Marine Helping Marines & Those Affected by the Contaminated Water at Camp Lejeune

From August 1, 1953, to December 31, 1987, the water at Camp Lejeune – the United States Marine Corps base located near Jacksonville, North Carolina – was contaminated with toxic chemicals including trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), vinyl chloride (VC) and benzene.

Over the 34-year period, it’s estimated that more than one million people have been affected by the dangerous chemicals contaminating the water. On August 10, 2022, President Biden signed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) of 2022, which allows victims to seek legal compensation for the harm they’ve experienced due to the contaminated water.

Our law firm is here to serve the Marines, their families, and the many civilians who spent years serving our country at Camp Lejeune. Whether you, your spouse, your children, your parent, or someone you care about has experienced an injury or illness due to the water contamination at Camp Lejeune, we are here to help.

As a South Carolina law firm, our team has deep ties to the military. Our fathers were Vietnam veterans, and one of our attorneys, Janek Kazmierski, is a former Marine who served as an infantry officer with the 6th Marine Regiment. Janek remains connected with the military community as a member of the Marine Corps Association & Foundation. He is also a life-member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. We are honored to have the opportunity to advocate on behalf of the military men and women who dedicated their lives to protecting our country.

Contact us today by filling out this form or calling us directly at (803) 790-2800 to speak to our team to see how we can help. For more information about the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, the water contamination, and who is eligible to file a claim, continue reading the article below.

Frequently Asked Questions About Camp Lejeune’s Contaminated Water 

(Click the links below to jump to the question or continue scrolling to read the entire article):

  1. Who can file a claim for compensation due to Camp Lejeune water contamination?
  2. What illnesses are connected to the water contamination at Camp Lejeune?
  3. Can I bring a claim on behalf of a deceased family member that was affected by Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water?
  4. How can I connect my injuries and/or illness to Camp Lejeune’s drinking water?
  5. How long do I have to file a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit? 
  6. What is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022?
  7. What was in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune?
  8. What benefits am I eligible for under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022?
  9. How much compensation will I receive from a Camp Lejeune settlement?
  10. How can a lawyer help me with my Camp Lejeune water contamination claim?
 
  1. Who can file a claim for compensation due to Camp Lejeune water contamination?

Men, women, children, and unborn children who lived, worked, and were exposed to Camp Lejeune drinking water for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, and are able connect their illness and/or injuries to the toxic water may file a claim.

Claims are not limited to Marines and former Marines. Military families, surviving family members, civilians, and anyone who lived or worked on base for at least 30 days may be eligible to file a claim.

 
  1. What illnesses are connected to the water contamination at Camp Lejeune?

The water contamination at Camp Lejeune has been associated with many different illnesses and injuries including multiple types of cancer. If you or someone you care about experienced injuries or illnesses after being stationed at Camp Lejeune, including but not limited to those ailments listed below, you may be eligible to seek compensation.

  • Adult Leukemia
  • Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
  • Bladder cancer
  • Kidney cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Breast cancer
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Female infertility
  • Hepatic steatosis
  • Lung Cancer
  • Miscarriage
  • Neurobehavioral effects (like Parkinson’s Disease and ALS)
  • Renal Toxicity
  • Sclerodoma
 
  1. Can I bring a claim on behalf of a deceased family member that was affected by Camp Lejeune’s contaminate water?

Yes. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 allows a deceased person’s representative to file a claim for past expenses, loss of quality of life, pain, suffering, and illness if their death is linked the water contamination at Camp Lejeune.

 
  1. How can I connect my injuries and/or illness to Camp Lejeune’s drinking water?

If you suspect that you or your family member has suffered an illness or injury after exposure to the toxic chemicals in Camp Lejeune’s water, we must still prove that your condition is connected to the contaminated water. There are a number of conditions that are presumed to be caused by the contaminants, yet a host of other ailments that require further medical proof. Our job is to work with medical experts and treating doctors to determine whether or not the illness may be properly linked back to the contaminants and therefore qualify you for compensation.

 
  1. How long do I have to file a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit? 

President Joe Biden signed the Honoring Our PACT Act, which includes the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, into law on Wednesday, August 10, 2022. You have 2 years – until August 10, 2024 - to bring a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim. 

 
  1. What is the Camp LeJeune Justice Act of 2022?

The Camp LeJeune Justice Act of 2022 – a part of the Honoring Our PACT (Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics) Act - allows victims of Camp Lejeune water contamination to seek legal compensation.  The Act allows people who lived or worked or were harmed as unborn children at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 to file a toxic water lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Eastern North Carolina. It also overrides the long-standing state law in North Carolina that prohibits the filing of claims after 10 years.

 
  1. What was in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune?

Two on-base water wells that were shut down in 1985 contained dangerous levels of toxic chemicals, including:

  • Trichloroethylene (TCE)
  • Perchloroethylene (PCE)
  • Benzene
  • Vinyl chloride
 
  1. What benefits am I eligible for under the Camp LeJeune Justice Act of 2022?

Under the CLJA, if you have an illness or injury connected to the contaminated water, you may be eligible to receive healthcare, disability benefits, and claim/lawsuit compensation.

Healthcare: The VA will pay for all healthcare related to the qualified illnesses listed above. 

Disability Benefits: Veterans, reservists, and guardsmen who served for at least 30 days from August 1953 through December 1987 that have a diagnosis of one or more of the presumptive conditions (Adult leukemia, Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes, Bladder cancer, Kidney cancer, Liver cancer, Multiple myeloma, Non-Hodgkin's lymphonma, and Parkinson's disease) are eligible for disability benefits from the VA. Veterans who received a dishonorable discharge when they separated from the military are not eligible to receive disability benefits. 

Compensation from Claims/Lawsuits: Affected individuals, including Marines, former Marines, surviving family members, military families, and any civilian that lived or worked on base, may be able to receive compensation due to illnesses caused by the toxic chemicals in Camp Lejeune’s water. 

 
  1. How much compensation will I receive from a Camp Lejeune settlement?

Compensation will vary depending on the severity of the injury/illness and how clearly we are able to link it to the contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune. 

Camp Lejeune settlement amounts will depend on: 

  • Your diagnosed medical condition; 
  • The amount of exposure you had to the contaminated water; and
  • The damage to someone's life caused by the linked condition. This may include financial losses, but also physical pain, mental anguish, lost quality of life, and all the other ways the person suffered as a result of the injury/illness brought on by the contaminants. 

Our water contamination attorneys will leave no stone unturned so we can help you make a full, fair recovery for the harm experienced as a result of the toxic chemicals in Camp Lejeune’s water. 

 
  1. How Can a Lawyer Help Me with my Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claim?

Qualified Camp Lejeune water contamination attorneys can help put together your case to ensure you receive the benefits you are entitled to under the CLJA. Attorney Helps Camp Lejeune Case

Our attorneys will: 

  • Meet with you to gather information about your time at Camp Lejeune, including how long you were at the base, your degree of exposure to the water at Camp Lejuene, and how it has affected your life; 
  • Gather medical documents to prove your illness is linked to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune; 
  • Develop a detailed understanding of your exposure, diagnosis, and the overall impact the toxic water has had on your life; 
  • Submit a claim based on this understanding to the federal government; and
  • File a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina if necessary. 

It is our privilege to help Marines, former Marines, civilians, and their families seek justice under the CLJA. Though no amount of money can make up for the harm you’ve experienced after being exposed to toxic drinking water, we want to do everything in our power to create accountability and help remove the financial burden imposed by the illness. 

People poisoned at Camp Lejeune deserve full justice and we are here to help.

For a free consultation, contact us today by filling out this form, starting a live chat, or calling us directly at (803) 790-2800.

Kenneth Berger
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Columbia and Myrtle Beach car accident and personal injury lawyer dedicated to securing justice for clients.