BOSTON — Two law firms representing residents affected by the contaminated Hyannis water supply filed a class action lawsuit against several companies in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts last week seeking compensation for those who have fallen ill or experienced other negative effects from exposure to the water.
The lawsuit names as defendants five manufacturers of firefighting foams containing perfluorinated chemicals PFOS and PFOA, which are believed to have contaminated wells serving residents in Hyannis, Hyannisport and West Hyannisport.
The plaintiffs are seeking the establishment of a medical monitoring protocol, which would allow members of the class action suit to receive medical testing for diseases potentially connected to their exposure to the water at the defendants’ expense.
“You shouldn’t have to pay for testing for these diseases that are attributed to the exposure.” PFOA and PFOS can accumulate in the body and lead to illnesses years down the road, she said.
A few plaintiffs are already experiencing some of these illnesses, but plaintiffs don’t have to be sick to join the class action suit, Caro said.
Plaintiffs are also asking to be compensated for personal injury as well as declining property values, according to the complaint.
Under terms of that agreement, the county will pay the town $2.95 million to reimburse it for capital costs, including carbon treatment systems, associated with cleanup of the contaminated wells.
In December 2017, U.S. District Judge Denise Casper dismissed five of eight counts brought by Barnstable County against many of the same firefighting foam manufacturers named in the class action lawsuit.
Despite the ruling in 2017, Caro said she believes her clients have a strong case.
“They did not disclose to the purchasers of the material how dangerous it was, and I think that’s going to come out more now,” she said.