From 1953 to 1987, United States service members living at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina were drinking and bathing in water containing toxic chemicals.
According to recent estimates, approximately 1 million people have been exposed to chemicals such as industrial solvents, benzene, and vinyl chloride, among others. All of these substances are known cancer-causing chemicals, and are extremely dangerous to human health.
If you or a loved one has been exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, you may be able to file a lawsuit to seek compensation. You may be asking yourself, “do I need a lawyer for Camp Lejeune water contamination?”
Luckily, our expert veteran’s disability team can guide you throughout the entire complex process.
Illness and Conditions Caused By Contaminated Water
Exposure to contaminated water, including chemicals such as the ones detected at Camp Lejeune, has inflicted very serious side effects in generations of people.
Side effects include, but are not limited to:
- Adult leukemia
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
Currently, these conditions are the only ones for which there is sufficient medical evidence to support presumptions. However, the Veterans Association continues to add new diseases as evidence becomes available.
Camp Lejeune veterans who are experiencing these or other health conditions are encouraged to seek help from a physician, and to file a claim.
*If you’ve been exposed to contaminated water, but don’t have any symptoms indicating potential illness, take the extra step–get a check-up from your doctor to get ahead of any potential health abnormalities.
Who Can File A Lawsuit?
The qualifications for filing a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit are as follows:
Under the law, anyone who “resided, worked, or was otherwise exposed” to Camp Lejeune drinking water for 30 days or more between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, may be eligible to file a claim for damages. This includes:
- Military veterans who served at Camp Lejeune during the above period
- Family members of veterans who lived on the base
- Civilians workers who lived or worked on the base
What is the Process for Getting Benefits?
In order to qualify for compensation, you first need to file a claim. This requires some evidence via documentation. The proper documentation is as follows, depending on how you were affected.
- A document proving your relationship to the veteran who served on active duty for at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune (i.e. a marriage license, birth certificate, or adoption papers)
- A document proving that you lived at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 days from August, 1953 through December, 1987 (i.e. utility bills, base housing records, military orders, or tax forms)
- Medical records that show you have one of the conditions listed above. *These records also need to include the date of your diagnosis, and that you’re being treated or have been treated in the past for this illness.
Additionally, you’ll need to provide evidence that you paid health care expenses for your condition during one of the time periods listed below:
- Between January 1, 1957, and December 31, 1987. *If you lived on Camp Lejeune during this time period, you can be reimbursed for care received on or after August 6, 2012, and up to 2 years before the date of your application.
- Between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1956. *If you lived on Camp Lejeune during this time period, you can be reimbursed for care received on or after December 16, 2014, and up to 2 years before the date you apply for benefits.
If You’ve Been Affected by the Camp Lejeune Water Contamination, Contact Us Today
You’ve served our country; now let us serve you. If the Camp Lejeune water contamination has affected the health of yourself or a loved one, contact us today to hire a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawyer.
We’ll guide you through the rigorous claims and documentation process, and help you navigate both the legal system and the Veterans Affairs Department, to get you the compensation you and your family deserve.
