Breaking News: August 10, 2022-President Biden Signs PACT Act Into Law
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune has hosted millions of military service-members and their families for various training exercises and deployments since it was first constructed in 1941. Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of those service-members and their families may have been exposed to dangerous, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that contaminated groundwater used within the base for drinking and bathing.
Since this issue was discovered, there had been pressure on Congress to pass the PACT Act, which would expand VA health care benefits for Veterans “exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances”. The President signed the bill into law August 10th, 2022. The PACT act will allow veterans, their families, and civil employees who lived on Camp Lejeune for 30 or more days, to file a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim. (Note the days DO NOT need to be consecutive, just 30 days at Camp Lejeune in total).
Contact an attorney immediately if you or your family developed severe injury or illness after staying on the Camp Lejeune base.
Eligibility to File Suit Over Camp Lejeune Water Contamination
Contamination of groundwater at Camp Lejeune is believed to have occurred between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987, affecting several housing areas on bases and impacting potentially over one million veterans, workers, visitors, and family members. To establish eligibility for a suit, the affected person must have served, worked, or lived at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days overall between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987. (Note the days do not need to be consecutive)
In addition, the plaintiff must be able to prove they were diagnosed with one of several illnesses that has been correlated with VOC exposure. Examples of conditions that have been named “Presumptive Diseases” include:
- Aplastic anemia Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Female infertility
- Hepatic steatosis (fatty liver disease)
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Miscarriage
- Multiple myeloma
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
It is possible that there are other diseases that may be linked to Camp Lejeune as well. Although the following are not yet “Presumptive Diseases” per the Act or the VA, the following conditions are under investigation by our Camp Lejeune Legal Team now as well:
- Appendix cancer
- Brain cancer
- Bileduct cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Gallbladder cancer
- Intestinal cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Sinus cancer
- Soft tissue sarcoma
- Spinal cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Cognitive disability at birth
- Congenital malformation (microcephaly)
- Conjoined twins
- Other fertility/pregnancy issues or infant injury
One of our qualified Camp Lejeune legal professionals can discuss other illnesses and injuries that may qualify you for a Camp Lejeune claim or lawsuit.
What is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act?
There have been many lawsuits filed against Camp Lejeune over the years for contaminated water, representing hundreds of plaintiffs, but they have been dismissed due to the statute of limitations expiration or governmental immunity protections.
Fortunately, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act—now allows these legal claims to proceed as mass tort/individual litigation—by special legislation. The final version of the Act, has now been approved and was just signed by the President into law. Claimants will now have only two years from the date of the signing (August 10, 2022) to file for damages due to Camp Lejeune water contamination.
Speak with an Attorney About a Possible Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claim and/or Lawsuit
Over one million people lived at Camp Lejeune for 30 or more days and suffered life-altering harms because of hazardous chemical pollution in the base’s bathing and drinking water. Any family that was impacted by this problem should be aware of their legal right to file for compensation.
Call the Childers, Schlueter & Smith Camp Lejeune Legal Team today to schedule a meeting about potentially filing a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit and/or claim. We can be reached at 1-800-641-0098 or via email at CampLejeune@cssfirm.com
