More than 24 individuals from the Mid-Ohio Valley are filing a personal injury lawsuit against the large company DuPont, for diseases caused by their alleged water contamination. The C8 Science Panel discovered many links between certain diseases and the exposure to a chemical called “C8” or perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). This acid is used for industrial purposes specifically in common consumer goods for products like Gore-Tex and Teflon. C8 has been used in this industry since the 1940’s and as a result can be found in the blood stream of nearly the entire U.S. population (around 98%) in very low dosages.

Individuals who work in chemical plants or otherwise are working more closely with PFOA are known to have higher exposure levels, therefore resulting in many common illnesses such as chronic kidney disease. What was causing an even greater concern was the fact that those in the local communities around these industrial plants are also showing to have higher signs of exposure to this chemical, and they are also experiencing these common diseases and illnesses.

The recent lawsuit in Ohio is an attempt for the people to fight for compensation after their suffering as a result of the high levels of C8 exposures. Out of the many lawsuits, all of them but one was filed by Kathy Brown, a West Virginia attorney who came to their town to fight on their behalf, because no one else was willing to show them that they had a worthy cause to fight for. She hosted numerous meetings in their community trying to educate the people on the matters at hand, including the recent findings from the C8 Panel. Attorney Brown states that many of these people were completely unaware that they even had a case to fight for.

A class action lawsuit filed was previously in Wood County, West Virginia by many residents living in the surrounding area of a DuPont factory. The lawsuit was on the premises that their industry was contaminating the local water supplies and causing C8 exposure to the community. The people realized that this toxic chemical was contaminating their public water supplies by way of their wells and aquifers, back in 2002. And while this was specifically a class-action lawsuit, this time they are filing individual claims for specific people that are currently suffering from diseases caused by the toxin.

Just last year the C8 Science Panel discovered alarming connections between pregnancy induced hypertension and exposure to the chemical. They also found out that victims could also suffer from kidney and testicular cancer as well as other thyroid and ulcer diseases as well as high cholesterol levels. As a result of the panel’s findings, the people who believe they are victims of the chemical exposure and are currently suffering from one or more of these common diseases, have the liberty to pursue legal action and DuPont is unable to dispute them because of the scientific findings.

These numerous victims, now that they have been educated on the terrible situation at hand, are pursuing individual personal injury claims, and so far there has been over 2 dozen claims filed from a few local counties. Ms. Brown and her legal team are doing whatever they can to hold DuPont, a company that is believed to have been exposing the environment and the people for decades, responsible for their actions. This lawsuit is an attempt to prove that they are responsible for wrongful and dangerous conduct, actions that are causing physical harm to many individuals. At this time they have filed 25 total cases, 7 of which are serious cancer cases. Chemical exposure is sadly very common to those living near industrial plants, and if you or your family are showing signs of diseases connected with toxic chemicals, do not hesitate in contacting a local personal injury attorney to help you fight your claim.