The C8 Science Panel Has Concluded That There Exists A Probable Link Between Exposure To DuPont C8 Tainted Drinking Water Associated With DuPont’s Washington Works Plant In Parkersburg, West Virginia, And The Development Of Kidney Cancer.
Mid-Ohio Valley residents who lived in proximity to DuPont’s Washington Works facility in Parkersburg, West Virginia prior to December 1, 2004 are being urged to contact the experienced personal injury law firm of Wright & Schulte LLC if they or a loved one have been diagnosed with kidney cancer. In April 2012, the C8 Science Panel concluded that there existed a probable link between kidney cancer and exposure to C8 tainted drinking water associated with pollution from DuPont’s Washington Works manufacturing facility in Parkersburg, West Virginia.
[c8sciencepanel.org/pdfs/Probable_Link_C8_Cancer_16April2012_v2.pdf, C8 Science Panel, April 2012]
C8 Science Panel
In reaching its conclusions, the C8 Science Panel looked at a number of studies, including one that involved 32,000 people who were interviewed between 2009 and 2011. Using records of past emissions from the DuPont plant and the residential history of study subjects, the Panel estimated the level of C8 in the blood of the subjects over time before cancer occurred. They found as C8 levels increased, the rate of kidney cancer was 20 to 60 percent higher compared to those with the lowest level of exposure.
What Is C8?
C8 is a chemical used to make Teflon, which for years was manufactured at the DuPont Washington Works facility. In 2005, DuPont reached a settlement in a C8 class action lawsuit that had been filed on behalf of 70,000 people who lived and worked in the vicinity of the plant, which, among other things, created the C8 Science Panel and charged it with investigating potential links between exposure to the chemical and a number of serious illnesses. (Leach v. E.I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co., No. 01-C-608 (W. Va. Cir. Ct.))
Illnesses Associated With C8 Tainted Drinking Water
In addition to kidney cancer, the C8 Science Panel concluded in October 2012 that there were probable links between exposure to C8 contaminated drinking water and several other illnesses, including:
- Thyroid disease
- Testicular cancer
- Inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis)
- Preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy)
- High cholesterol
[c8sciencepanel.org/prob_link.html; C8 Science Panel, October 2012]
C8 Class Action Lawsuit Settlement
Under the C8 class action lawsuit settlement, residents of the Mid-Ohio Valley who were exposed to C8 contaminated water associated with the Washington Works plant are entitled to file an individual personal injury lawsuit if they developed any ailment deemed a probable linked disease by the C8 Panel. To do so, potential plaintiffs must have lived or worked in one of six water districts included in the settlement prior to December 1, 2004:
- Little Hocking, Ohio
- Belpre, Ohio
- Village of Pomeroy, Ohio
- Tuppers Plains, Ohio
- Lubeck Public Service District, West Virginia
- Mason County Public Service District, West Virginia
C8 Lawsuits
According to court documents, a federal multidistrict litigation has been established in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, for all personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits filed in accordance with the terms of the C8 class action lawsuit settlement. Richard W. Schulte, a partner with Wright & Schulte LLC, is a member of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the proceeding. Trials in the litigation are expected to begin in the fall of 2015. (In Re: E.I. DuPont De Nemours and Company C-8 Personal Injury Litigation, MDL No. 2433)
Wright & Schulte LLC has already filed numerous C8 lawsuits on behalf of Mid-Ohio Valley residents allegedly sickened by drinking water contaminated with C8. The Firm continues to offer free C8 lawsuit evaluations to anyone interested in filing an individual personal injury or wrongful death claim against DuPont. To learn more about C8 lawsuits, please call 1-888-399-0795, or visit http://www.yourlegalhelp.com
About Wright & Schulte LLC
Wright & Schulte LLC, an experienced personal injury firm, is dedicated to the belief that America’s legal system should work for the people. Every day, the attorneys of Wright Schulte LLC stand up for the rights of people who have been injured or wronged, and fight tirelessly to ensure that even the world’s most powerful corporations take responsibility for their actions. If you’re looking for a law firm that will guarantee the aggressive and personal representation you deserve, please do not hesitate to contact Wright & Schulte LLC today. Free DuPont C8 lawsuit case evaluations are available through yourlegalhelp.com, or call 1-888-399-0795
