Service members, their families, and civilian employees stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina from 1953 to 1987 are at a high risk of developing cancer and other severe illnesses due to water contamination at the base. From 1953 to 1987, dangerous chemicals were found in various water treatment facilities at Camp Lejeune, putting countless individuals’ health at risk.
If you were serving, living, or working at Camp LeJeune during the specified time frame and you later developed an adverse health condition, you could be entitled to recover compensation through a new bill currently under consideration. If passed into law, it would allow veterans, their family members, and civilian workers to seek recovery for damages by filing a claim with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Northern Carolina.
Victims of water contamination at Camp Lejeune are currently time-barred from pursuing a claim by North Carolina’s statute of repose. Unlike the statute of limitations for personal injury cases, which begins when the victim is injured, the statute of repose starts when the defendant’s misconduct commences. In the case of Camp Lejeune, that was decades ago, and the statute of repose on lawsuits against polluters is a mere ten years. If approved, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 will remove that legal barrier and allow victims to recover the financial relief they deserve.
If you have been diagnosed with cancer or another medical condition after being stationed at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days anytime from August 1, 1953, to December 31, 1987, contact The Driscoll Firm, LLC today to discuss your case and evaluate your legal options. We provide a free consultation to all of our clients so that you can understand your rights and the likely outcome of your case.
The primary toxins contaminating the water at Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987 were trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride.
Specifically, investigators found the water at two treatment plants to contain contaminated water, water which was then consumed by residents of Camp Lejeune and their families. Water in the Tarawa Terrace Treatment Plant was tested and found to be contaminated with PCE, which is commonly used in the dry cleaning process. The level of PCE at the Tarawa Terrace facility was highest in February 1985. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the source of the contamination at Tarawa Terrace was an off-base dry cleaning company called ABC One-Hour Cleaners, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).
Benzene was also found in the water supply at Tarawa Terrace, though when the water was tested in 1985, the levels were below the maximum amount allowed by the EPA.
The water at another facility, the Hadnot Treatment Plant, was also contaminated with dangerous chemicals. The primary chemical found in the water at the Hadnot facility was TCE. According to the ATSDR, the maximum amount of TCE allowed in drinking water is 5 μg/L (micrograms per liter), but the water tested at the Hadnot facility reached levels of up to 1,400 μg/L. It is believed that there are numerous sources of TCE contamination at the Hadnot plant, including underground fuel tank leaks and industrial spills. Benzene, vinyl chloride, PCE, and DCE (dichloroethylene) were also discovered at Hadnot.
Per the ATSDR, contamination of drinking water at Camp Lejeune began in the early 1950s, and many of the wells that contained contaminated water were in service until 1985.
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Attorney John Driscoll has experience handling complex litigation and class-action lawsuits involving dangerous pharmaceutical products. His efforts have resulted in several large settlements in cases involving major pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
read moreSome of the common side effects of exposure to the contaminants found in the water at Camp Lejeune include:
Side effects have also been observed in newborns, according to The Scientific American, since the toxins can be transferred from a pregnant person to their baby in utero. Birth defects, miscarriages, placental problems, and low birth weight have all been linked to contaminated water.
If you were diagnosed with any of the above health conditions after being stationed at Camp Lejeune, you might be entitled to pursue a compensation claim should the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 become law. However, trying to navigate the legal system on your own can be detrimental to your case. At The Driscoll Firm, LLC, we highly recommend hiring an experienced lawyer to handle your case.
If you or someone you love is suffering from a severe health condition after being stationed at Camp Lejeune, the seasoned civil litigation attorneys at The Driscoll Firm, LLC have the skills and resources to help you pursue compensation and potentially maximize your settlement.
If the Camp Lejeune Justice Act is signed into law as anticipated, you will be allowed to seek compensation for the harm you’ve suffered. It doesn’t automatically grant you financial relief. You will still need to prove your case. For your lawsuit to be successful, you will need skilled legal representation to help you present the strongest, most compelling case possible before a judge and jury.
There are many different areas of law, and some types of lawyers simply don’t have the right skill set to pursue this type of lawsuit. You need an attorney with a long track record of success litigating cases against powerful entities and who has the knowledge and resources to take on complex civil litigation.
The Driscoll Firm, LLC is a national law firm that has successfully obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts for our clients and helped thousands of people in need. While we work with clients in the southeastern U.S. and across the country, we put in the effort to give each of them the personalized attention they deserve.
We offer our legal services on a contingency fee basis, meaning we will not collect an upfront legal fee. Instead, we will only collect our fee if we successfully obtain compensation for you. If you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid. Reach out to The Driscoll Firm, LLC today to schedule your free case review.
Under The Janey Ensminger Act, which was passed in 2012, veterans diagnosed with certain types of cancer or other severe medical conditions because of the water contamination at Camp Lejeune have recovered benefits and some compensation through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
However, under The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, people who were exposed to contaminated water on the base (including victims who were in utero at the time of the exposure) for at least 30 days can now recover full compensatory damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, emotional distress, wrongful death, and other damages. If you qualify for a claim, you will have two years to take legal action.
If you were exposed to contaminated water while stationed or living at Camp Lejeune, contact The Driscoll Firm, LLC today. We will review the details of your situation and help you determine whether you might have a case. Our firm will be ready to act as soon as the legislation passes and fight aggressively for your right to be compensated. Reach out to our team for a no-risk case assessment.
