Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Claim - Frequently Asked Questions
Our nation owes the highest obligation to serve those who have served us. That is why Counsel Hound is proud to help get justice for military veterans and their families who suffered injuries caused by their toxic water exposure while stationed at Camp Lejeune. The following are some of the most frequently asked questions about a Camp Lejeune toxic water claim:
Who Is Eligible to File a Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Claim?
Military members and their families who were stationed at Camp Lejeune and exposed to the contaminated water for at least thirty days from August 1, 1953 to December 31, 1987 and who suffered an injury caused by their exposure to the contaminated water.
What Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Injuries are Compensable?
Under the Act, certain injuries are presumptively connected to toxic water exposure, meaning if you were stationed at Camp Lejeune for thirty days or more and you or your family suffered any of the following injuries, the VA and/or the court will presume that your injury was caused by your toxic water exposure:
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Lung cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Female infertility
- Hepatic Steatosis
- Miscarriage
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
Likewise, the following injuries, though not presumed to be connected to toxic water exposure, will be compensable if the claimant (usually through medical evidence or a doctor’s testimony) can show it is at least as likely as not that their injury was caused by Camp Lejeune toxic water exposure:
- Any type of cancer
- Aplastic anemia
- Birth defects
- Cardiac defects
- End-stage renal disease
- Fetal death or malformations
How Severe Was the Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Contamination?
Extreme; the toxicity levels were exponentially worse than what is considered an acceptable exposure level. For example, the current limit for the contaminant trichloroethylene (TCE) in drinking water is five (5) parts per billion (Pppb). In 1982, the government detected TCE levels in Camp Lejeune water at 1,400 ppb: 280 times the current limit! Another detected contaminant, perchloroethylene (PCE), was detected at 215 ppb – 43 times the current limit.
Can I File a Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Claim if I’m Already Receiving VA Disability Benefits?
Yes – the law does not prohibit claims filed by veterans who are currently receiving VA disability benefits, even if the benefits are for a service-connected disability related to your Camp Lejeune water exposure. There may, however, be some offset to your claim to account for any financial compensation you have already received.
My Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Injury Was Decades Ago, Doesn’t the Law Prohibit Claims That Old?
The PACT Act expressly grants an exception to the normal legal time limit (“statute of limitations”) which bars old claims. Here, veterans and their families may bring claims even for decades old injuries.
My Claim Would Be Against the U.S. Government – Doesn’t the Law Prohibit Filing a Claim Against the Government?
Typically, the government is immune from lawsuits however the PACT Act also expressly grants an exception to the normal sovereign immunity protection and permits veterans and their families to file claims for their Camp Lejeune toxic water exposure. Shockingly, the government knew as early as 1982 that the toxicity levels in the water at Camp Lejeune were extremely high, yet the government did not fully shut down the contaminated water wells at the base until the end of 1987.
How Do I File a Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Injury Claim?
Counsel Hound recommends not going it alone – contact Counsel Hound today to use our no-cost search and referral process to find you the right legal counsel in your area to help you with your Camp Lejeune toxic water injury claim.
No-Cost Case Evaluation
Law is complicate matter. It can cause you a big problem if you ignore it. Let us help you!
No-Cost Case Evaluation
Law is complicate matter. It can cause you a big problem if you ignore it. Let us help you!