CAMP LEJEUNE TOXIC EXPOSURE LAWSUITS

Over the years, scientific studies have uncovered extensive evidence linking the toxic chemicals found in Camp Lejeune water to cancers and other serious health conditions. And while veterans and victims have long struggled to recover compensation their losses, they now have new opportunities to obtain justice.

Thanks to the recently passed Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA), as many as 1 million people may now be eligible to file civil claims for compensation. You may have a lawsuit if you lived or worked on the base between 1953 and 1987, or if your family member died from a qualifying disease due to their exposure.

Discuss Your Eligibility with a Camp Lejeune Toxic Exposure Lawyer

In 1982, the Marine Corps discovered several volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the drinking water provided by two of the eight water treatment plants (Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point) that supplied finished water to military housing (Tarawa Terrace neighborhood) and other sites at Camp Lejeune.

According to the CDC, these contaminants came from various sources, including the improper waste disposal practices of an off-base dry cleaning business, leaking underground storage tanks, industrial spills, and waste disposal sites.

Toxic chemicals found at Camp Lejeune:

• Benzene
• TCE (trichloroethylene)
• PCE (perchloroethylene)
• Vinyl chloride

Following decades of research, the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has come to adopt the position that exposure to TCE, PCE, vinyl chloride, and other contaminants in Camp Lejeune water likely increased the risk of cancers, birth defects, and other adverse health effects of residents, civilians, and servicemembers present at Camp Lejeune from the 1950s through the 1980s.

Given the ATSDR’s position and years of research linking the toxic chemicals at Camp Lejeune to cancers and serious health conditions, Congress established in 2017 that there would be a presumption of exposure for those who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune. This means that there’s no need to directly prove you were exposed to toxic chemicals if you can prove you were on site during the specified period.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act

The dangers of the toxic chemicals found at Camp Lejeune are well documented and researched, but veterans and civilians who’ve suffered due to their exposures have faced considerable challenges in the fight for justice. Fortunately, many of these barriers were eliminated with the passing of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act in August 2022.

Passed as part of the Honoring our PACT Act, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) provides victims sickened by toxic water at Camp Lejeune with a meaningful opportunity to obtain long-overdue justice.

Under the Act:

• Qualifying victims (including veterans and civilians) can now file civil claims and recover compensation for their damages.
• The federal government cannot claim specified immunity for Camp Lejeune lawsuits.
• North Carolina’s statute of limitations will not apply to Camp Lejeune claims.

Thanks to the CLJA, as many as one million victims may now be eligible to file lawsuits over their exposure to toxic water contaminants at Camp Lejeune.

Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Eligibility

You may be eligible to file a Camp Lejeune lawsuit if you or someone you love were:

1. A servicemember, military family member, civilian worker, or government contractor who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987;
2. Exposed to contaminated water for at least 30 days (including in utero and non-consecutive exposure); and
3. Diagnosed with cancer or another chronic health condition.

In addition to providing recourse for victims directly sickened by toxins in Camp Lejeune water, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act also entitles families to compensation if their loved one lived or worked at the base during the qualifying period and died from a qualifying disease. The Official Military Personnel Files “OMPF” will have information about your loved one’s service at Camp Lejeune.

Cancers & Other Health Conditions Linked to Camp Lejeune Toxic Water

The VOCs and other harmful contaminants found in Camp Lejeune water have been linked to organ damage, cancer, and other serious and deadly health conditions. If you were exposed within the timeframe specified, and you’ve been diagnosed with cancer or another serious disease, you may be eligible to file a claim.

A qualifying condition includes but is not limited to:

• Adult Leukemia
• Aplastic Anemia
• Bladder Cancer
• Breast Cancer
• Colon Cancer
• Kidney Disease or Kidney Cancer
• Laryngeal Cancer
• Leukemia
• Liver Cancer
• Lung Cancer
• Multiple Myeloma
• Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Pancreatic Cancer
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Prostate Cancer
• Rectal Cancer
• Scleroderma
• Systemic Sclerosis

FREE Consultation

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act creates legal pathways that will allow victims and families harmed by toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune to finally obtain justice. However, there are important deadlines and requirements that must be met when filing claims.

At Levy Konigsberg, our award-winning attorneys have successfully litigated claims involving the Flint Water Crisis and contaminated talc products and have over 40 years of experience representing veterans exposed to asbestos during their service on ships and shipyards. We are proud to now represent veterans and others who were exposed to toxic chemicals during their time at Camp Lejeune.