Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) has been reviewed the Judicial Panel on Multi-district litigation. Upon due consideration, the JPML selected the District of South Carolina as the venue in which AFFF/PFAS injury claims would be heard by the federal court system.
The District of South Carolina is part of the 4th Circuit of the U.S. court system, and appeals are heard by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Consolidation of a multitude of AFFF lawsuits in the District of South Carolina was done pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407. Newly filed cases nationwide are expected to likewise be transferred the DSC.
Click here to get started with pursuing an AFFF injury claim.
Judge Richard M. Gergel Presides Over AFFF Injury Litigation
The Honorable Judge Richard M. Gergel of the District of South Carolina has been selected to oversee the AFFF litigation.
Born in South Carolina in 1954, Richard M. Gergel’s early years were shaped by the turbulent era of the Civil Rights Movement. The future jurist earned his undergraduate degree from Duke University, and his juris doctor degree from Duke University School of Law.
Gergel began his career in private practice with a focus on civil rights and social justice. He then entered the judiciary when appointed to the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina by President Barack Obama in 2010.
As a federal judge, Gergel has presided over several high-profile cases including the trial and conviction of the perpetrator of the Charleston church shooting in 2015.
Judge Gergal has maintained a reputation for his commitment to the notion of equality and the power of the law to drive social change.