Raffterty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa Responds to Historic $7.35 Billion 3M Settlement Over PFAS Exposure and Personal Injury Claims

Landmark agreement could provide compensation to as many as 120,000 people, marking a major development in nationwide litigation over toxic “forever chemicals”

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., Nov. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa (RDCY), a nationally recognized civil trial law firm, today welcomed the announcement of a landmark $7.35 billion settlement agreement with 3M Company involving personal injury claims related to exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals.”

The agreement, announced November 3, represents one of the largest resolutions of personal injury claims involving toxic chemical exposure in U.S. history. According to 3M, the settlement is intended to address approximately 99% of existing PFAS-related personal injury claims, with an estimated 115,000 to 120,000 plaintiffs eligible to participate.

The litigation centers largely on aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), a firefighting product historically used at airports, military installations and firefighting training facilities. Plaintiffs have alleged that exposure to PFAS chemicals contained in these products contributed to serious illnesses, including kidney and testicular cancers.

“For years, people exposed to these chemicals have been fighting to have their voices heard,” said Madeline Pendley, PFAS Plaintiff Lawyer, Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa. When litigation reaches this scale, it’s easy to focus on the billions of dollars involved. But behind these numbers are real people, many of whom have suffered devastating illnesses and spent years looking for answers. This settlement is an important development in that long fight.”

Under the agreement, 3M has committed to paying $7.35 billion over nine years, with a present value of approximately $5.8 billion. The resolution encompasses claims both within and outside the federal AFFF multidistrict litigation pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina.

The agreement follows years of litigation examining the health consequences of PFAS exposure and allegations that manufacturers failed to adequately warn the public about the risks associated with their products.

PFAS are a large family of synthetic chemicals used for decades in industrial and consumer products because of their resistance to heat, water, grease and stains. Their persistence in the environment has raised significant concerns about long-term exposure and potential health consequences.

For firefighters, military personnel and others who regularly worked with AFFF, exposure may have occurred repeatedly over many years. Other plaintiffs were exposed to PFAS through drinking water contaminated by AFFF and other PFAS-containing products.

Troy A. Rafferty, shareholder at RDCY and a nationally recognized mass tort attorney, said the settlement also demonstrates the importance of allowing individuals to pursue claims against some of the world’s largest corporations.

“One of the most important things our civil justice system does is give ordinary people the ability to challenge extraordinarily powerful companies,” Rafferty said. “These cases can take years. They require enormous resources, scientific investigation and a willingness to keep fighting when the defendants have virtually unlimited resources of their own. This agreement shows why that work matters. It also reminds us that financial settlements, however substantial, cannot undo the illnesses and suffering that brought people into the legal system in the first place.”

Rafferty has spent more than three decades representing individuals and families harmed by dangerous products and corporate misconduct. His experience includes leadership roles in major national mass tort proceedings involving pharmaceuticals, medical products and the opioid crisis.

The 3M agreement follows an earlier multibillion-dollar settlement involving claims by public water systems over PFAS contamination. Unlike those claims, which focused on the costs of addressing contaminated drinking water, the newly announced resolution concerns personal injuries suffered by individuals exposed to PFAS.

RDCY said the announcement represents an important milestone in the continuing national conversation about chemical safety, corporate responsibility and the legal rights of people who have suffered serious injuries.

About Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa

Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa is a leading Florida law firm dedicated to advocating for victims of mass torts, medical malpractice and corporate negligence. With offices in Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Pensacola and Jacksonville, the firm represents individuals and families harmed by dangerous products, corporate misconduct and preventable injuries. RDCY is actively involved in complex litigation and investigations involving Depo-Provera, Roblox, MultiPlan, insulin pricing, breast mesh implants, chemical hair relaxers and Dupixent. With extensive experience in high-stakes litigation, the firm's attorneys are committed to holding powerful corporations and institutions accountable and pursuing justice for those harmed by their actions.

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