People with PFAS personal-injury claims against 3M over AFFF firefighting foam were covered by a $7.35 billion agreement 3M announced on November 3, 2026, to be paid over nine years. The deal runs through plaintiffs’ attorneys for about 115,000 to 120,000 existing plaintiffs; there is no public claim form, and claims against the other foam makers are not part of it.
What Happened?
3M announced on November 3, 2026 that it has agreed to a broad resolution of the PFAS personal-injury claims at the center of the aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) multidistrict litigation, MDL 2873, in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. 3M will make a $7.35 billion commitment over nine years, which it values at $5.8 billion in present value, and says the deal addresses about 99% of current personal-injury claims inside and outside the MDL.According to 3M, about 115,000 to 120,000 plaintiffs are eligible to participate, including all the personal-injury claims that have been the focus of the MDL. The claims allege that exposure to PFAS from AFFF firefighting foam, or from drinking water contaminated by it, caused illnesses such as kidney and testicular cancer and thyroid disease. 3M says the agreement is not an admission of liability.
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How the Payments Are Structured
3M says the $7.35 billion includes a $50 million payment in 2026 and no payments in 2027, with about 20% of the total due in the final two years so that the schedule lines up with its other legacy settlement obligations. It will record a $5.8 billion pre-tax charge in the fourth quarter of 2026.Remaining and future personal-injury claims, inside and outside the MDL, will be handled through several mechanisms: payments that depend on plaintiffs joining the resolution, a $680 million reserve fund included in the total, and an MDL court order 3M anticipates that would set evidentiary and timing requirements for plaintiffs who choose to litigate later. 3M has not announced per-person amounts, and its filings describe a risk that participation could fall below the level that would let it terminate the agreement.
What the Deal Does Not Cover
The agreement resolves personal-injury claims against 3M only. Claims against DuPont, Chemours, Corteva, Tyco Fire Products, BASF and the other foam and chemical manufacturers in MDL 2873 are not part of it.It is also separate from 3M’s 2023 settlement with U.S. public water systems and its more recent settlement with New Jersey, which paid for testing, treatment and cleanup rather than individuals. OCA covers the New Jersey PFAS settlement separately, and the earlier water-system deals are explained on OCA’s AFFF firefighting foam lawsuit page, which also lists the diagnoses at the center of the litigation.
What Happens Next
3M’s announcement says the resolution depends on plaintiffs agreeing to participate and anticipates an MDL court order on future claims. 3M says that if certain agreed terms are not fulfilled, it is prepared to keep defending the litigation. No public claims process has been announced. Personal-injury cases against the other defendants remain in MDL 2873 before Judge Richard M. Gergel. Additional details are expected in 3M’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.Questions
Is there a claim form for the 3M AFFF personal-injury settlement?
No public claim form has been announced. 3M describes the agreement as covering about 115,000 to 120,000 plaintiffs who are eligible to participate, meaning people who already have personal-injury claims. Participation runs through those plaintiffs’ attorneys.
How much will each AFFF plaintiff get from 3M?
3M has not announced per-person amounts. It says it will pay $7.35 billion over nine years, which it values at $5.8 billion in present value, including a $680 million reserve fund for remaining and future claims. Dividing the total by the number of plaintiffs does not give a reliable individual figure.
Does the 3M deal cover DuPont, Chemours and other AFFF defendants?
No. The agreement resolves personal-injury claims against 3M. Claims against DuPont, Chemours, Corteva, Tyco Fire Products, BASF and other foam and chemical manufacturers in MDL 2873 are not part of it.
Is this the same as 3M’s PFAS water settlement?
No. 3M’s 2023 settlement with U.S. public water systems paid utilities for testing and treating drinking water and did not pay individuals. The November 3, 2026 agreement instead resolves personal-injury claims, such as cancer and thyroid disease claims, against 3M in the AFFF litigation.
Sources
• 3M, “3M Reaches Broad Resolution of AFFF Personal Injury Litigation” (November 3, 2026)• U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina — MDL 2873, In re: Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation
