Were you stationed at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune between January 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987? Are you currently suffering from one of the 15 cancers or birth defects listed below? If so, you could be entitled to treatment and compensation under a new law considered in Congress called the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022.
For decades, military families residing at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune were exposed to drinking water contaminated with deadly toxins. If passed, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 will provide veterans and their families the opportunity to seek compensation if they were diagnosed with:
The bipartisan bill has passed the Senate and is expected to be voted into law by the House of Representatives in summer of 2022. If you are suffering or have suffered from cancer, miscarriage, or birth defects after living or working at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987, the Camp Lejeune toxic water lawyers at OnderLaw will be ready to stand up and demand justice for you.
Time is of the essence. Contact us immediately for a free, no-obligation to discuss your situation.
Our OnderLaw team of toxic water attorneys are prepared to assist those who:
Under the bill, veterans will be able to receive compensation and health care benefits through a civil lawsuit, though any amount that the court awards them will be offset by benefits and compensation they already receive from Veterans Affairs, which has provided some financial relief for victims of water contamination at Camp Lejeune under the 2011 Janey Ensminger Act.
Family members of veterans, including children who were not yet born at the time, who lived on the base for at least 30 days during this period can also bring a lawsuit. However, they can only recover health care reimbursement and not compensation.
Until this bill was introduced, victims of water contamination in North Carolina had no legitimate legal recourse even if they were seriously injured or harmed, thanks to North Carolina’s statute of repose.
The statute of repose is different from a statute of limitations. While the statute of limitations (in a personal injury case, for instance) begins when the victim is injured, the statute of repose begins on the date the defendant’s misconduct began, even if no one is injured yet. In this case, water on the base was contaminated with dry cleaning chemicals, fuel, and other toxins dating back to the 1950s.
In North Carolina, the statute of repose on polluters is 10 years, which means that anyone who suffered one of the listed conditions after being exposed to toxins in the water supply at Camp Lejeune would not have been able to take legal action today.
If the bill is signed into law, that legal barrier will be removed, and victims of water contamination will be allowed to sidestep the statute of repose to bring a civil suit against the government.
If you or one of your family members is suffering from one of the fifteen conditions mentioned above and you lived at Camp Lejeune during the above-mentioned period, our team of skilled water contamination lawyers could help you pursue the financial compensation you deserve.
Although the new bill only applies to medical care and compensation, our firm also has the necessary resources to help veterans seek the disability benefits they deserve through Veteran Affairs. If your disability claim was rejected, we are happy to help you appeal the decision.
It is important to note that even if the bill becomes law, it only guarantees that victims have an opportunity to bring their cases before a court, regardless of the statute of repose. Any victim of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune must still prove their case to recover financial relief. You will need competent legal representation to help you gather evidence to support your lawsuit and demonstrate liability before the court.
Under the proposed law, victims will have two years from the date the bill passes to file a lawsuit against the government under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
Time is of the essence. Let our OnderLaw team stand up for your rights today. Call today.
If you or a loved one were exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune, you are likely concerned about how much money you’re owed and how much you’re entitled to receive. The U.S. government has already set aside 2.2 billion for disability benefits and estimates that as many as 900,000 service members might have been exposed to contaminated water, according to the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). These figures likely do not take into account the families of service members stationed at Camp Lejeune.
Because it is not yet known how many people might qualify to receive compensation, and because the severity and impact of each individual’s illness may be different, it is difficult to put an exact estimate on the settlement you’ll be entitled to. Fortunately, with an experienced toxic exposure attorney on your side, you could get the answers you need and deserve.
Contamination was first discovered at Camp Lejeune in 1982, when the Marine Corps found multiple VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, in the water supply. These compounds are linked to certain cancers and other illnesses. The compounds included:
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has stated that these toxins began to contaminate water at Camp Lejeune in the early 1950s. The majority of water wells containing contaminated water were not retired until 1985 – more than 30 years later. Countless Marines and their families were exposed to these toxins in the interim.
If you resided or served at Camp Lejeune any time between the beginning of 1953 and the end of 1987 and later became ill due to water contamination, contact the products liability attorneys of OnderLaw right away. Our team is ready to help you recover the full and fair compensation you deserve for the illness you’ve suffered. Our consultations are 100% free, and you don’t pay a penny until we win your case.
Call our firm now. Together, we are making a difference.
Disclaimer:
The Overholt Law Firm, PC, 2505 College Rd, Wilmington, NC 28412 in association with OnderLaw is responsible for this ad. OnderLaw attorneys are not licensed to practice in North Carolina. Any and all potential Camp Lejeune Justice Act claims and causes of action that OnderLaw may investigate and pursue are strictly limited to federal law tort claims exclusively created under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, and OnderLaw will not pursue any North Carolina state law claims or causes of action. OnderLaw attorneys are licensed to practice law in the states of Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Tennessee, Florida, and California.
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Past results afford no guarantee of future results. Every case is different and must be judged on its own merits. OnderLaw, 110 E. Lockwood, St. Louis, Mo 63119.
