U.S. Coast Guard AFFF Lawsuits: How Exposure Occurred and Your Legal Options

For generations, U.S. Coast Guard crews have protected America’s ports, waterways, and coastline—standing watch in storms, responding to oil and chemical spills, and flying life-saving search-and-rescue (SAR) missions. In many of these missions and trainings, members encountered Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF), a firefighting foam used to suppress fuel-based fires on cutters, at air stations, and across shore facilities. We now know AFFF contained PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)—persistent “forever chemicals” linked to serious illnesses.

If you served in the Coast Guard and later developed a PFAS-associated disease, you may be eligible to pursue compensation through an AFFF lawsuit. This page explains how Coast Guard members were commonly exposed, which illnesses are at issue, what evidence strengthens a claim, and how Keefe Law Firm can help you move forward.

Where and How Coast Guard Members Encountered AFFF

Unlike other services, the Coast Guard operates in mixed maritime-aviation environments, which created multiple, repeated AFFF contact points:

  • Cutters with Flight Decks & Helo Ops
     Flight operations with HH-/MH-series helicopters required deck-foam monitors and ready AFFF supplies to address aviation fuel fires. Foam could be deployed during drills, mishaps, or maintenance—soaking decks, gear, and crew.
  • Air Stations (Hangars and Ramps)
     Hangar deluge systems and foam lines were installed to protect aircraft, support equipment, and fuel areas. Accidental activations and routine ARFF-style (Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting) exercises led to repeated foam releases.
  • Small Boat Stations & Fuel Piers
     Stations with fuel farms, pier fueling, and industrial shops kept AFFF on hand for flammable-liquid incidents. Discharges during training or emergencies often washed across concrete and into storm drains.
  • Spill Response & Marine Safety
     Marine Safety Units (MSUs), Sectors, and strike teams responding to oil and hazardous material incidents sometimes used AFFF where re-ignition of fuel was a risk, adding occupational exposure beyond traditional firefighting.
  • Training Commands & Schools
     TRACENs and other training sites used foam in live evolutions to certify members in shipboard/aviation firefighting and damage control, creating cumulative exposure for instructors and students over time.
  • Runoff to Harbors & Base Housing
     For decades, foam runoff from decks, hangars, and piers migrated into soil and harbor waters adjacent to Coast Guard facilities. At some locations, members and families living in or near base housing may have faced additional exposure through local water pathways.

Coast Guard members often experienced direct skin contact, inhalation, and secondary contact through contaminated gear and spaces. Because PFAS accumulate, repeated low-level contact over a career can be significant.

Why PFAS in AFFF Is a Health Threat

PFAS are chemically stable and resist natural breakdown in the environment and the human body. They bind to proteins in blood, can affect hormone regulation, and may contribute to organ damage, according to published scientific research. For Coast Guard members involved in aviation, shipboard, or pier operations where AFFF was stored, tested, or deployed, that persistence translates into higher long-term body burdens and elevated disease risk long after separation.

PFAS-Linked Conditions Focused in Litigation

  • Kidney cancer
  • Testicular cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Thyroid cancer and thyroid disease
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Prostate cancer

Every case is unique. The strength of a Coast Guard AFFF lawsuit is driven by (1) credible evidence of exposure, (2) a documented diagnosis, and (3) a medical nexus opinion tying the illness to PFAS.

Coast Guard–Specific Exposure Scenarios to Document

When reconstructing your exposure history, consider the details that are unique to Coast Guard duty:

  1. Flight-Deck & Hangar Foam Systems

    • Location of foam stations/monitors on cutters, frequency of flight ops, any unintended deluge activations, and post-deployment cleanup procedures.
    • On-scene roles (e.g., flight deck crew, crash-rescue team, avionics/mech working in foam-soaked hangars).
  2. Fuel Piers & Industrial Shops

    • Responsibilities at fuel piers, fuel-farm maintenance, or hot work where AFFF was staged for emergency response.
    • Wash-downs that pushed foam into drains or directly overboard.
  3. SAR & Spill Response

    • Responses where re-flash risk existed; use of AFFF around diesel/gasoline/aviation fuels; PPE condition and decontamination steps.
  4. Training Evolutions

    • Frequency of live-foam drills at TRACENs or unit training; instructor assignments with repeated exposures.
  5. Proximity and Take-Home Pathways

    • Gear storage (on the cutter vs. in barracks/housing), evidence of persistent foam residue, base water concerns, and whether family members could have been indirectly exposed.

Don’t worry if you don’t have every record today. Start with what you remember, then fill gaps with unit logs, training schedules, cutter PMS/maintenance records, and environmental reports.

The AFFF Lawsuit (MDL 2873): What Coast Guard Personnel Should Know

Thousands of personal-injury claims against foam manufacturers are consolidated in MDL 2873 (District of South Carolina). The Court has prioritized diseases with the strongest scientific links to PFAS and uses bellwether trials (“test cases”) to guide settlement values. While large settlements for public water systems have already been approved, personal-injury claims (like those brought by Coast Guard members and families) are proceeding on separate tracks.

Key takeaways for Coasties:

  • Eligibility hinges on documented AFFF/PFAS exposure plus a qualifying diagnosis.
  • Damages can include medical costs, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and in appropriate cases, wrongful-death compensation.
  • Timing matters—states have different filing deadlines, and the MDL continues to refine proof requirements. Well-documented cases are best positioned for future settlement structures or trial settings.

How to Build a Strong Coast Guard AFFF Claim

Organize the story of your service and diagnosis. These steps help your legal team move fast and maximize your claim’s strength:

  1. Service & Unit Records

    • Ratings/MOS, billets, and duty stations; dates aboard specific cutters, air stations, and sectors.
    • Logs indicating flight operations, foam system maintenance, or ARFF duties. Include PQS sign-offs and training certificates.
  2. Environmental / Facility Evidence

    • Any base testing results, harbor/soil sampling near your unit, or publicly available PFAS reports tied to your installation.
    • Incident/maintenance records referencing hangar deluge activations, foam testing, or spill response where foam was used.
  3. Medical Documentation

    • Pathology reports, imaging, clinic notes, and a clear date of diagnosis.
    • If available, toxicology or serum PFAS testing results (not required, but helpful context).
  4. Exposure Narrative

    • A simple timeline: e.g., “USCGC <Name> flight-deck crew, 2011-2014; hangar deluge event at Air Station <X> in 2015; fuel-pier watchstander at Base <Y> with monthly foam drills.”
    • Note PPE used, duration of contact, cleanup practices, and any symptoms that pre-dated your diagnosis.
  5. Medical Nexus Opinion

    • Ask a treating physician or qualified expert to address whether your condition is at least as likely as not related to PFAS exposure during service.

FAQs for Coast Guard Members and Veterans

I wasn’t assigned to crash-rescue. Do I still qualify?
 Possibly. Many Coast Guard ratings work around flight decks, hangars, and fuel infrastructure where foam is stored or deployed. What matters is credible exposure evidence plus a qualifying illness.

My cutter or base isn’t on a public PFAS list. Should I still explore a claim?
 Yes. Not all exposure locations are publicly catalogued. Your unit-specific records and personal exposure timeline are what drive eligibility.

I separated years ago—am I too late?
 Not necessarily. Filing windows vary by state and may relate to the date of diagnosis or discovery. Early legal review protects your rights.

What if I later worked as a civilian firefighter or in aviation?
 Provide that information. Your timeline can include post-service exposure, but your Coast Guard exposure can still support a personal-injury claim.

Keefe Law Firm: Standing Watch with the Coast Guard

Our firm represents service members and veterans nationwide in the AFFF litigation. We understand the unique realities of Coast Guard missions—shipboard aviation, port safety, SAR, and spill response—and how those missions created repeated contact with AFFF. You should never have borne hidden chemical risks to fulfill your duty.

What we do for Coasties:

  • Investigate exposure across cutters, air stations, sectors, and training commands.
  • Assemble the record—service documentation, environmental evidence, medical proofs.
  • Work with experts to support causation and quantify damages.
  • Pursue maximum compensation through MDL 2873 and related proceedings.

You safeguarded our coasts and waterways. Let us safeguard your legal rights.