Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyer

Camp Lejeune is a United States Marine Corps base located in Jacksonville, North Carolina. From 1953 to 1987, the base’s drinking water was contaminated with toxic chemical compounds such as trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, perchloroethylene (PCE), vinyl chloride, and others.

Estimates place the number of people affected by the water contamination at Camp Lejeune at more than 1 million over the course of more than 30 years. This includes members of the military and civilian employees on the base, as well as their families (including children and babies in utero).

For years, the federal government denied responsibility for the high rate of serious illnesses experienced by people who lived and worked at Camp Lejeune from the 1950s to the 1980s. The effects of the toxic exposure are still felt to this day, with veterans, former residents, and employees at Camp Lejeune being diagnosed with cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and other diseases decades after the fact.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act was signed into law on August 8th, 2022 as part of the Honoring Our PACT Act. This legislation will circumvent unacceptable legal loopholes in North Carolina and provide individuals and families affected by the Camp Lejeune water contamination with long-overdue recourse for seeking justice.

What Illnesses Are Associated with Camp Lejeune Water Contamination?

The toxic chemicals that contaminated the water at Camp Lejeune have been linked to a number of serious health concerns. Multiple types of cancers and other potential health concerns are associated with these toxic chemicals, including:

• Kidney cancer
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (a cancer of the lymphatic system)
• Liver cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Multiple myeloma (cancer of the body’s plasma cells)
• Leukemia (cancer of the blood)
• Parkinson’s disease
• Cardiac Birth Defects
• Scleroderma

Fertility issues and miscarriages have also been linked to the water contamination at Camp Lejeune. In-utero exposure to contaminated water has led to a wide range of birth defects and high rates of childhood cancer. Tragically, many children died very young due to the toxic effects of the chemicals found in the water at Camp Lejeune.

The Challenging Legal History of Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

Historically, legal options for those harmed by the water contamination at Camp Lejeune have been limited. In 2008, the VA established a “presumptive service connection” for veterans stationed at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987. The VA only recognizes a presumptive service connection for eight conditions (Parkinson’s disease; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; MDS; adult leukemia; multiple myeloma; and cancers of the bladder, liver, and kidneys). Veterans suffering from other health complaints that may be linked to their service at Camp Lejeune are required to submit additional medical evidence.

In 2012, the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act created a mechanism for veterans and their families to receive care through the VA for select health issues associated with Camp Lejeune’s water contamination. Coverage of medical expenses was limited to certain “qualifying health conditions.”

Unfortunately, the VA denied many veterans’ claims for disability and medical services. What’s more, no provision was made for civilian employees and their families exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

To make matters worse, North Carolina law made it impossible for many victims of water contamination at Camp Lejeune to bring civil actions for diseases connected to toxic exposure on the base. North Carolina General Statutes § 1-52(16) states that “no cause of action shall accrue more than 10 years from the last act or omission of the defendant giving rise to the cause of action.”

Known as the statute of repose, the law only gives plaintiffs up to 10 years to bring claims for diseases and other “latent injuries.” Although amended by the state legislature, the statute of repose does not apply retroactively. Considering the toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune began in the 1950s and ended in the 1980s, most claims related to the water contamination have been barred by the courts in North Carolina.

Damages for Water Contamination Illnesses Linked to Camp Lejeune

It is important to account for all of the damages you and/or the members of your family have suffered as a result of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. You may be entitled to compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Disability
• Loss of society and companionship

It is important to note individuals who were previously granted health and disability benefits for illnesses related to toxic water exposure at Camp Lejeune may have their ultimate compensation “offset”, or reduced, based on prior payments or awards received for toxic water disability.

This lawsuit will NOT affect your ongoing VA or government benefits.