For nearly a decade, residents of Bennington and Shaftsbury, Vermont have been living with one of New England's most serious environmental crises: widespread contamination of private drinking water wells with PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), a toxic "forever chemical" traced to the now-closed ChemFab factory in North Bennington, which was operated by Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics.
In May 2026, Vermont state officials confirmed what many residents feared: the contamination has spread. New PFOA detections were found in southern Bennington and southeast Shaftsbury — beyond the original affected zone. The state is now offering free bottled water, well testing, and filtration systems to newly affected households. Research confirms that around three quarters of private wells tested between 2016 and 2024 showed increased PFOA levels over time.
The contamination is not over. It is growing. And residents in the newly affected areas now have the same right to legal compensation that Bennington area residents exercised in the landmark $34 million Saint-Gobain settlement in 2022.
If your well has tested positive for PFOA, or if you live in the affected area and have not yet been tested, contact Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki LLC today. Our attorneys are investigating claims on behalf of affected Vermont residents. Founding partner Edward Jazlowiecki's background in Chemical Engineering gives the firm a distinct advantage in understanding the science behind PFAS contamination and its long-term health effects.
Background: How Did PFOA Get Into Vermont's Drinking Water?
PFOA contamination in Bennington traces back to two former ChemFab Corp. factories — one in Bennington and one in North Bennington — which produced Teflon-coated fiberglass fabrics used in sports stadium domes and other structures. The manufacturing process involved PFOA, which was released through the factories' smokestacks.
ChemFab was acquired by Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, a French multinational corporation. Saint-Gobain closed the last facility in 2002 — but the PFOA it emitted over decades had already settled into the soil and groundwater. By 2016, the state of Vermont confirmed that hundreds of private wells in the surrounding area were contaminated, affecting an estimated 8,000 residents across approximately 2,400 properties.
PFOA does not break down in the environment or in the human body. It continues to migrate through soil and groundwater. New research has confirmed that the contamination plume has expanded, reaching southern Bennington and southeast Shaftsbury — areas not covered by the 2022 class action settlement.
What Is PFOA and Why Is It So Dangerous?
PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) belongs to a family of man-made chemicals known as PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — commonly called "forever chemicals" because they do not break down in the environment or the human body. PFOA can accumulate in blood and organs over time with repeated exposure.
The state found PFOA levels in some Bennington-area wells as high as 60 parts per trillion — 15 times the allowable limit. Most affected wells tested between 20 and 30 parts per trillion.
Health Effects of PFOA Exposure
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, has classified PFOA as "carcinogenic to humans" (Group 1). The American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute have both identified strong links between PFOA exposure and serious disease. Documented health effects include:
- —Kidney cancer — higher rates have been observed in people living near PFOA-contaminated water sources
- —Testicular cancer — studies have found a dose-response relationship between PFOA blood levels and testicular cancer risk
- —Thyroid disease and thyroid cancer
- —High cholesterol and cardiovascular disease
- —Ulcerative colitis
- —Pregnancy-induced hypertension (pre-eclampsia)
- —Immune system suppression, particularly in children
- —Potential links to breast cancer and prostate cancer (emerging evidence)
- —Endocrine disruption — effects on hormones and metabolism
PFOA has a long half-life in the human body. The effects of past exposure may not manifest as illness for years. This is why medical monitoring — the ability to be regularly screened for PFOA-related illness — has been a key demand in PFOA litigation.
The Legal History: What Happened in the 2022 Bennington Settlement?
In 2016, Bennington area residents filed a class-action lawsuit against Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics for the PFOA contamination of their wells and properties. In April 2022, a federal judge approved a $34.15 million settlement, under which:
- —$26.2 million was paid to approximately 2,365 residential property owners in Bennington and North Bennington for property contamination damages
- —Up to $6 million was allocated for a 15-year medical monitoring program for residents who drank contaminated well water, run by Southwestern Vermont Medical Center
- —The settlement was described as groundbreaking — the first time in Vermont that people exposed to toxic chemicals won the right to sue for medical monitoring
Separately, Vermont reached a settlement with Saint-Gobain in 2019 requiring the company to fund connection of Bennington households to municipal drinking water from Morgan Springs.
Crucially, the 2022 class action covered Bennington and North Bennington. Southern Bennington and Shaftsbury — where contamination has now spread — were not fully included. Residents in these newly affected areas may have independent legal claims.
Who May Have a Claim Now?
Group 1: Residents in Newly Affected Areas (Southern Bennington & Southeast Shaftsbury)
If your well has recently tested positive for PFOA, or if you are in the new contamination zone, you may have a fresh claim that was not resolved by the 2022 settlement. The state has identified approximately 250 wells in southern Bennington and 50 in Shaftsbury needing testing. Attorneys have already met with around 100 residents to discuss a possible new class action.
Group 2: Residents Who Were Affected But Did Not Participate in the 2022 Settlement
If you lived in the original contamination zone, drank contaminated water, and did not participate in the 2022 class action — or if your health claim was not covered by that settlement — you may still have options. PFOA-related illness can take years to develop, and personal injury claims are different from property damage claims.
You may have a claim if:
- —Your well has tested positive for PFOA
- —You lived in Bennington or Shaftsbury and used private well water during the period of contamination
- —You or a family member has been diagnosed with a PFOA-linked illness (kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease, etc.)
- —You have children who were exposed to contaminated well water
- —You have elevated PFOA in your blood
- —You suffered property devaluation not covered by the 2022 settlement
What Compensation Can You Pursue?
- —Medical expenses — past and future treatment for PFOA-related illness
- —Pain and suffering
- —Medical monitoring — ongoing screening for future PFOA-related illness
- —Property damage and diminished property value
- —Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- —Wrongful death damages if a loved one died from a PFOA-related illness
Why Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki LLC?
Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki LLC has spent over 50 years fighting for victims of mass disasters, toxic exposure, and corporate negligence. Founding partner Edward Jazlowiecki holds a degree in Chemical Engineering — giving the firm a rare technical understanding of chemical contamination cases, including PFAS and PFOA exposure, that most personal injury attorneys simply do not have.
Our attorneys have experience with complex multi-party litigation and have recovered tens of millions of dollars for clients in catastrophic cases:
- —$72 million recovered for victims of the Lac-Mégantic train disaster
- —$36 million settlement for victims of the Windsor Wildcats bus crash
- —Decades of experience in mass disaster and toxic tort litigation across the United States
Disclaimer: The $72M and $36M recoveries involved multiple parties and law firms.
We handle PFOA cases on a contingency basis — no fee unless we win. We work with co-counsel in states across the country and have represented clients in cases involving chemical manufacturers, aerospace companies, and multinational corporations.
Steps to Take If You Are Affected
- Get your well tested — Vermont is offering free testing. Contact the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. Keep a copy of all test results.
- Request a blood test — the Town of Shaftsbury has asked the state to provide free blood testing. Speak to your doctor about PFOA blood level testing.
- Keep all medical records — especially any diagnoses of kidney disease, thyroid problems, cancer, or other conditions that may be PFOA-related.
- Document your water use history — how long you have lived in the area, whether you used well water, and when contamination was discovered.
- Do not sign anything — if Saint-Gobain or any other party contacts you about compensation or asks you to sign a release, speak with an attorney first.
- Act promptly — Vermont has a general statute of limitations of three years for personal injury claims, but there are exceptions and time limits can vary. Do not wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
That depends on what you settled and the terms of the release you signed. Some claims — particularly personal injury and health-related claims — may not have been covered by the property damage class action. Speak with an attorney to understand what rights you may have retained.
Contact Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki LLC — Free Case Evaluation
The contamination in Bennington and Shaftsbury is still spreading. Do not wait to find out whether you have a claim. Contact Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki LLC today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
Call: (860) 589-8000 — available 24/7
Email: Info@Jazlowiecki.com
Online: jazlowieckilaw.com/contact/free-case-evaluation
No fee unless we win.