Landmark Tort Suit Against PFAS Makers Clears First Major Court Hurdle

摘要

A federal district court in Ohio has rejected efforts by the manufacturers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to dismiss a landmark tort class action lawsuit that is pursuing industry-funded, independent nationwide health studies and testing to determine the health effects of numerous PFAS found in the blood of nearly all Americans. While the litigation, Kevin Hardwick v. 3M Company, et al., was filed as a class action on behalf of both Hardwick and all others injured due to exposure to PFAS, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio says at this juncture the court only reviewed the plausibility of Hardwick's individual claims and not whether they are appropriate for class certification.