Camp Lejeune is a Marine Corps military base located in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Between 1953 to 1987, some of the water treatment facilities for Camp Lejeune were contaminated with toxic substances. As a result, many military members and their families developed serious and life-threatening diseases like cancer.
If you or someone you love were affected by the water contamination at Camp Lejeune, you deserve justice. Emerging legislation may make it possible for victims of this toxic exposure to file lawsuits against the government and secure a settlement to pay for the losses that they experienced, such as medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
The attorneys at Shapiro Legal Group, PLLC are dedicated to fighting for the rights of injured military families. Our Camp Lejeune water contamination lawyers represent injured clients nationwide in their claims against government entities. We can advocate aggressively for your right to maximum recovery.
Why Choose Shapiro Legal Group, PLLC for Your Claim
- Our firm has over 20 years of experience representing injured people in their claims against large corporations and government agencies.
- Our attorneys represent victims of Camp Lejeune water contamination across the United States. We co-counsel with top firms to provide the best possible legal representation
- We understand how painful a serious illness like cancer can be. Our firm will handle each aspect of your case on your behalf, guiding you through each stage of litigation.
Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Legal Resources
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What Caused Water Contamination at Camp Lejeune?
Who is at Risk of Health Problems?
What Are Potential Effects of Contaminated Water Exposure?
Will the Department of Veterans Affairs Provide Benefits to Victims?
How a Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Lawyer Can Help
Contact an Attorney Today
What Caused Water Contamination at Camp Lejeune?
Between 1953 and 1987, water treatment facilities in Camp Lejeune became contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are substances that have a high vapor pressure and low solubility in water and can cause serious health effects if they are ingested.
Leaking storage tanks and industrial activities from the base water treatment facilities and a nearby dry-cleaning company were the primary sources of the contamination. In particular, the Tarawa Terrace Treatment Plant and the Hadnot Point Treatment Plant were affected. Two VOCs were detected in the base’s water supply: a degreaser and a dry-cleaning solvent.
Several dangerous chemicals leaked into the water supply at Camp Lejeune, including the following:
- Vinyl chloride
- Benzene
- Tetrachloroethylene
- Trichloroethylene
- Perchloroethylene
Studies have linked the VOCs found in the water supply at Camp Lejeune to serious health problems, like cancer and fatty liver disease. For example, studies have associated trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene with an increased risk of cancers like non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and liver cancer. Benzene is a known carcinogen linked to several types of leukemia.
Who Is at Risk of Developing Health Problems from Camp Lejeune Water?
Families living at Camp Lejeune were completely unaware of the dangers of the water that was supplied to the base. As a result, they drank, cooked with, and bathed in water that contained dangerous, health-altering substances. Now, many former service members and their families have developed serious and life-threatening medical conditions.
Any person who lived at Camp Lejeune during the period of contamination may be at risk of developing health problems from the water. You are particularly at risk if you have experienced prolonged exposure to the tainted water, usually for a period of at least 30 days.
Women who were living at Camp Lejeune while they were pregnant may also experience dangerous effects. Miscarriage is associated with exposure to these dangerous VOCs, as are birth defects.
One study from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry found that children born from 1968 to 1985 whose mothers were exposed to the contaminated water were more likely to develop neural tube defects (NTDs). The two most common conditions associated with NTDs are spina bifida and anencephaly.
What Are the Potential Effects of Contaminated Water Exposure?
Contaminated water can be extremely dangerous and lead to serious adverse health effects if someone ingests it. Extended exposure to the VOCs found in the Camp Lejeune water supply may lead to the development of many of the following diseases:
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Hepatic steatosis
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Lung cancer
- Miscarriage
- Female infertility
- Multiple myeloma
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Neurobehavioral effects
These diseases often require extensive medical care and may lead to permanent or life-threatening complications. Depending on your condition, you may need around-the-clock medical care, disability accommodations, specialized therapies, or hospice care.
You may also experience a decline in your quality of life and develop depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. You may be unable to go to work or participate in daily activities due to your condition. You and your family can suffer from significant financial hardship while you receive treatment.
Will the Department of Veterans Affairs Provide Health or Disability Benefits to Victims?
Veterans who have served at Camp Lejeune may be eligible for healthcare and disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. To qualify, you must be an active duty, National Guard, or reserve member, or a family member of a military member, who lived on the base for at least 30 days between August 1st, 1953 and December 31st, 1987.
Healthcare Benefits
The government will provide benefits to treat certain medical conditions associated with the water contamination. To qualify for healthcare benefits, you must have lived at Camp Lejeune within the appropriate time frame and suffered:
- Liver cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Birth defects
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Lung cancer
- Leukemia
- Multiple myeloma
- Neurobehavioral effects
If you are a veteran eligible for benefits under the Camp Lejeune Act of 2012, you can receive medical services for any of the above conditions at no cost. You can learn more about applying for veterans’ healthcare by visiting the website for the Department of Veterans of Affairs.
Family members affected by the water contamination may also qualify for reimbursement for any out-of-pocket medical costs associated with these conditions. You can claim these benefits by supplying evidence showing that you were a legal dependent of a veteran who served at Camp Lejeune; you lived on the base within the appropriate time frame; and you paid for healthcare related to a covered medical condition.
Disability Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs may also provide disability benefits for certain conditions related to the water contamination at Camp Lejeune. To qualify, you must meet the time-frame requirements and have been diagnosed with at least one of the following conditions:
- Parkinson’s disease
- Kidney cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Adult leukemia
- Multiple myeloma
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
To qualify for disability benefits, veterans must submit records showing that they served at Camp Lejeune within the appropriate time frame. They must also supply medical evidence showing that they were diagnosed with one of the above medical conditions. Family members do not qualify for disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
How a Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Lawyer Can Help
The United States government is working to pass H.R. 3967, a bill that would allow injured veterans and their families to seek damages for exposure to toxic substances. As of July 2022, the bill has passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The next step for H.R. 3967 is for the President to sign it into law.
Previous lawsuits have been dismissed in North Carolina due to the statute of repose, which is six years. With this new legislation in place, former Camp Lejeune residents could file a lawsuit against the government and recover compensation for medical care, lost wages, and other losses.
If you were affected by this contamination, the attorneys at Shapiro Legal Group, PLLC can guide you through the litigation process.
Who Is Eligible for a Camp Lejeune Lawsuit?
You may qualify for a water contamination lawsuit if you lived at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1st, 1953 and December 31st, 1987, and were later diagnosed with any of the following diseases:
- Adult leukemia
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
- Esophageal cancer
- Breast cancer
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
- Lung cancer
- Fatty liver disease
- Miscarriage
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Cardiac birth defects
You could file a lawsuit if you were a military member based at Camp Lejeune, or if you were a family member who lived with the military member on the base. If your mother lived at Camp Lejeune while she was pregnant, you may also pursue litigation if you were born with a birth defect.
If you are unsure whether you qualify for a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit, speak to an attorney at Shapiro Legal Group, PLLC. Our attorneys can carefully evaluate your case and help you understand your legal options.
How Much Is a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Settlement?
Damages in Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuits will likely depend on your individual losses. As a result, it can be difficult to estimate the average value of these settlements at this time.
Like other lawsuits against government entities, the compensation available in a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim will depend heavily on the specific damages that you suffered. You will have the right to recover compensation for the losses that you experienced due to the disease that you developed.
You may be eligible to recover damages for the past and future medical care related to your condition, as well as the lost wages that you incurred while receiving treatment. You could also secure compensation for the physical and emotional pain and suffering that you endured.
As H.R. 3967 makes its way to the President’s desk, it is important to start collecting evidence to support your future case. Save all records related to your condition and the treatment that you receive, including medical bills, correspondence, and evidence of your military service and residence at Camp Lejeune. These steps will help you initiate your lawsuit if the bill becomes law.
Benefits of Hiring a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyer
When filing a lawsuit against the government, you need an attorney on your side. In addition to determining your eligibility, a Camp Lejeune contaminated water lawyer from Shapiro Legal Group, PLLC can provide several important benefits to your case:
- Camp Lejeune lawsuits represent a new legal area. Your lawyer will have the skills and experience to understand the complexities of your case and can apply his or her knowledge to support your case.
- It can be difficult to know the full extent of your damages after being diagnosed with a serious illness. Your lawyer will explore all possible avenues to compensation and accurately calculate your potential settlement.
- Your lawyer will have a deep understanding of the law and the processes that you will need to take part in in order to recover compensation. He or she will guide you through each stage of litigation and help you prepare for each stage.
- You may need support from expert witnesses to prove your case. Your attorney will have developed a wide network of resources that he or she can leverage, connecting you with experts like medical professionals and scientists.
- Claims involving the government follow a different set of rules than claims against private individuals or entities. Your lawyer will have experience representing clients in lawsuits against the government and will be able to ensure that your case complies with these requirements.
- Treatment for a serious illness like cancer can be painful and take a significant toll on your physical and emotional health. Your lawyer will handle every aspect of your claim so that you can focus on your health instead of complex litigation.
Contact a Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Attorney Today
If you or a loved one lived at Camp Lejeune and later developed a serious disease, you deserve justice. Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the government in the near future.
The attorneys at Shapiro Legal Group, PLLC are currently accepting cases from people who were affected by this dangerous water contamination. If you qualify, our water contamination lawyers can represent your case and fight for your right to justice.
Contact us today to schedule your free consultation and learn more about your legal options from a Camp Lejeune contaminated water attorney.