“PFAS”—short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—are chemicals used to repel water, grease, and stains. They are often found in household products like nonstick pans (e.g. “Teflon”), food packaging, waterproof jackets, and carpets; personal care products like waterproof mascaras and eyeliners, sunscreen, shampoo, and shaving cream; and firefighting foam on military bases and commercial airports.

PFAS don’t easily break down and may persist in your body and in the environment for decades. Chemical manufacturers like DuPont and 3M have hidden evidence of the human and environmental impacts of PFAS since the 1960s, which may include kidney and testicular cancer, as well as endocrine disruption in humans. Scientists have discovered unusual clusters of serious medical effects with heavily PFAS-contaminated water, many of which are near military bases.

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is a gasoline additive responsible for numerous environmental and health concerns. It has polluted groundwater due to MTBE-containing gasoline being spilled or leaked at gas stations. MTBE spreads more easily underground than other gasoline components due to its higher solubility in water, and proper remediation is costly.

Sandman Law attorneys have successfully represented municipalities as they pursue moneys to remediate the contamination.

Roundup is the most widely used weed-killer in the world—commonly used in lawns, gardens, parks, playgrounds, and elsewhere. More than 250 million pounds of Roundup are sprayed each year as Monsanto, its manufacturer, generates in excess of $6 billion in annual revenue.

Glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, is known to cause an increased risk for the development of certain forms of cancer, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and hairy cell leukemia.

Anyone using this product is potentially at risk, but landscapers, gardeners, and farmers are most likely to have the most significant exposure to these toxic pesticides.

Paraquat is an herbicide that has been commercially available since 1962 and is among the most widely used around the world. Because of its high potential for misuse and poisonings, Paraquat can be mixed, loaded, and/or applied only by those who have completed an EPA-approved training program.

Paraquat’s toxicity appears through ingestion, skin-absorption, and inhalation. Besides causing burns, the herbicide is known as a possible cause of birth defects, certain types of cancer, and Parkinson’s Disease.

According to a June 2019 article in Environmental Health, Paraquat is one of only two herbicides still being used in the U.S. that have already been banned or are in the process of being phased out in China, EU, and Brazil.

Opioids are prescription narcotics with pharmacological properties similar to opium and heroin. While opioids can ease pain, they also can create an addictive euphoric high in users.

The pharmaceutical industry played a key role in causing the opioid epidemic through its deceptive marketing of highly addictive opioids to treat common chronic pain conditions. Today, state attorneys general, local governments, and other public entities nationwide are pushing for investigations and litigation to seek accountability for the harm wrought.

Purdue Pharma, Endo, Mallinckrodt, Teva, Janssen, Cardinal, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, CVS and Walgreens, and other drug manufacturers and distributors are facing civil actions across the United States for their roles in manufacturing, marketing, and distributing prescription opioid pain medications, including brand-name drugs OxyContin®; Hysingla® ER; Nucynta®; Actiq®; Opana®/Opana® ER; Percodan®; and Percocet®.

Sandman Law represents over fifty Massachusetts cities and towns in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) proceeding in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.

Truvada is an antiviral medication manufactured by Gilead Sciences, Inc. and prescribed to treat and prevent HIV and AIDS. Use of the drug has been linked to the following illnesses and injuries:

• Acute or chronic kidney disease and kidney failure.
• Fanconi Syndrome, which is when impaired kidney tubule function affects the urine’s chemical makeup.
• Osteopenia, which is weakened bone mineral density. Left untreated, the condition may lead to breaks and fractures.
• Osteoporosis, a condition whereby bones become brittle and may fracture easily.
• Osteomalacia, a condition whereby bones break down more quickly than they can re-form.

Sandman Law is seeking to bring additional cases to a consolidated multi-district litigation in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

Elmiron (pentosan polysulfate sodium) is a prescription drug used for the treatment of bladder inflammation in people with interstitial cystitis. Elmiron was first approved by the FDA in 1985, and for years was thought to be entirely safe. Unfortunately, in 2019, researchers determined that long-term use of the drug may cause a degenerative eye disorder, pigmentary maculopathy, which may lead to vision loss or blindness.

Our firm represents clients who have taken Elmiron and developed pigmentary maculopathy, macular degeneration, pattern dystrophy, or suffered some undiagnosed ocular damage causing vision loss or blindness. Contact us to discuss whether your vision loss may have been caused by this defective drug.

Sandman Law represents hundreds of the more than 92,000 former Boy Scouts who allege sexual abuse by a scoutmaster. Courts have found evidence of the organization’s leadership attempting to cover up complaints of abuse while failing to report the criminal acts to the police.

Sandman Law represents many of the victims who have been sexually abused by their priests or other clergy. Even if this abuse happened decades ago, you may still be within your rights to pursue litigation against the institutions responsible – but your time is limited. We welcome your call to discuss your options.

The new frontiers of sex abuse litigation are only just now being forged. If you have been abused by a person in positions of power or trust—perhaps a teacher or professor, or a record or film producer—please contact us to better understand your rights and remedies.

All too often, abuse is made easier through the inaction of proprietors of the places where it occurs. This may include a roadside motel or a national hotel chain; a bar or strip club; or a truck stop or gas station. If you have been sold for sex and believe that a business’s owners or employees knew or suspected your abuse and yet did nothing to prevent it, we want to hear from you.