Last updated: July 2026 | MDL 2873 (D.S.C.) - personal injury track in active pretrial proceedings
Texas residents exposed to PFAS chemicals through contaminated water supplies or firefighting foam at military installations and industrial sites are filing personal injury claims in federal court. Texas has multiple documented PFAS contamination sites, including military bases that used AFFF extensively over decades. Claims consolidate into MDL 2873 in the District of South Carolina.
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 Texas before taking any legal steps.
Texas's Filing Window for PFAS Claims
Texas applies a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003. For PFAS claims involving latent injuries, Texas courts apply the discovery rule, which delays the start of the limitations period until the claimant knew or should have known that their injury was likely caused by the wrongful act of another.
In PFAS cases, this discovery rule analysis typically focuses on: when your water system issued PFAS contamination notifications, when your medical diagnosis occurred, and when a treating physician identified a potential link between PFAS exposure and your condition.
Statute of limitations rules vary by state and by the specific facts of each claim. The two-year starting point does not determine whether your individual window has closed - the discovery rule analysis is fact-specific.
Additional tolling considerations in Texas PFAS cases:
- ·Discovery timing: Communities near Dyess AFB, Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood), and NAS Fort Worth (Carswell) received PFAS contamination notifications at different times. The discovery clock may run from official notification.
- ·Fraudulent concealment: Texas courts may extend the discovery period where a defendant concealed the hazardous nature of PFAS chemicals.
- ·Minor claimants: Texas tolls limitations for minors until they reach age 18.
A licensed Texas attorney can assess the discovery rule as applied to your specific circumstances. Do not assume your window has closed without professional evaluation.
Who Qualifies Under MDL 2873 Criteria
MDL 2873 evaluates personal injury claims on two primary criteria: exposure to PFAS from a qualifying source, and a diagnosis of a medical condition linked to that exposure.
Exposure criteria generally considered for Texas claimants:
- ·Consumed water from a Texas municipal system or private well confirmed to exceed EPA PFAS health advisory thresholds (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS)
- ·Lived or worked near a Texas military installation - including Dyess AFB, Fort Cavazos, NAS Fort Worth (Carswell), Laughlin AFB, Sheppard AFB, or Goodfellow AFB - where AFFF was regularly used
- ·Worked as a firefighter or military firefighter with direct AFFF contact
Medical conditions linked to PFAS in current MDL 2873 litigation:
- ·Kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma)
- ·Testicular cancer
- ·Thyroid disease (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism)
- ·Ulcerative colitis
- ·Pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia
- ·Elevated cholesterol as a contributing qualifying factor
- ·Bladder cancer (under active MDL litigation consideration as of mid-2026)
The recognized condition list continues to evolve as MDL pretrial proceedings advance. A licensed attorney can assess whether your specific diagnosis is currently recognized.
How PFAS Exposure Gets Documented in Texas
Texas PFAS claims build on federal and state environmental records combined with medical documentation:
Federal installation investigation records: The Department of Defense has conducted PFAS site investigations at Texas military installations under CERCLA and DERP. These investigations produce contamination records for sites including Dyess AFB (Abilene), Fort Cavazos (Killeen area), NAS Fort Worth - Carswell (Tarrant County), and others. These federal records provide documented contamination at the source level.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) records: TCEQ maintains records of PFAS testing and contamination findings in Texas public water systems. If your municipality appeared in TCEQ PFAS monitoring data, those records support the contamination element of a claim.
Blood serum PFAS testing: PFAS bioaccumulate in human tissue over time and can be detected years after exposure ends. An elevated serum PFAS test above population background strengthens the exposure chain.
Medical records: Diagnosis records, pathology reports, and treatment history for a qualifying condition establish the medical side of the claim. Expert medical testimony linking PFAS exposure to the specific condition is typically required for trial or settlement valuation.
Attorneys handling MDL 2873 cases have established intake and document-gathering processes. You do not need all records before making initial contact with an attorney.
Texas-Specific Procedural Notes
Where Texas cases get filed:
PFAS personal injury cases originating in Texas may be filed in:
- ·Northern District of Texas (covers Dallas, Fort Worth, Abilene - near Dyess AFB, NAS Fort Worth Carswell)
- ·Western District of Texas (covers San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, Waco - near Fort Cavazos, Laughlin AFB, Goodfellow AFB)
- ·Southern District of Texas (covers Houston, Corpus Christi, McAllen)
- ·Eastern District of Texas (covers Tyler, Beaumont, Sherman)
Cases transfer to MDL 2873 in the District of South Carolina for centralized pretrial coordination.
MDL 2873 status as of July 2026:
Personal injury claims are in active pretrial proceedings. Bellwether case selection is ongoing. Water utility settlements (separate from personal injury tracks) have resolved some municipal contamination claims.
Texas state law note on consumer-initiated contact:
Texas has specific rules regarding attorney contact with prospective clients in personal injury matters. The intake process on this platform is consumer-initiated - you are reaching out to be connected with licensed legal counsel, not the reverse. All connections through Last10Legal comply with applicable Texas Rules of Professional Conduct.
PFAS Contamination Sites in Texas
Texas has multiple documented PFAS contamination sites, primarily at military installations where AFFF was used extensively over decades:
Dyess Air Force Base (Abilene, Taylor County): Federal PFAS investigations have documented contamination at and near this installation in the Abilene area, with monitoring data covering surrounding communities and groundwater.
Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood, Killeen area, Bell County): One of the largest military installations in the United States. Federal environmental investigations have documented PFAS contamination from AFFF use at this installation. The surrounding Killeen and Copperas Cove communities have been covered by monitoring programs.
NAS Fort Worth - Carswell (Tarrant County): Former naval air station in the Fort Worth area with documented AFFF use history and associated PFAS investigations in federal environmental records.
Laughlin Air Force Base (Del Rio, Val Verde County): PFAS investigations at this training installation have documented contamination in the surrounding area.
Sheppard Air Force Base (Wichita Falls, Wichita County): Federal environmental investigations have covered AFFF contamination at this installation.
Goodfellow Air Force Base (San Angelo, Tom Green County): Federal PFAS site investigation records cover contamination at and near this installation.
Documented proximity to any of these sites establishes one element of a claim. A qualifying medical diagnosis is also required.
What the PFAS Settlement Framework Looks Like
Publicly reported settlement figures are informational only and cannot predict what any individual claim is worth.
Water utility settlements (compensate water systems, not individual claimants):
- ·3M announced approximately 0.3 billion for U.S. public water system PFAS claims
- ·DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva announced approximately .185 billion for similar water utility claims
These settlements address remediation costs for public utilities, not personal injury.
Personal injury resolution ranges:
Individual PFAS claim values in mass tort litigation depend on:
- ·Medical condition type and severity (cancer-tier conditions versus non-cancer qualifying conditions)
- ·Duration and concentration level of exposure established through documentation
- ·Strength of the causation link between source, exposure, and medical diagnosis
- ·Which defendants are named in the individual case
- ·Settlement matrix tier applied
Mass tort settlement matrices in comparable litigation have shown per-claimant ranges from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand dollars depending on condition classification and exposure history. These are historical references and may not apply to future MDL 2873 resolution.
A licensed Texas attorney with MDL 2873 experience can give a realistic assessment of where your specific claim might fall.
Next Steps for Texas Claimants
If you were exposed to PFAS in Texas and have been diagnosed with a qualifying condition, the starting point is a free case evaluation with an attorney handling MDL 2873 matters.
What an initial evaluation covers:
- ·Exposure history: proximity to documented Texas military AFFF sites, water source, occupational AFFF contact
- ·Medical history: qualifying condition and diagnosis timing under the Texas discovery rule
- ·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 Texas claimants with licensed attorneys who handle PFAS personal injury cases. The intake process is consumer-initiated and complies with Texas Rules of Professional Conduct.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in Texas before making decisions about your PFAS claim.