‘PFAS . . . everywhere’: A Mass. class action lawsuit may set a new standard for damages

By Adam Piore | Boston Globe | September 14, 2024

Read the full article by Adam Piore (Boston Globe)

"It didn’t occur to Jamie Falconer there might be a connection between his wife’s thyroid problems and the cancer afflicting his 7-year-old Shih Tzu until he learned the well water at the family’s longtime home in Westminster was contaminated with toxic chemicals.

Since contamination was first discovered in the drinking water of another resident in 2022, dangerous levels of a group of compounds known as PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” have been found in more than 300 private wells in Westminster.

The revelations spawned a lawsuit filed in federal court in Worcester on behalf of Falconer and hundreds of Westminster residents against a local composting facility and six other companies that is closely watched by environmentalists and industry groups across the nation, in part because of the novel legal approach their lawyers are taking to maximize damages. The suit, a proposed class action, was filed under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), which is typically used to prosecute organized crime and would allow them to seek triple damages."