Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Terry Crouppen who has more than 40 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney. Our last modified date shows when this page was last reviewed.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Terry Crouppen who has more than 40 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney. Our last modified date shows when this page was last reviewed.
- Last Modified:
- November 13, 2024
People who were exposed to toxic chemicals at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, may be entitled to compensation for their injuries, including claims previously denied by the Veterans Administration. Those who are at risk for developing illnesses as a result of the contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune include any military personnel who were on base.
In 2009, some military personnel and their family members began filing Camp Lejeune lawsuits against the government under the Federal Tort Claims Act, alleging that the water contamination on the base led to cancer and other health conditions. If you or a loved one were present at Camp Lejeune and experienced illnesses or diseases, you may be eligible to seek compensation with a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit. Our attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning there is no upfront cost to you — if you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid. Call (314) 833-4417 to get started or request a free case evaluation online.
Side Effects & Illnesses of Water Contamination
In 2017, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) released a study that concluded that there was scientific and medical evidence linking TCE and PCE, the primary contaminants of the drinking water at Camp Lejeune, to fatal illnesses and diseases. The same study also found that children born to mothers who were exposed to the contaminated Camp Lejeune water (even for very short durations) were at higher risk for cardiac birth defects and increased risk of childhood leukemia.
Injuries that may qualify for compensation include:
- Cancers
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Myelodysplastic syndrome
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Other serious diseases caused by Camp LeJeune water contamination:
- Cardiac defect
- Fatty liver disease (hepatic steatosis)
- Female Infertility
- Miscarriage
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Parkinson’s disease
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
There was over a 40-year period during which the Camp Lejeune water supply was contaminated with high levels of TCE, PCE, and other chemicals. As a result, anyone who consumed the water at this Marine Corps Base in North Carolina and experienced illnesses may be eligible to pursue compensation.
To get started with your case, call (314) 833-4417 to complete our online free case evaluation form.
Causes of Contaminated Water at Camp Lejeune
In the middle of the 20th century, the military and related industries in and around Camp Lejeune disposed of their own toxic waste by burying it underground or dumping it into the most convenient water way. By the 1950s, this disregard for safety had poisoned the water supply of Camp Lejeune.
For decades, thousands of military personnel and their families drank and bathed in the water at Camp Lejeune, which was laced with carcinogens and toxic compounds, including:
- Benzene – A chemical compound associated with the production of plastic, resin, nylon, and synthetic fibers.
- Trichloroethylene (TCE) – A solvent used for cleaning metal parts.
- Tetrachloroethylene perchloroethylene (PCE) – A metal degreaser and dry cleaning agent.
- Vinyl chloride (VC) – A chemical compound used to produce polymer polyvinyl chloride.
The contamination was not discovered until 1982, and the clean-up took several years.
Military personnel injured in service cannot typically file negligence lawsuits against the military, even when the military acted negligently. Instead, such claims must be filed with the Veterans Administration (VA). Unfortunately, the VA developed a pattern of denying the vast majority of the Camp Lejeune applications.
Further, the statute of limitations in North Carolina for toxic exposure injury claims is only 10 years from the date of exposure—often not long enough for related diseases to appear. This has left many service members and their families with no recourse for their injuries.
Get started with a free consultation with one of our skilled Personal Injury Lawyers today.
Lawsuit Updates – Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 was a bipartisan bill to help compensate people injured by Camp Lejeune water contamination. The bill was signed into law in early August of 2022 by President Biden
The law will allow anybody exposed (including in utero) for at least 30 days to Camp Lejeune water between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, to file a claim in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This includes service members who have previously had their Camp Lejeune claims denied. However, claimants will only have two years after the law passes to file suit.
Get Help From The Camp Lejeune Attorneys At Brown & Crouppen
If you believe you may have been injured because of the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between 1957 and 1987, contact Brown & Crouppen Law Firm at (314) 833-4417 to get started with a free case evaluation or complete our online form. consultation or save time with our online form.
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- Last Modified:
- November 13, 2024
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