Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyer
If you or a loved one lived or worked at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and were exposed to drinking water contamination, you may be entitled to significant compensation separate and distinct from Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits through a new Congressional Act. But, time is limited to file a claim. Contact a water contamination lawyer at Cory Watson Attorneys for a free consultation today.
Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claims
In the early 1980s, two water-supply systems at Camp Lejeune were found to be contaminated with a group of toxic chemicals known as “volatile organic compounds.” These chemicals—including Trichloroethylene (a metal cleaner), Tetrachloroethylene (a dry cleaning agent), Benzene (a chemical often used in gasoline), Methylene chloride (a chemical solvent used in labs and to remove paint), and Vinyl chloride (a colorless gas used to make polyvinyl chloride and plastic products)—were found to have infiltrated the drinking water.
Up to one million military members, military staff, military family members, and other individuals at Camp Lejeune were exposed to the chemicals in this contaminated water (CDC). Thousands of those exposed to the contaminated water developed illnesses and other health issues.
Since 2012, Marine Corps Veterans who served on active duty at Camp Lejeune during the three decades that the water at Camp Lejeune was contaminated have been eligible for VA health and disability benefits for qualifying health conditions. However, they could not recover compensation for losses beyond healthcare benefits. But now, those who suffered health concerns from the dangerous chemicals that seeped into the Camp Lejeune water supply can seek additional damages beyond health and disability compensation by filing a Camp Lejeune lawsuit against the federal government.
Camp Lejeune Justice Act
After 35 years, The Camp Lejeune Justice Act finally allows military veterans, families, and staff at Camp Lejeune the right to file a claim for the harm they suffered from exposure to the contaminated water. The bill made its way through Congress as part of the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022, meant to “improve health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances,” and was signed into law by President Biden on August 10, 2022.
Now, any individual—including U.S. Military Veterans, their families, and civilians—who served, worked, or resided at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C., between 1953 and 1987 may have come into contact with contaminated drinking water linked to severe medical conditions may be eligible for to file a Camp Lejeune lawsuit for additional damages.
What Damages are Available in a Camp Lejeune Lawsuit?
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act provides qualifying individuals affected by the contaminated drinking water to request compensation for damages such as:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wage or income earnings
- Loss of earning capacity
- Emotional distress
- Permanent disability
- Loss of consortium
Who is Eligible to File a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claim?
Veterans, their family members, and civilians (including those who were in-utero at the time) may qualify for compensation under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act if the following criteria are met:
- Lived or worked at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or more from August 1, 1953, to December 31, 1987
- Can provide evidence linking exposure to the contaminated water on the base and the harm they suffered
- File a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination claim within two years of the enactment of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act
The Camp Lejeune lawyers with Cory Watson Attorneys law firm can review your case to determine if you or your loved one qualifies for this benefit.
Types of Water Contamination Illnesses Linked to Toxic Chemicals in Camp Lejeune Drinking Water
Cancers
- Adult Leukemia
- Aplastic Anemia
- Bladder Cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Myelodysplastic Cancer
- Multiple Myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Non-Cancer Injuries
- End-Stage Retinal Disease
- Female Infertility
- Hepatic Steatosis (Fatty Liver Disease)
- Renal Toxicity (Nephrotoxicity – Kidney Damage)
- Scleroderma (Hardening or tightening of skin)
Neurobehavioral Effects
- Dementia
- Early-Onset Dementia
- Parkinson’s Disease
Pediatric Injuries
- Birth Defects
- Choanal Atresia
- Eye Defects
- Cardiac Defects
- Neural Tube Defects
- Oral Cleft Defects
- Childhood Leukemia
- Fetal Death
- Miscarriage
- Major Fetal Malformations
A History of Toxic Exposure at Camp Lejeune and Progress Toward Justice
Camp Lejeune, a United States Marine Corps base located in North Carolina, has a history of water contamination that has had significant health and environmental impacts on its residents and surrounding areas. Here is a timeline of the water contamination at Camp Lejeune:
1940s-1980s
During this period, various activities on the base, including industrial operations, fuel storage, and waste disposal, led to the release of hazardous chemicals into the soil and groundwater. Some of the main contaminants included volatile organic compounds, such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene, as well as other chemicals like benzene and vinyl chloride.
Late 1970s-1980s
Reports of unusual health issues among Camp Lejeune residents started to emerge. Some residents experienced health problems like cancers, birth defects, and other chronic illnesses.
Early 1980s
The first indications of water contamination emerged when testing revealed elevated levels of certain chemicals in the base’s water supply wells.
1989
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed Camp Lejeune on the National Priorities List as a Superfund site due to the contamination.
Late 1990s
The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) began investigating the health effects of the contaminated water on residents and former residents of Camp Lejeune.
2000s
Investigations, studies, and legal actions continued as more evidence linked the contaminated water to adverse health effects, including increased rates of certain cancers, neurological disorders, and birth defects among residents and their families.
2012
The Janey Ensminger Act, named after a young girl who died due to complications related to water contamination, was signed into law. This act required the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide healthcare to certain veterans and family members who had been exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
2017
The U.S. Congress passed the Camp Lejeune Act, expanding healthcare benefits to more veterans and their family members who had been affected by the water contamination.
2022
Biden signed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, creating a two-year window for hundreds of thousands of service members, their families, and civilians exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune to seek compensation by filing civil Camp Lejeune lawsuits against the U.S. government.
How Cory Watson Camp Lejeune Attorneys Can Help with Your Claim
Cory Watson Attorneys has decades of experience handling thousands of dangerous chemical lawsuits, including a history of successfully handling—and obtaining compensation—for contaminated drinking water exposure cases similar to the Camp Lejeune claims. For more than 30 years, Cory Watson has litigated, settled, and worked on large-scale water contamination cases, including those involving Fortune 500 companies. We’ve represented individual and community plaintiffs who resided in more than a dozen states. Our team of attorneys and legal professionals have experience with the science and medical issues that are critical to these cases and that will be present in Camp Lejeune claims.
Cory Watson Attorneys also has a long history of representing military veterans and their families and has thousands of present and former military personnel as clients. We believe you shouldn’t have to pay for recovering from a medical condition caused by somebody else’s negligence. Our legal team is ready to help you get the Camp Lejeune settlement you deserve for the suffering you have gone through.
But time is running out to file a lawsuit under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, so you must act quickly. Contact our personal injury attorneys at 877-562-0000 or by completing our online consultation form today, and let’s discuss your legal options.
ABOUT CORY WATSON ATTORNEYS
Cory Watson Attorneys is a nationally recognized personal injury law firm with offices in Birmingham, Alabama as well as Memphis, and Nashville, Tennessee. The firm has recovered more than $3 billion for clients across the country. Cory Watson Attorneys are frequently at the forefront of major class actions and multidistrict litigations involving environmental contamination cases or product liability related to serious injuries from defective products and are often appointed to leadership positions in national cases. Firm practice areas include Personal Injury, Product Liability, Class Action, Asbestos, Business & Commercial Litigation, Dangerous Pharmaceuticals, Defective Medical Devices, and Environmental/Toxic Torts.