Many of our clients served in the military between 1953 and 1987. Some of them spent time at Camp LeJeune in North Carolina, became very sick, and pursued claims at the Veterans Administration for service-connected compensation over the years. We reported in October that now there is a new avenue for civil lawsuits to be brought to obtain possible compensation. On August 10, 2022, President Biden signed the Camp LeJeune Justice Act of 2022 into law, aimed at helping veterans who were exposed to toxins in the contaminated drinking water during their service. This Act provides an opportunity for compensation to United States Marines and other servicemen and servicewomen (and their families) for serious health consequences they suffered as a result of that exposure.
The colorless, odorless toxic chemicals in the contaminated drinking water are known or suspected causes of numerous severe health conditions. Among these are: o Birth defects o Low birth weight babies o Leukemia o Testicular cancer o Non Hodgkin’s lymphoma o Bladder cancer o Breast cancer o Esophageal cancer o Parkinson’s disease o Nervous system disorders
o Liver cirrhosis and failure o Kidney damage o Respiratory problems o Blood disorders o Immune system disorders
o Miscarriage o Female infertility o Myelodysplastic syndromes o Scleroderma
To qualify for compensation, (1) The individual must have been exposed (including in utero exposure) to drinking water at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days; (2) The exposure must have occurred between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987; (3) The party bringing the claim, or the legal representative, must produce evidence that the relationship between the ingestion of tainted water and the injury is “at least as likely as not.” There are time limits for filing, so if you think you are potentially eligible to pursue a civil claim, consulting with an attorney is a good idea.
If you are interested in discussing your case, call us at 732-382-6070.