Between 1953 and 1987, many Camp Lejeune military bases had contaminated water. These areas include main and satellite installations, such as Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River. If you were stationed, residing, or working at one of the areas exposed to contaminated water, you may have suffered illness, but a Camp Lejeune lawyer from our firm will help you recover compensation.
Which Military Bases Had Toxic Water?
Between 1953 and 1987, the following Camp Lejeune military bases and other areas had (or may have had) contaminated water:
- Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
- Marine Corps Air Station New River
- Stone Bay Rifle Range
- Camp Johnson/Montford Point
- Camp Lejeune Greater Sandy Run
- Hadnot Point
- Camp Geiger
- Holcomb Boulevard
- Onslow Beach
- Paradise Point
- Tarawa Terrace
If you believe you may have been exposed to toxic water in any of those areas, you should speak with your doctor and a Camp Lejeune lawyer from our firm.
Is Camp Lejeune Water Still Contaminated?
The water in the areas we’ve mentioned is not contaminated anymore. However, many people are still sick due to prior exposure to contaminated water.
How Were the Military Bases Exposed to Toxic Water?
The water supply in these areas came from water-distribution plants at Hadnot Point, Holcomb Boulevard, and Tarawa Terrace, and these plants had become contaminated by toxins from a nearby dry-cleaning company.
Both training and residential areas were contaminated. Toxins were present in drinking and bathing water, so many Marines and others were exposed to contaminated water. As a result, many of these people have suffered serious illness.
Can I Sue for Exposure to Camp Lejeune Water?
In 2012, the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act was passed, allowing sick veterans and others to get limited compensation for the harm done to them. In 2022, the president signed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 into law, allowing these people to sue for greater compensation.
You can sue for exposure to Camp Lejeune water if:
- You were stationed at, residing in, or working in a Camp Lejeune area we mentioned, or if you were otherwise exposed to the water supply at Camp Lejeune, or if your baby was exposed in utero (for 30 days or more, consecutively or non-consecutively); and
- You were exposed (or believe you were exposed) anytime between 1953 and 1987
- You have been diagnosed with one or more of the following health issues:
- Cancer (esophageal cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, liver cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, breast cancer, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, or another type of cancer)
- Female infertility
- Fatty liver disease
- A myelodysplastic syndrome
- A neurobehavioral effect
- Parkinson’s disease
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
- A cardiac birth defect
- Miscarriage
- Another serious medical issue
- Your child has been diagnosed with any of the following:
- A major heart defect
- A neural tube defect, such as spina bifida or anencephaly
- An oral cleft defect, such as a cleft lip
- Choanal atresia (the narrowing in the back of the nasal cavity, which leads to difficulty breathing)
- Leukemia
- An eye defect
- Another serious medical issue
What Damages Can I Get in a Camp Lejeune Lawsuit or Claim?
You may have a great number of damages related to your time spent at Camp Lejeune. There could be some damages you can claim that a Camp Lejeune attorney from our firm can identify for you, so you should consult with one of these attorneys about these damages.
Your attorney will also tell you about filing either a lawsuit or claim (or both). With a claim, you may be able to get standard monthly benefits (which could amount to several thousand dollars per month) as well as special monthly benefits (which would add to your compensation amount). If you lost a family member due to contaminated water exposure, you can demand wrongful death benefits.
You could potentially get all of your damages through a lawsuit or claim or both.
What Else Will a Camp Lejeune Lawyer Do for Me?
One of the lawyers from our firm will do a lot to help you get the compensation you deserve and need. In addition to helping you identify your damages and decide upon a lawsuit or claim, your lawyer will:
- Collect evidence for your case, including corroborating evidence from experts, like medical experts
- Prepare your lawsuit or claim for you properly
- Help to ensure your disability rating with Veterans Affairs (VA) is accurate
- Help you negotiate your benefits with VA
- Resolve a stalled claim
- Appeal a denied claim
- Sue the government on your behalf
- Help you meet the deadline in your state for filing a lawsuit
- Potentially help you participate in a class-action lawsuit against the government
Contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC to Learn More
If you have any other questions about Camp Lejeune and compensation, connect with our firm. We will consult with you for free and tell you more about working with one of our Camp Lejeune attorneys near you.
If you or a loved one got ill in any Camp Lejeune base or nearby installation, we’re very confident we can help you. We’ve helped many others collect many millions of dollars, and we’ll take on the government without hesitation and file a lawsuit on your behalf. Contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC for your free consultation and case review.
