After many years of ignoring the relationship between cancer and contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, Veterans finally have a chance to get total compensation for their suffering. New legislation allows victims to file a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit to get adequate compensation for toxic exposure during military service.
Our VA disability law firm proudly represents clients nationwide affected by contaminated drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River in North Carolina. If you or someone you love suffered severe or fatal injuries from toxic chemicals during your service, call us as soon as possible at (877) 629-1712 or use our online contact form to set up a free, no-obligation consultation.
What Medical Conditions Have Been Associated With Camp Lejeune Veterans?
According to the VA, two on-base water wells contained a variety of harmful compounds, including trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride. While the contaminated wells were shut down in 1985, there is a proven link between exposure to these materials during military service and the development of certain diseases later in life, including:
- Adult leukemia
- Aplastic anemia (and other myelodysplastic syndromes)
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
Will Any Lawyer Take My Toxic Exposure Case?
Many personal injury law firms are trying to capitalize on the recent media buzz, appealing to victims of Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River to file lawsuits as soon as possible. Unfortunately, many firms are unprepared for the bureaucracy and regulations involved in these cases.
Before you hire an attorney, you should know three things:
1. Toxic Exposure is Not Your Typical Injury Case
In many instances, when a new law is passed, affected victims file claims en masse until one case goes to trial. The outcome of that trial (the bellwether case) is used as a predictor of how the pending cases will turn out, including how much compensation could be awarded in future cases. However, the government has the option and the resources to litigate every claim individually, so the outcome in different cases could vary significantly.
2. Our Veterans Appeals Attorneys Know How to Handle Administrative Claims
A close examination of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act reveals that affected Veterans can only proceed to trial after they file an administrative claim with the government first. In the administrative claim process, the government offers a settlement that the Veteran can accept or refuse. Our firm knows how to file a winning administrative claim, including hiring expert witnesses and calculating damages to last the rest of your life.
3. Our VA Benefits Lawyers Have Been Representing Veterans Against the Government for Years
Pursuing a case against the U.S. government is different from suing an insurance company or at-fault driver. The federal government has minimal options and strict deadlines to get compensation. Fortunately, we have extensive experience navigating the complex VA Disability process and have helped countless clients get the compensation they were owed for their service to the nation.
How Do I Get Camp Lejeune VA Disability Benefits?
The VA recognizes the above diseases as presumptive conditions for Camp Lejeune Veterans, Reservists, Guardsmen, and their dependents. You may be eligible for disability benefits if you have a current diagnosis of one (or more) of these conditions, served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 cumulative days from August 1953 through December 1987, and did not receive a dishonorable discharge from military service.
Qualifying Veterans and their family members can get health care benefits, including reimbursement for past bills and out-of-pocket health care costs, related to any of the following conditions:
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Infertility in women
- Hepatic steatosis
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Lung cancer
- Miscarriage
- Multiple myeloma
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
Victims may also be eligible for back pay and ongoing disability payments for their conditions. To file a successful claim, you must provide supporting documents proving:
- You were on active duty, or in the National Guard or Reserves, at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 days from August 1953 through December 1987, or
- You are a qualified non-military staff member, civilian contractor, or military family member present at the base, and
- Your medical records show positive diagnoses for a qualifying illness on the presumptive conditions list.
Can I Get More Than My VA Disability Benefits?
Congress recently passed the Honoring Our PACT Act, providing VA medical care, mental health services, and counseling to Veterans who participated in activities with a risk of toxic exposure. The law includes the passage of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, which allows victims to file private lawsuits against the U.S. Military to recover damages for medical conditions linked to service at Camp Lejeune.
Government entities are typically protected from liability in private legal actions. However, the agents of the federal government can be held liable in some instances of extreme negligence. In this case, contaminated conditions at Camp Lejeune were allowed to continue for decades, exposing over one million people to harmful contaminants. In addition, minimal action was taken to mitigate the risks after contamination was discovered, and the truth about the dangerous water supply was hidden from the victims.
You can also learn more about your claim in our free guide, VA Benefits Handbook.
Our VA Benefits Attorneys Help U.S. Veterans Get Justice Around the World
The office of Sean Kendall, Attorney-at-Law, can help with your Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River water contamination claim no matter where you live. If you’re a U.S. Veteran who spent time in North Carolina suffering from a service-connected illness, we can help you through the administrative claims process and get you the settlement you deserve.
Best of all, it costs you nothing to learn your options. Call (877) 629-1712 or use our online contact form to set up a free, no-obligation consultation.
What is the Cost of Working with an Attorney on My Camp Lejeune Claims?
The lawyers are charging attorney fees consistent with the framework of the Federal Tort Claims Act, which is a fee of 20% of any award made at the administrative stage of the case, or 25% of the award if made after the case is filed in U.S. District Court.