The story behind the PFOA contamination in Yaphank is very similar to the disturbing events which transpired at Camp Lejeune. Almost from the day it opened in the late 1950s, the volunteer firefighters who attended the Firematics Training Facility used aqueous film forming foam that was laced with high amounts of perfluorooctanoic acid in their practice drills. Over time, this chemical leaked into the surrounding groundwater. At first, environmental investigators hoped that only a handful of private wells were contaminated, but the damage was much worse than they had feared. Led by noted environmental law attorney Paul J. Napoli, the aggressive lawyers at Napoli Shkolnik serve as a strong voice for the victims of PFOA contamination in Yaphank and elsewhere. We are committed to holding the responsible companies accountable for their negligence and also obtaining maximum compensation for victims and survivors, and we have the nationwide resources not make it happen.

About the PFOA Contamination in Yaphank

In 2016, based on recently available research, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency added PFOA and other similar compounds to its list of dangerous chemicals. Unfortunately, this declaration came about fifty years too late to be of service for the toxic exposure victims on Long Island. Since it was first developed in the 1940s, and especially after DuPont acquired the rights to produce the chemical several years later, manufacturers used PFOA in dozens of consumer and industrial products, largely because it created an artificial barrier between two forces, was cheap to produce, and was effective in very small quantities. PFOA is a key ingredient in Teflon, and because it forms a chemical wall between intense heat and almost anything else, it's also a key component in firefighting foam. Because the chemical is so powerful, once it leaks into the water supply, it stays there almost forever. So, in 2017, Suffolk County officials issued a health advisory because the PFOA contamination in Yaphank exceeded .07 parts per billion, a level that the EPA considers hazardous for humans.

PFOA Health Effects

As early as the 1960s, DuPont may have conducted secret studies about the health effects of PFOA that reached some disturbing results. Publicized research did not begin until several decades thereafter, and these researchers arrived at the same frightening conclusions. For adults, even one or two microscopic PFOA particles in an entire gallon of water are sufficient to cause:

• Environmental cancer, especially in the liver and testicles,
• Thyroid disease, and
• Liver Damage.

Older adults are especially vulnerable to these and other health conditions. On the opposite end of the age spectrum, young children and developing fetuses are highly at risk for:

• Birth injuries,
• Developmental disabilities, and
• Chronic health conditions.

Expecting mothers are also at risk for developing preeclampsia, or pregnancy-induced hypertension. There is no cure for preeclampsia, so doctors have little choice but to perform emergency c-sections, no matter how old the fetus may be.

Justice for Victims of PFOA Contamination in Yaphank

If DuPont had gone public with its early findings or at least expressed some misgivings about PFOA, we may not be where we are today. But although it would be nice to turn back the clock and eliminate the effects of PFOA contamination in Yaphank, that is simply not possible. So, Paul Napoli and the team of environmental law professionals at Napoli Shkolnik aggressively pursue fair compensation for victims. Such compensation is usually substantial, because PFOA's health effects are serious, chronic, and lifelong. Injury compensation is only one component of the justice we obtain. We also shine the light of the law on the PFOA contamination in Yaphank, sending a clear message that such a cavalier attitude toward our environment will not be tolerated. The punitive damages that we often obtain help ensure that the responsible polluters get the message. We have obtained hundreds of millions of dollars for injury victims nationwide. Perfluorooctanoic acid water poisoning causes lifelong injuries. For a free consultation with an aggressive environmental law attorney in New York, contact Paul Napoli or one of the other experienced attorneys at Napoli Shkolnik PLLC. Our main office is conveniently located in midtown Manhattan.