Class Actions

If your municipality's water supply is contaminated with PFAS, you may have several legal options to seek compensation, remediation, or injunctive relief from the parties responsible for the contamination.

Potential defendants may include the manufacturers of PFAS, such as 3M and DuPont, the users of PFAS, such as military bases, airports, and industrial facilities, and the entities that disposed of PFAS, such as landfills and wastewater treatment plants.

Some of the potential causes of action may include negligence, nuisance, trespass, strict liability, breach of contract, and violation of federal or state environmental laws. Potential remedies may include monetary damages, medical monitoring, cleanup costs, injunctive relief, and punitive damages.

However, pursuing legal action against PFAS polluters can be complex, costly, and time-consuming, and may involve multiple jurisdictions, statutes of limitations, and evidentiary issues.

The best way to determine if your water supply is contaminated with PFAS is to test it. You can contact your local environmental agency, or a certified laboratory, to conduct the testing.

You can also check the Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory website for a list of public water systems that have reported PFAS detections.

If you suspect that your water supply is contaminated with PFAS, you should notify your residents and advise them to use alternative sources of water for drinking, cooking, and brushing teeth, such as bottled water or filtered water.

PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals that have been widely used in various industries and consumer products since the 1940s. They are also known as "forever chemicals" because they do not break down easily in the environment or the human body.

PFAS can contaminate drinking water sources, soil, air, and food, and can cause adverse health effects such as cancer, liver damage, immune system disorders, and developmental problems. They are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Safe Drinking Water Act, but the current standards are not legally enforceable and may not be protective enough for public health.

Class action lawsuits are lengthy and complicated. The most important objective of a class action is to help individuals pursue legal action against large entities, such as corporations or governments that have deep pockets and access to resources. By joining a class action, individuals are provided with an opportunity to seek a legal remedy for the alleged damages. The appeal for members who join a class proceeding may owe to the overwhelming importance of the issues in dispute.

There is nothing you have to do directly to join a class action. A court order defines the class action, and if you fall within the definition which is set by the court, you are automatically included, unless you decide you do not wish to participate in the suit.

If you would like to preserve your right to pursue an individual case, you must opt-out of the class action. There will be a limited window of time for you to opt-out, which will be indicated in the certification order, which is sent out after the proceeding is certified. However, be aware that once you have opted out, you are no longer entitled to any settlement, which may be given if the case is resolved.

A class action is a type of civil claim brought by one or more individuals on behalf of a larger group, made up of class members.

Class action lawsuits are common where the same party injures a group of people in the same way.The interests of the group are represented by one individual known as the “class representative.” The class is treated as a group that was injured, rather than a group of individuals that were injured. Rather than having each person bring his or her own lawsuit, a class action allows the group to collectively sue the at-fault party to resolve the claims in a single legal proceeding.

Class action lawsuits provide an efficient way to litigate common issues. They can focus on multiple areas of law, including personal injury and product liability. By creating a group or class, class action lawsuits create power in numbers. A class action is a way to equalize the playing field against a large entity, and Gluckstein Personal Injury Lawyers is committed to advocating on your behalf.

If the court decides that you fall within the definition of the alleged wronged parties who were affected by the negligence of a defendant(s), you are automatically considered to be in the Class Action. That said, you have the right to opt out of the Class Action if you choose to do so. There will be a limited period of time for you to opt out, and this will be indicated in the certification order sent out after the proceeding is officially certified by the court.

However, be aware that once you opt out, you are no longer entitled to be included in any settlement given to class members if the case is resolved.

While the suit is in progress, it is in your best interests to keep records any and all information and correspondence for the suit. We also advise that you keep records and appropriate documents which indicate any additional costs you have incurred as a result of your injury.

We also suggest that you do not have any further correspondence with the defendant(s) in the suit without first consulting your legal representative.

There are generally no costs to our clients throughout the course of the suit’s litigation. We carry any associated costs throughout litigation. When the suit is resolved either through settlement or trial, our firm receives a fraction of the settlement to cover the costs we incurred during the process to reach resolution. This will be clearly explained by our lawyers during your initial consultation with us.

You don’t have to do anything directly to join a Class Action. The nature of the suit and the requirements for class membership are defined by a court order, and if you fall within the definition which is approved by the court, you are automatically included, unless you choose to not be involved in the suit or decide to pursue legal action on your own.

There may be a need for you to provide certain information if the Class Action is resolved in your favour, in order for you to receive your portion of the settlement.