Environmental toxins ranging from pesticides to industrial chemicals have been linked in scientific research to childhood cancer and other serious illnesses, and families who discover their child's illness may be connected to a preventable exposure often have legal options they don't know about. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, so let’s use it to learn more about what the research shows regarding environmental risk factors and what your family can do if a toxic exposure played a role in your child's illness.
What Is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month?
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is a national observance held every September to raise awareness of pediatric cancer and support the families facing it.
The observance includes:
- Leadership primarily from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Roots as a national observance dating back to 2010
- A focus on funding research, improving treatment, and supporting affected families
What Environmental Toxins Have Been Linked to Childhood Cancer?
Researchers have identified several environmental toxins that show a consistent association with childhood cancer, even though a direct cause can be difficult to prove in any individual case.
Toxins under ongoing scrutiny include:
- Pesticides used in homes, schools, or nearby agricultural land
- Benzene from vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, or contaminated groundwater
- Heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, and nickel
- Contaminated drinking water, including PFAS "forever chemicals"
- Industrial air pollution near refineries, chemical plants, or waste sites
How Are Children Commonly Exposed to These Toxins?
Children can be exposed to harmful chemicals through everyday routines long before anyone realizes there's a problem.
Common exposure pathways include:
- Drinking or bathing in water contaminated by a nearby industrial facility
- Breathing in pesticide residue tracked indoors or sprayed near homes and schools
- Living close to refineries, factories, or waste sites with inadequate emissions controls
- Secondhand exposure to chemicals a parent brings home from an occupational setting
- Spending time in older homes or schools with lead paint or contaminated soil
What Legal Options Do Families Have After a Toxic Exposure Diagnosis?
When a child's illness may be connected to a toxic exposure, families often have more legal options than they realize.
Depending on the source of the exposure, you may be able to pursue:
- A toxic tort claim against the company responsible for the contamination
- A product liability claim against the manufacturer of a dangerous pesticide, chemical, or consumer product
- Participation in an existing mass tort or class action, including ongoing PFAS lawsuits and water contamination litigation
- A premises liability claim if the exposure occurred on a negligently maintained property
What Evidence Is Needed to Prove a Toxic Exposure Claim?
Preparing a strong toxic exposure case requires more than a diagnosis. It requires evidence connecting that diagnosis to a specific source.
Key evidence in these case types often includes:
- Medical records establishing the diagnosis and treatment history
- Environmental testing or government records documenting contamination in the area
- A timeline showing when and how the exposure likely occurred
- Expert testimony connecting the specific toxin to the type of illness diagnosed
- A pattern of similar illnesses among others exposed to the same source
Legal Help from an Award-Winning Team
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month exists because families deserve answers, research, and hope. At Hilliard Law, we believe families also deserve accountability when a preventable exposure played a role in a child's illness. If you believe your child's illness may be connected to a toxic exposure in Texas, call us at (866) 927-3420 to discuss your legal options during a no-cost consultation.