Amherst, New Hampshire property owners near the former Textiles Coated plant on Route 101A won a $4.36 million jury verdict for lost property value from PFOA contamination in November 2026. The verdict can still be challenged, other claims remain to be tried, and there is no claim form.
What Happened?
A jury in Hillsborough County Superior Court, Northern District, found Textiles Coated Incorporated, which does business as Textiles Coated International (TCI), liable to a class of Amherst property owners on November 6, 2026, and awarded $4.36 million for the lost value of their properties, according to WMUR and other reports. The jury found TCI liable for negligence, negligent failure to warn, trespass and nuisance. Law.com described the case, brought on behalf of more than 200 homeowners, as the first class action over a “forever chemical” to go to a jury trial.The case is Hermens v. Textiles Coated Incorporated, No. 216-2017-CV-00524, filed in July 2017. Trial began with jury selection on October 19, 2026. TCI can still ask the court to set aside the verdict or appeal.
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What the Case Is About
TCI ran a plant on Route 101A in Amherst from about 1985 to 2006 that used ammonium perfluorooctanoate, a form of PFOA, before moving operations to Manchester. The plaintiffs allege that releases from the plant contaminated nearby properties and private wells. State testing of private wells near the plant in 2016 found PFOA, at levels up to 620 parts per trillion in one round of testing, according to a summary by former state Rep. Mindi Messmer, an environmental advocate who has followed the case. TCI agreed in 2017 to connect 102 Amherst properties to public water, according to that summary.What the Verdict Covers
The $4.36 million covers the diminished value of the class members’ properties. It does not address health effects: a claim seeking medical monitoring for exposed residents ended after the New Hampshire Supreme Court declined in 2023, in a separate case, to recognize medical monitoring for people who are not yet sick. In May 2025, the state Supreme Court ruled that the end of the medical monitoring claims did not bar the property claims, sending them back for trial. Additional proceedings, including on non-economic damages, are expected.What Happens Next?
The verdict is not final. TCI may file post-trial motions or appeal, and the remaining claims have not yet been tried. How the award would be divided among property owners has not been announced; any distribution would follow court approval. There is nothing for residents to file now.Questions
How much did the Amherst PFOA jury award?
The jury awarded $4.36 million to the class of Amherst property owners for the lost value of their properties. Other claims, including non-economic damages, remain to be decided.
Who was the defendant in the Amherst PFOA case?
Textiles Coated Incorporated, which does business as Textiles Coated International (TCI). It operated a plant on Route 101A in Amherst from about 1985 to 2006.
Does the Amherst verdict cover health effects?
No. The verdict covers lost property value. Medical monitoring claims ended after the New Hampshire Supreme Court declined in 2023 to recognize medical monitoring for people who are not yet sick.
Is the Amherst PFOA verdict final?
No. TCI can still challenge the verdict or appeal, other claims remain to be tried, and no distribution plan has been announced.
Sources
- WMUR: Amherst residents awarded $4 million in legal battle against textile company
- Law.com: New Hampshire jury awards $4.3 million verdict in first-ever class trial over forever chemical (Nov. 10, 2026)
- Mindi Messmer: Nine years later, an Amherst jury says the polluter pays (case history and state testing)
- Hermens v. Textiles Coated Incorporated, No. 216-2017-CV-00524 (N.H. Super. Ct., Hillsborough Cty., N. Dist.)
