If you or a loved one served or worked at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina and was subsequently diagnosed with cancer or a serious health condition, you may be entitled to compensation. The Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Lawyers at The Kryder Law Group, LLC Accident and Injury Lawyers are experienced personal injury lawyers who are prepared to fight to protect your rights and seek maximum compensation from your exposure to toxic chemicals in the Camp Lejeune water contamination.
Camp Lejeune Water Contamination: The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022
Impact of Camp Lejeune Water Contamination
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) report on Camp Lejeune’s water, as many as one million people including military and civilian staff and their families may have been exposed to the contaminated drinking water from August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987.
The Camp Lejeune contaminated drinking water contained a number of harmful chemicals including trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride. These chemicals are known to cause cancer and other serious health conditions.
If you were exposed to the Camp Lejeune water contamination for not less than 30 days from August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987, you may be eligible to seek compensation for your serious health conditions with a Lejeune water contamination lawsuit.
The PACT Act
On August 10, 2022, President Biden signed the PACT Act. The bipartisan PACT Act significantly expands services and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances. PACT codifies the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) process for evaluating the connection between service and a presumption of exposure for various chronic illnesses.
It also removes the need for veterans or their surviving families to prove a service connection for 23 serious health conditions. Some of these include: asthma, head and neck cancers of any type, lymphoma, brain cancer, melanoma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, pleuritis, and more.
The PACT Act Includes the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022
The PACT Act also includes the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 (S.3373), which allows victims of Camp Lejeune’s water supply contamination to seek compensation, which overrides North Carolina law that prevented them from doing so in the past.
Victims Have Two Years to File Starting August 10, 2022
Victims exposed to water contaminated with toxic chemicals at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune have a two year time period from August 10, 2022 to file a lawsuit. Qualified individuals include anybody exposed while on base, including military personnel, family members, and employees.
VA Benefits May Also Be Available
You may also be entitled to health care reimbursement from the U.S. government. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has set up a special benefits program for veterans and their families who were exposed to contaminated water at the base. There is more than $2 billion in government disability benefits available to provide healthcare to victims.
What Medical Problems Are Associated with Camp Lejeune Water Contamination?
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) cause damage to victims’ chromosomes and bone marrow cells. This damage in turn causes rare diseases and cancers in victims. The VA recognizes and may reimburse service members and their families for paid health care expenses related to these 15 conditions, including:
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Female infertility
- Hepatic steatosis
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Lung cancer
- Miscarriage
- Multiple myeloma
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
VOCs have also been proven to cause birth defects such as miscarriage, blindness, deafness, disfigurement in limbs, childhood cancers, organ failure, cognitive disorders, and cerebral palsy.
Presumptive Service Conditions
The U.S. government has recognized eight conditions associated with the Camp Lejeune water contamination that are considered to have a presumptive service connection:
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Adult Leukemia
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Parkinson’s disease
- Bladder cancer
- Multiple myeloma
Who Qualifies for Compensation?
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 applies to any individual who was exposed for at least 30 days to water that was supplied by or on behalf of the United States between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987.
This legislation does not only apply to military personnel. It also includes:
- Spouses, children, and other family members
- Babies exposed in utero
- Cadets and soldiers
- Veterans, reservists, and the national guard
- All branches of the United States Military
- On base workers and employees
If you are unsure whether you or a loved one qualify for compensation for your health conditions, a experienced Camp Lejeune attorneys can help determine your eligibility.
What Type of Compensation Can Victims Receive?
Camp Lejeune lawyers may help eligible victims receive compensation, including:
- Medical or health care expenses – past, present, and future healthcare and medical expenses, including hospitalization, doctor’s visits, prescription drugs, surgeries, and other medical treatment
- Lost earnings – lost wages due to time missed from work as a result of your injuries
- Pain and suffering – physical pain and emotional anguish caused by your injuries
- Loss of enjoyment of life – inability to participate in activities that you used to enjoy due to your injuries
- Wrongful death – if you have lost a family member, you may be eligible for funeral and burial costs, their medical bills, the loss of your loved one’s financial support, and more
Who Is Eligible for VA Disability Benefits?
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides disability benefits and health care benefits to veterans who were exposed to the contaminated water supply while stationed at Camp Lejeune. In order to receive disability compensation, you must be able to show that your illness is related to your exposure to the contaminated water.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for disability compensation, both of these statements must be true:
- You served at Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River for at least 30 cumulative days from August 1953 through December 1987, and
- You didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge when you separated from the military
You must also have a diagnosis of one or more of these presumptive conditions:
- Adult leukemia
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
Who’s Covered?
- Camp Lejeune Veterans including Marine Corps veterans
- Reservists
- National guard members
How Do I Make a Claim?
If you or a family member was stationed at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days from August 1953 through December 1987 and have suffered from any of the aforementioned health conditions, you may be entitled to compensation with a Camp Lejeune claim.
The first step is to contact an experienced Lejeune water contamination lawyer at The Kryder Law Group, LLC, Accident and Injury Lawyers who can answer your questions and help you file a claim against the United States government.
A Camp Lejeune attorney can also help ensure that Camp Lejeune claims are filed within the two-year window created by the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022.
A skilled Camp Lejeune lawyer from our team will walk you through the process and help you get the compensation you deserve.
Do I Have a Valid Claim?
Unlike most personal injury claims, you do not need to prove negligence to recover under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022. To file Camp Lejeune litigation, you must show that the relationship between the exposure to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and your health conditions are:
- Sufficient to conclude that a causal relationship exists, or
- Sufficient to conclude that a causal relationship is at least as likely as not.
How Long Will my Case Take?
The amount of time it will take for Camp Lejeune lawsuit attorneys to resolve your case will depend on a number of factors:
- Did the federal government either denies your claim or accepts liability?
- What is the strength of your evidence?
- What is the extent of your health issues.
Contact The Kryder Law Group, LLC Accident and Injury Lawyers
If you or a family member was stationed, lived, or worked at Camp Lejeune for not less than 30 days from August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987, and has suffered from any health conditions related to VOC exposure, you may be eligible for financial compensation.
The first step is to contact an experienced attorney at The Kryder Law Group, LLC, Accident & Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation. We’ll listen to you and help determine your eligibility. We will answer all of your questions and guide you through every step of the process.
If you decide to proceed with and file a Camp Lejeune lawsuit, we will also ensure that your claim is filed within the two-year window created by the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022.
(312) 223-1700