if they notice a new onset of bothersome symptoms.
The majority of diseases caused by exposure to PFAS are insidious and rarely cause symptoms until they reach a very advanced stage, which is why people who were the victim of toxic exposure should periodically undergo a medical examination. These are the disease and health problems exposure to PFAS may lead to, as well as the diagnoses that make you eligible for seeking compensation. Still, to become eligible, you must have also spent at least 1 cumulative year at the military base.
It is crucial to know that if you have cancer anywhere else in your body, you still qualify for compensation, as toxic exposure has a strong causal relationship with a wide range of malignant diseases.
Therefore, regardless of the cancer diagnosis you have, we strongly advise you to reach out to our attorneys in order to recover the financial compensation you are entitled to for your injury.
Filing a claim, either for personal injury or with the VA, on your own will rarely provide you with the maximum amount of money you are eligible for, which is why you need the assistance of a specialized attorney.
