Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claims

If you spent a period of at least 30 days stationed, working, or living on Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in Jacksonville, North Carolina, between August 1953 and December 1987, you were exposed to water that contained incredibly harmful toxins and chemicals. This exposure may have resulted in you, your family members, or your children, developing harmful and debilitating conditions, including many forms of cancer.

This year, the government passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, finally entitling those affected to disability benefits and compensation for the harm they suffered as a result of the water contamination. Now, the Fort Lauderdale Mass Tort Lawyers at BK Law are ready to make sure that you and your family members get the maximum amount of compensation and benefits that you are entitled to for suffering injuries that never should have happened.

What Toxins Were Found in the Fort Lejeune Water? 

When the water from wells on the Fort Lejeune Marine Corps base was tested, several cancer-causing chemicals were found, including Trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene (PCE), Mercury, Vinyl chloride, and Benzene, and other substances and chemical waste. At one of the water processing plants on the base, over 12 pounds of elemental mercury was located in the water supply. PCE is a colorless substance which was determined to be dumped at one of the water processing facilities by an off-base laundromat. It is one of the most destructive contaminants identified in the water, and has been linked to cancer and other harmful conditions. The presence of these chemicals for a period of over 30 years reflects failures and attempted concealment by multiple companies and agencies, who are now being held responsible for the harm that they caused.  

Diseases Caused by the Contaminated Water at Camp Lejeune: 

There are countless possible health defects and medical conditions which can be caused by the toxins in Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water. Below are just those which have been confirmed by the CDC. Some of these conditions are accepted by the VA automatically as having been caused by the contaminated water (known as presumptive conditions), while the rest can also qualify for coverage but require a separate application process and a different form, which we will discuss more below. The VA Will Provide Automatic Coverage for the Following Conditions (provided all other eligibility criteria listed below are met): 

• Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
• Bladder cancer.
• Liver cancer.
• Kidney cancer.
• Leukemia.
• Multiple myeloma.
• Myelodysplastic syndromes.
• Aplastic anemia.
• Parkinson’s disease.

• Esophageal cancer.
• Breast cancer (especially in men).
• Prostate cancer.
• Hepatic steatosis.
• Ovarian and cervical cancer.
• Female infertility.
• Miscarriages.
• Lung cancer.
• Birth defects.
• Neurobehavioral issues.
• Scleroderma.
• Renal failure and renal toxicity. 

Am I Entitled to Disability Benefits?

The new legislature makes sure that anyone who served at Camp Lejeune and suffered as illness as a result of the contaminated water is entitled to disability benefits through the VA provided they meet the eligibility criteria.

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Disability Benefits Criteria:

• You must have been stationed at Camp Lejeune between August 1953 and December 1987 for a period of at least 30 uninterrupted days;
• You must have been diagnosed with a condition that is considered to have been presumptively caused by the contaminated water (these are listed below). You can still get health care and compensation if you suffered one of the non-presumptive conditions, but it is a different application process;
• You must not have been dishonorably discharged from the military.

What Disability Benefits am I Entitled to? 

If you meet the eligibility criteria to file a claim for a disability caused by the Camp Lejeune water contamination, you are entitled to healthcare through the VA as well as compensation intended to reimburse you for costs related to the disease or condition. A lawyer can help you file your claim and ensure that you get the maximum amount of benefits and compensation that you are entitled to.

How Do I File a Claim for Benefits?

If you believe you meet the eligibility criteria for VA disability and have one of the presumptive conditions listed, you can file a claim with the VA online or in person at one of their local branches. You may do so independently or with the assistance of one of our lawyers. If you have one of the additional conditions you should file a claim using VA Form 10-10068b. Regardless of your specific situation, an attorney can help you determine whether you are entitled to coverage and what the best way to go about getting it is. It is not uncommon for valid claims to be rejected for simple errors and it can be an incredibly frustrating system to try and navigate on your own. For that reason, the veterans’ rights attorneys at BK Law take out responsibility to stand up for you and get you the coverage and compensation that you deserve very seriously.

To learn more, schedule a free consultation with us today.

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Is My Family Entitled to Disability Benefits? 

Yes, if you had family members who lived with you at Camp Lejeune or you later had children after you or your spouse were exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, these family members are also eligible for disability benefits if they developed one of the conditions listed above. In order to apply for benefits, a family member must be able to establish their connection to a service member who was stationed at Camp Lejeune during the period of time between August 1953 and December 1987. You will also have to provide medical documentation of your diagnosis and any treatment that has been performed or is currently being performed to treat it. In order to apply for coverage, family members should use VA Form 10-10068b. If you are unsure about your eligibility or are struggling to get the compensation you are entitled to, our lawyers can help.

Can I Bring or Join a Lawsuit? 

Disability benefits through the VA are not the only means of recovery if you have developed a serious condition as the result of this gross negligence. You also have the right to bring a personal injury lawsuit against all responsible parties, or to join a class action lawsuit with many other affected individuals. Personal injury lawsuits exist to hold negligent parties accountable for the harm they have caused others. This is accomplished by attempting to restore the injured party to the position they would have been in financially had the injury never occurred. In this case, the negligence has been well established. It has been shown that these toxins were allowed to remain in the Camp Lejeune water supply for over 30 years, during which time multiple parties not only failed to warn service members of the risk, but actively attempted to conceal it. Additionally, the CDC has conducted multiple studies affirming the harmful connections between the toxins in the water and various forms of cancer, miscarriages and fertility issues, and other serious diseases. For this reason, if you meet the eligibility criteria to file a claim, you have standing, and every right to bring a lawsuit which will give you the ability to recover financially for some of the hardships that you have faced as a result of this negligence.  

What is My Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit Worth?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Damages in a lawsuit are determined based on a number of factors. First, the court will look at the amount of economic damages incurred as a result of the condition that you developed due to the contaminated water exposure. Economic damages include all costs incurred as a result of the disease or condition caused by the toxins in the water, such as costs of medical treatment, lost income, and loss of earning potential. You are also entitled to compensation for pain and suffering. This compensation is intended to compensate for the physical and emotional trauma of the disease. In this case, it is also possible that punitive damages may be appropriate. Unlike economic damages and pain and suffering damages which are intended to make the injured party financially whole, punitive damages are intended to punish the negligent party for excessively reckless or malicious acts, such as concealment. Because there are so many factors involved, the best way to get an idea of the value of your claim is to talk to one of the experienced Mass Tort Lawyers at BK Law.

Contact BK Law to Bring a Camp Lejeune Claim Today 

If you were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune while defending our country, it is your turn to be defended, and our lawyers are ready to go to war to make sure that you get the compensation and benefits that deserve. Contact the experienced Mass Tort Lawyers at BK Law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida today and schedule a consultation.