Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit
If you are a veteran who was stationed at Camp Lejeune or anyone else who resided at or worked at the Marine base for an extended period of time before 1987, you were likely exposed to toxic chemicals which existed in the tap water.
Testing found that the drinking water sources at Camp Lejeune contained a variety of toxic chemicals. Although officials were aware of the contamination, they never addressed the problem, leaving generations of Americans to be exposed to the water’s toxicity.
If you or a someone you care about is suffering from or has succumbed to any illness or disease related to exposure to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune, compensation may be available to you under the recently signed Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 (PACT Act). Call Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC today at (312) 586-1700 to find out if you qualify.
What Groups Most Affected by Camp Lejeune Water Contamination?
The group of people most affected by Camp Lejeune water contamination is the military personnel and their families who lived on the base between the 1950s and the 1980s. Civilian employees and contractors who worked on the base were also endangered. Daily, these people drank the polluted water, they cooked with it, brushed their teeth with it, and showered themselves with it. All the while unknowingly poisoning themselves with toxic chemicals.
During those years, Camp Lejeune’s water was contaminated by toxic chemicals like trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride. These chemicals are known to cause a number of health conditions, such as reproductive health issues, neurological disorders, and cancer.
Over the course of those decades, it is believed that a million people were exposed to the contaminated water by living or working on the Marine base. These people lost babies, were not able to have families, and were lost too soon to cancer and other diseases. They saw their children become ill or suffer congenital disabilities.
The families located on that base, serving their country, deserved better. Their health and the health of their loved ones cannot be restored, but as a consolation, they may be entitled to financial compensation.
What is the PACT Act?
The PACT Act is a new federal law that provides VA health care and benefits to Veterans (and their survivors) who are suffering or have lost their lives due to toxic exposure.
Within the PACT Act is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA), which creates a new federal cause of action for veterans, and other individuals, who resided, worked at, or were in any other way exposed to the contaminated water at the US Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, in Jacksonville, North Carolina for 30 days or longer, between August 1953 and December 1987.
Essentially, under the PACT Act, anyone who meets the criteria above may file a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina to obtain compensation for an illness or disease caused by their exposure to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune.
What Contaminants Were Found in The Water at Camp Lejeune?
The water sources at Camp Lejeune were found to be contaminated with industrial solvents, such as Benzene and numerous other toxins, including:
- Vinyl Chloride (VC)
- Tetrachloroethylene
- Trichloroethylene (TCE)
- Perchloroethylene (PCE)
- Trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene (DCE)
- Toluene
- Pesticides
- Heavy metals
- Various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
All of these chemicals are carcinogens, which means that they are known to cause cancer. Beginning in the 1950s and lasting until the 1980s, the U.S. Marine Corps base in North Carolina had its drinking water tainted by contaminants that were only discovered in the early eighties, though there had been ongoing contamination for decades.
PCE and TCE are solvents that were used to clean metal parts and equipment at the military base. These toxic chemicals were improperly disposed of, and so they seeped into the groundwater and contaminated it.
The chemicals Benzene and vinyl chloride, carcinogens, would have been in the fuel tanks and inside other equipment at the base. The water that was contaminated at Camp Lejeune caused substantial health risks to the civilian workers and military personnel on the base with their families. Studies have linked the chemicals in the water to cancers like leukemia, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
Reproductive issues, birth defects, autoimmune diseases, and neurological problems have all been linked to the chemicals that Camp Lejeune workers and residents were exposed to for decades. If you or a family member was exposed to the water contamination at Camp Lejeune, it is important to reach out to Call Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC today at (312) 586-1700 to find out if you are eligible.
More About Reproductive Issues
According to studies, the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune has been linked to much higher rates of miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant mortality in women exposed to the toxic chemicals than in women who were not. They struggled with noticeably higher rates of infertility, were more likely to deliver their babies preterm, and with lower birth weights than the general population.
Men who were exposed to Camp Lejeune’s water have experienced lower fertility rates, increased congenital disabilities in their children, and a greater-than-average danger of developing testicular cancer.
Those exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune have seen their reproductive health suffer. In August of 2022, the Bideen Administration passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 into federal law. This is a component of the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
This act permits veterans and their loved ones to pursue damages against Camp Lejeune even if their exposure and the illnesses that exposure caused appeared decades earlier. Veterans and their families may file their claims or lawsuits until August 2024. Speak to an attorney with Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC, as soon as possible to ensure you meet the deadline for filing.
Illnesses and Diseases Associated with the Contaminated Water at Camp Lejeune
The CLJA does not specify a distinct list of illnesses and diseases that will make a person eligible to file a lawsuit. That said, some of the many illnesses and diseases that have already been associated with the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune are as follows:
- Brain, Esophageal, Lung, Breast, Ovarian, Rectal, Liver, Cervical, Bladder, Prostate, Kidney, and Central Nervous System Cancer
- Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Leukemia
- Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
- Multiple Myeloma
- Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Other diseases associated with exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune include:
- Cardiac defect
- Epilepsy
- Fatty liver disease
- Female infertility
- Immune disorders
- Miscarriage
- Kidney damage
- Nerve damage
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Parkinson’s disease
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
If you or a someone you care about spent time at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 and developed any one of these serious diseases, it may be associated with exposure to toxic water at Camp Lejeune, and you should consult with an experienced attorney to discuss your eligibility for compensation.
Who is Eligible to File a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit?
A veteran or anyone else who was stationed at, lived, worked, spent time, or was in any other way exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune, for 30 days or longer, between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, or their legal representative may file a claim for compensation in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina for any harm suffered as a result of exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune. Essentially, this means a lawsuit can be brought by or on behalf of anyone who was at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or longer during the covered period, but also on behalf of their spouse, children, and even an unborn child.
How Much Compensation Can I Expect From My Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit?
No one can say in advance what amount of compensation you should expect to receive when your Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit is resolved. Anyone who claims to know in advance what the actual values will be at the end of your case is not being truthful with you.
That said, the various damages you can recover from your Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit include such things as:
- The cost of medical care to treat your illness or disease
- Lost wages and income
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life; and
- Loss of earning capacity
What’s more, if your loved one died as a result of an illness or disease associated with the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, you and your family may be entitled to file a wrongful death claim to obtain compensation for damages like funeral or burial expenses, the decedent’s final medical costs, and the decedent’s pain and suffering prior to death.
Is There a Deadline for Filing a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit?
The statute of limitations, or deadline for filing a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit before it is too late, is generally two years from the date the CLJA was signed (August 10, 2022). Therefore, it is important that you consult with an attorney right away regarding your eligibility to recover damages related to your exposure to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune.
How Much Will a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit Cost?
You will incur no out-of-pocket costs. Therefore, it will essentially cost you nothing to file a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit. You will only be charged a fee if our skilled attorneys recover compensation on your behalf, and that will be a percentage of the settlement. If there is no settlement, you will pay us nothing.
Why Hire Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC to Assist Me With My Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit?
Our experienced trial attorneys can ensure you have the evidence, expert testimony, and representation needed to protect your rights and recover the compensation that you and your family deserve.
We can ensure that your voice is heard, the story of your suffering is told, and that you receive every cent of compensation you are entitled to recover for losses associated with your exposure to toxic water at Camp Lejeune.
Our award-winning law firm has recovered more than $500 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients. For more information about a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit, reach out to Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC at (312) 586-1700, or fill out our contact form to arrange a free consultation with a skilled trial attorney.