Last updated: July 2026 | MDL 2873 (D.S.C.) - personal injury track in active pretrial proceedings
Florida residents exposed to PFAS chemicals through contaminated drinking water or firefighting foam (AFFF) at military bases, airports, and training sites are among the most active filers in MDL 2873. Florida has documented PFAS contamination at multiple military installations across the state, and federal environmental investigations have produced extensive records that claimants use to establish the exposure element of their claims.
This is not legal advice. Every claim turns on individual facts - exposure source, medical condition, and when the harm became discoverable. Talk to a licensed attorney in Florida before taking any legal steps.
Florida's Filing Window for PFAS Claims
Florida law has undergone significant changes in personal injury limitations periods in recent years. For most negligence claims, the current deadline is two years from the date of injury under Florida Statutes Section 95.11. However, Florida also provides a discovery rule for latent or inherently undiscoverable injuries, which may extend when the clock starts.
In PFAS cases, the discovery rule is often critical: claimants did not know they had been exposed to harmful chemicals or that their medical conditions were caused by PFAS until contamination was publicly disclosed or a treating physician identified the link. Florida courts apply the discovery rule to start the limitations clock at the point of reasonable discovery.
Statute of limitations rules vary by state and by the specific facts of each claim. The two-year general rule is a starting point. The discovery analysis depends on when you received contamination notifications, when diagnoses occurred, and what a reasonable person in your situation would have known at various points.
Additional tolling factors in Florida PFAS cases:
- ·Contamination notification timing: Communities near Tyndall AFB, Eglin AFB, and MacDill AFB received formal PFAS notifications at different times. The discovery clock may run from those notifications.
- ·Fraudulent concealment: Courts may allow a later start date where a defendant actively suppressed information about PFAS risks.
- ·Minor claimants: Florida tolls limitations periods for minors until they reach age 18.
A licensed Florida attorney can assess how the discovery rule applies to your specific timeline.
Who Qualifies Under MDL 2873 Criteria
MDL 2873 evaluates personal injury claims on exposure and medical condition criteria. Florida claimants often have strong exposure records given the concentration of military AFFF use sites across the state.
Exposure criteria generally considered:
- ·Consumed water from a Florida municipal system or private well confirmed to exceed EPA PFAS health advisory levels (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS under current EPA standards)
- ·Lived or worked near a Florida military installation or airport where AFFF was regularly used for firefighting training or incident response
- ·Served as a firefighter or military firefighter with direct AFFF contact
- ·Used water from communities near Tyndall AFB, Eglin AFB, MacDill AFB, Patrick Space Force Base, NAS Pensacola, or other documented Florida contamination sites
Medical conditions linked to PFAS in current MDL litigation:
- ·Kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma)
- ·Testicular cancer
- ·Thyroid disease (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism)
- ·Ulcerative colitis
- ·Pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia
- ·Elevated cholesterol in conjunction with other qualifying factors
- ·Bladder cancer (under active litigation consideration as of mid-2026)
A licensed attorney can assess whether your specific diagnosis is currently recognized in MDL 2873 case management orders.
How PFAS Exposure Gets Documented in Florida
Florida PFAS claims typically draw on a combination of federal and state environmental records along with medical documentation:
Federal installation records: The Department of Defense has conducted site investigations at Florida military installations under CERCLA, the Defense Environmental Restoration Program (DERP), and related authorities. These investigations produce contamination maps, water testing data, and documented AFFF use histories for sites including Tyndall AFB (Panama City), Eglin AFB (Valparaiso), MacDill AFB (Tampa), Patrick Space Force Base (Brevard County), and NAS Pensacola.
Florida DEP records: The Florida Department of Environmental Protection maintains public records of PFAS testing results in drinking water systems and contaminated site investigations.
Blood serum testing: PFAS bioaccumulate in human tissue and can be detected years after exposure ends. Serum testing documenting levels above population background strengthens the exposure chain.
Medical documentation: Diagnosis records, pathology reports, and treatment history for a qualifying condition establish the medical side of the claim. Expert medical testimony on PFAS causation is typically required at trial or in settlement valuation.
Florida attorneys handling MDL 2873 cases have established intake processes to help gather these records. You do not need everything assembled before making initial contact.
Florida-Specific Procedural Notes
Where Florida cases get filed:
PFAS personal injury cases originating in Florida are typically filed in:
- ·Northern District of Florida (covers Tallahassee, Pensacola, Panama City - near Tyndall, Eglin, NAS Pensacola)
- ·Middle District of Florida (covers Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville - near MacDill, Patrick Space Force Base)
- ·Southern District of Florida (covers Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach)
Cases transfer to MDL 2873 in the District of South Carolina for centralized pretrial proceedings.
MDL 2873 status as of July 2026:
Personal injury claims are in active pretrial proceedings with bellwether case selection ongoing. Water utility settlements (3M and DuPont/Chemours/Corteva) have resolved some municipal contamination claims but are separate from individual personal injury tracks.
Florida state law note:
Florida's 2023 tort reform legislation modified limitations periods and comparative fault rules in personal injury cases. The specific effects on PFAS toxic tort claims under the discovery rule remain subject to litigation. A licensed Florida attorney familiar with the post-2023 statutory framework can advise on how the current rules apply to your situation.
PFAS Contamination Sites in Florida
Florida has some of the most extensively documented PFAS contamination from military AFFF use in the United States. Key sites with federal investigation records include:
Tyndall Air Force Base (Bay County): Federal investigations have documented PFAS contamination affecting the surrounding Panama City area. Community water systems and private wells in the vicinity have been subject to monitoring and remediation programs.
Eglin Air Force Base (Okaloosa County): One of the largest Air Force bases in the world, with documented AFFF use over decades. Surrounding communities in Valparaiso, Niceville, and Fort Walton Beach areas have been subject to PFAS monitoring.
MacDill Air Force Base (Tampa, Hillsborough County): Federal investigation records document PFAS contamination at and near this installation in the Tampa Bay area.
Patrick Space Force Base (Brevard County): AFFF use at this installation has been documented in federal environmental investigation records.
NAS Pensacola (Escambia County): Naval Air Station Pensacola has been the subject of PFAS contamination investigations covering surrounding communities.
Homestead Air Reserve Base (Miami-Dade County): Federal PFAS contamination investigations have covered this installation and nearby areas.
Documented proximity to any of these sites is one element of an exposure claim. A qualifying medical diagnosis is also required.
What the PFAS Settlement Framework Looks Like
These figures cover publicly reported settlement information only and do not predict individual claim outcomes.
Water utility settlements (these compensate water systems, not individual claimants):
- ·3M announced approximately 0.3 billion to resolve PFAS claims from U.S. public water systems
- ·DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva announced approximately .185 billion for similar water utility claims
Personal injury claim ranges:
Individual PFAS personal injury claim values depend on:
- ·Medical condition type and severity (cancer-tier conditions versus non-cancer conditions carry meaningfully different ranges)
- ·Duration and concentration of exposure established through documentation
- ·Causation chain strength between the specific source and the diagnosed condition
- ·Defendants named and their litigation posture
- ·Which settlement matrix tier the condition falls into
Mass tort personal injury settlement matrices in comparable litigation have shown ranges from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand dollars per qualifying claimant depending on condition classification and exposure factors. These are historical references and may not reflect PFAS MDL 2873 resolution values.
A licensed Florida attorney with MDL 2873 experience can provide a realistic assessment of where your specific claim might fall.
Next Steps for Florida Claimants
If you believe you were exposed to PFAS in Florida and have been diagnosed with a qualifying condition, the starting point is a case evaluation with an attorney who handles MDL 2873 matters.
What an initial evaluation covers:
- ·Exposure history: where you lived, proximity to documented military AFFF sites, water source, occupational AFFF contact
- ·Medical history: qualifying condition, diagnosis timing, and the discovery rule timeline under Florida law
- ·Realistic assessment of where your claim fits in the current MDL process
Most mass tort attorneys handle PFAS cases on contingency. No upfront fees. Any attorney fee comes from a recovery.
Last10Legal connects Florida claimants with licensed attorneys who handle PFAS personal injury cases. The intake evaluation is free.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in Florida before making decisions about your PFAS claim.