Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Accident Injury Attorney
Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in North Carolina had two of eight water treatment facilities that supplied drinking water contaminated with volatile organic compounds from 1953 through 1987. During this time, nearly 1,000,000 unsuspecting Marines, Sailors, their families, and civilian employees working at Camp Lejeune were exposed to the contaminated water that has caused cancers, death, miscarriages, various serious illnesses, and other life-altering health conditions. Even worse it has been revealed that some senior military leaders knew of the risks and concealed their knowledge of the problem.
If you or a loved one were stationed, living, or working at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, for at least 30 days (can be met in a non-continuous manner), you may be entitled to compensation for past, current, and future medical bills, lost wages, loss of quality of life, and much more from drinking the highly toxic and contaminated water. It is important that you contact a trusted Accident Injury Attorney as soon as you’re able to get the justice, care, and compensation you need.
While the contaminant wells and toxic drinking water was finally shut down in 1985, military men and women, their families, and civilian workers at Camp Lejeune continued to be affected through 1987. During this 34-year period, military men and women, their spouses, children, family members and civilian workers were drinking and bathing in water with high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). All these exposed had no knowledge of the contamination.
The toxic VOCs found in the drinking water included:
- Benzene: According to the CDC, Benzene is known to cause cancer. In the ATSDR assessment, it was found that consuming Benzene contaminated water is linked to Leukemias and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and well as Multiple Myeloma. It’s in the top 20 chemicals for production volume and is used to make other chemicals that compose:
- Plastics
- Resins
- Nylon and synthetic fibers
- Tetrachloroethylene (also known as perchloroethylene or PCE): Exposure can lead to bladder cancer and other health effects. It is used to make the following:
- Metal degreasers
- Dry-cleaning agents
- Manufacturing other chemicals
- Producing paint
- And more
- Trichloroethylene (TCE): Ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin, exposure can potentially lead to kidney cancer, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, other cancers, or cardiac effects. Volatile chemical used for:
- Degreaser product for metal machinery
- Vinyl Chloride (VC): Heavily linked to liver cancer and other cancers. Primarily used to make:
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
- Used to make a variety of plastic products including pipes, wire and cable coatings, and packaging materials.
While action is finally being taken to assist these citizens with proper care and compensation, many have already lost their loved ones due to this tragedy and the residents who are still alive are forced to suffer from life-altering and many fatal conditions. This is why our team at Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys wants to help, let our Accident Injury Attorneys take care of the legalities, so you can get the financial support you justly deserve.
What Steps Do I Take to File a Camp Lejeune Lawsuit?
The VOCs included dry cleaning solvents, degreasers, and almost seventy (70) other hazardous chemicals which have affected thousands of military members, their families, and civilian workers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina from the contaminated drinking water. The exposure has been linked to many cancers and other serious illnesses. Despite the multiple claims and attempts by surviving victims, the residents stationed at Camp Lejeune could not receive any benefits or aid for their injuries due to limiting red tape like the North Carolina statute of repose and the Feres Doctrine – which prevented the Camp Lejeune victims from suing the government for any injuries that occurred during active service. This changed on June 16, 2022, when Congress passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 is a massive step forward for those qualifying service members, families, workers, and others affected by the toxic water and a way to get the benefits and compensation that they were previously denied. Follow these easy steps:
Step 1: Contact our team of trusted Accident Injury Attorneys at Andy Citrin in Alabama and Mississippi, immediately. Getting legal guidance from attorneys who have 30 years of experience in winning personal injury cases is crucial for receiving the proper amount of compensation. You do not pay anything unless we win your case!
Step 2: After we schedule your free consultation, make sure you bring as much relevant documentation as possible from Camp Lejeune residency papers to medical bills, and everything in between. We want to give you your best chances!
Diseases Caused by Contaminated Water at Camp Lejeune
Diseases Caused by Contaminated Water at Camp LejeuneOur reliable team of Accident Injury Lawyers at Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys want to help you seek justice for your pain and suffering. Please contact us if you were stationed, lived, or worked at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953 – December 31, 1987, and are suffering with one of the following severe diagnoses:
- Aplastic Anemia or Other Myelodysplastic Syndrome
- Adult-onset Leukemia
- Birth Defects
- Bladder Cancer
- Blood Cancers
- Brain Cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Cardiac (heart related) birth defect (in utero ONLY)
- Cervical Cancer
- Esophageal Cancer
- Hepatic Steatosis
- Kidney Cancer
- Laryngeal Cancer
- Leukemia
- Liver Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Lung Disease
- Lupus
- Miscarriage
- Multiple Myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Prostate Cancer
- Rectal Cancer
- Renal Toxicity
- Scleroderma
- Other Cancer(s)
- Other Serious Medical Condition/Disease
What was found in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina?
Sadly, on October 30, 1980 the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry found terrifying results after testing the water, and while they sent the lab results to the Marine Headquarters, the Marine leaders did not take any actions until several years later.
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (the VA), the following substances were found in the water at Camp Lejeune:
These toxic compounds were found in Camp Lejeune’s water at quantities that were thousands of times higher than what is considered safe by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For context, the EPA states that the maximum safe level of Trichloroethylene in drinking water should not exceed 5 parts per billion (ppb). Camp Lejeune’s Hadnot Point Treatment Plant carried Trichloroethylene at 1,400 ppb.
How Did the Water at Camp Lejeune Get Contaminated?
This water was contaminated during a time period full of weak environmental regulations and negligence in the early 1940’s. Camp Lejeune was founded in 1941 as one of the largest Marine Corps bases on the East Coast of the United States, having the ability to house thousands of service members, families, pets, and more.
Like many other military bases during this era, Camp Lejeune dumped toxic oil and other industrial derivatives and bi-products into the local drains, which eventually leaked into the water underground – the water residents use for bathing, drinking, eating, and more.
Due to little knowledge, priority, and resources on environmental policies at this time, none of the water was tested until 1980. This means, the military residents and workers at Camp Lejeune were exposed to cancerous substances for over 30 years, unknowingly. While we are glad the Camp Lejeune Justice Act was finally passed, it’s been nearly 70 years since the birth of this problem – meaning hundreds of Camp Lejeune residents have already lost their lives.
At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, it is our commitment to help any surviving victims of this devastating experience. We can help you and your loved ones get the compensation you need to ease financial burden, anxiety, and hopefully live a life with less suffering.
Why You Need an Accident Injury Attorney for Your Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Injury
We’re very happy the residents of Camp Lejeune finally have access to recover damages, but unfortunately, this is not the easiest process. For adequate compensation, you will need to gather numerous information like detailed evidence, relevant documents from a range of many decades, medical records, and more. After these steps, you must present the evidence in court to win the compensation you deserve.
Let our Accident Injury Attorneys deal with the hurdles of this legal process, so you can focus on getting better from the toxic exposure. None of this is fair, and our injury attorneys are ready to fight for you.
