A lawyer can help you pursue medical coverage and/or disability benefits with a Camp Lejeune contaminated water claim. They can file your benefits application, appeal a denied claim, or assist with potential legal action under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022.
You are not alone during this difficult time. Leave the legal work to a lawyer while you focus on your health and wellbeing.
A Lawyer Can Help You Apply for Disability Benefits
According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), two water wells at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina (which the base shut down in 1985) contained cancer and disease-causing contaminants, including:
- Benzene
- Vinyl chloride
- Trichloroethylene (TCE)
- Perchloroethylene (PCE)
Qualifications for VA Compensation for a Presumptive Condition
Veterans, Reservists, and Guardsmen who worked on the base between August 1953 through December 1987 may have been exposed to the aforementioned contaminants and other harmful compounds in Camp Lejeune’s drinking water. Therefore, service members who have one of the following eight presumptive Camp Lejeune conditions automatically qualify for VA disability benefits:
- Parkinson’s disease
- Adult leukemia
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Liver cancer
If you have a presumptive condition, you do not need to provide evidence connecting your illness to your service. You are also eligible if:
- You served at Camp Lejeune for 30 cumulative days between August 1953 and December 1987.
- You were not dishonorably discharged from the military.
Our attorneys can prepare and file your Camp Lejeune water contamination disability claim. However, if you have a condition the VA does not consider presumptive, you will need to prove your illness resulted from water contamination at Camp Lejeune.
Proving You Contracted Your Illness at Camp Lejeune
A lawyer can assist with gathering your medical records, consulting with your physician (with your permission), and obtaining evidence linking your disease with on-base water contamination. Needless to say, we will do everything we can to prove your illness is from Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water to get you the compensation you’re entitled to.
How Much Are Disability Payments?
Your monthly VA disability payments depend on your disability rating and your dependents. To get a more exact estimate of your benefits, view the VA’s 2022 Veterans disability compensation rates.
A Lawyer Can Help You Seek Compensation for Your Medical Expenses
A lawyer can help you apply for medical coverage for your Camp Lejeune contaminated water illness. Medical benefits apply not only to veterans but also to family members who lived on base for 30 cumulative days during the contamination window. An attorney can also help you calculate and seek compensation for previous out-of-pocket medical expenses related to your Camp Lejeune illness.
Veterans and family members with one of the following 15 conditions may qualify for health coverage:
- Scleroderma
- Bladder cancer
- Renal toxicity
- Breast cancer
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Esophageal cancer
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Female infertility
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Hepatic steatosis
- Multiple myeloma
- Kidney cancer
- Miscarriage
- Leukemia
- Lung cancer
Learn more about the symptoms of Camp Lejeune water contamination.
Our Firm Can Help You Appeal Denied Claims
If the VA denied your claim for disability benefits or health care coverage, a lawyer with our firm can help appeal the decision. According to the VA, you have three options for appeal:
- Supplemental Claim – We can look into why the VA denied your initial application. If you choose this route for your appeal, we can help you obtain additional evidence and submit it.
- Higher-Level Review – If you believe your denial was an error but have no new evidence, we can file for a review of your application by a more experienced claims adjudicator.
- Appeal to the Board – You can file for a direct review by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) with or without submitting additional evidence. You can also request a hearing before the BVA. We can represent you during this proceeding.
Denied claims are common, and you do not have to accept this decision as it doesn’t have to be final. Your Camp Lejeune water contamination lawyer will work tirelessly for the outcome and benefits you deserve. We do not shy away from tough cases and will always take the best route for your case.
We Can Assist with Filing a Camp Lejeune Lawsuit
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, which is currently working through Congress, will allow victims of Camp Lejeune contaminated water exposure to file a case in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The proposed legislation is open to veterans and family members. You can seek compensation in court even if the VA previously denied you benefits.
We can help you understand your legal options and prepare to move forward with a Camp Lejeune contamination lawsuit. According to the bill, potential plaintiffs will have two years from when the law passes to file suit or 180 days after receiving notice of a claim denial.
Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC Today for a Free Consultation
Our team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC believes in helping veterans obtain the benefits they need and deserve, especially after serving our country.
If you suffered harm because of contamination at Camp Lejeune, we want to fight for you and your family. We work on contingency, meaning we only get paid if we win your case. Reach out to us today for a free case evaluation.
