The current PFAS level at Saufley Field is 120,000 ppt, which exceeds the safe exposure limit by over 1,700 times. Out of these chemicals, PFOS and PFOA are known to be the most dangerous to human health, as they can lead to the development of cancer over time. While PFAS are present in the blood of 97% of Americans, veterans who served at Saufley Field most likely have significantly higher levels of these toxic chemicals in their blood. This places them at a high risk of developing serious, even fatal, diseases.
What toxic agents are present on Saufley Field?
The main toxic contaminants at Saufley Field are, without a doubt, PFAS, whose source is military firefighters using AFFF, a fire suppressant that sometimes contains 98% of these chemicals. Still, there have been other dangerous substances identified in the environment of the military base, including:
- arsenic
- manganese
- chromium
- perchloroethylene
- radium
- barium
- cyanide
- mercury
- trichloroethylene
- vanadium
- xylene
- strontium
Exposure to so many toxic agents only increases veterans’ risk of coming to struggle with serious diseases. While the Environmental Protection Agency is not addressing the issue of contamination at Saufley Field at the moment, it will in the future. Nevertheless, the cleanup will most likely take several decades to be completed.
What diseases can you develop following toxic exposure at Saufley Field?
While toxic exposure can result in many health problems, it is important to know that if you want to file a claim, only certain diagnoses might deem you eligible. The reason is that only some diseases have a strong connection with toxic exposure that can be supported by medical evidence. These are the diagnoses for which veterans who were stationed at Saufley Field for 1 cumulative year or longer can file a military base toxic exposure claim:
If you have one of the above diagnoses and spent time at Saufley Field during active duty, you should contact our skilled attorneys, as they have been handling toxic exposure claims for over three decades. After a thorough case evaluation, they will let you know whether you qualify to file a claim and obtain financial compensation. Nevertheless, having one of these diagnoses might still not deem you eligible, as there are other requirements you have to meet.