If you have watched television or listened to the radio over the past year, you have undoubtedly heard or seen the name “Camp Lejeune”, a United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. “Camp Lejeune” constantly pops up on the radio, television, and the internet, and unfortunately for an incredibly concerning reason—from the 1950s to the 1980s, unknowing military members and their families were exposed to contaminated water which has led to serious health issues, including cancer, for many.
In fact, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ own website confirms that service members may have had contact with contaminants in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune:
If you served at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River in North Carolina, you may have had contact with contaminants in the drinking water there. Scientific and medical evidence has shown an association between exposure to these contaminants during military service and the development of certain diseases later on.
Link to U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ Website
The harm caused by the exposure was recently brought to the center of attention when the Camp Lejeune Justice Act was introduced to the House of Representatives in 2021. The bill summary provides as follows:
- This bill allows certain individuals to sue and recover damages for harm from exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987.
- This action is available only to individuals who were exposed to contaminated water for at least 30 days.
- The bill prohibits the U.S. government from asserting specified immunity from litigation in response to such a lawsuit.
- The bill also prohibits an individual who brings such an action from bringing a separate tort action against the United States based on the same harm.
In August 2022, President Joe Biden signed the historic Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act into law. Within the PACT Act is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.
Given the amount of media the Camp Lejeune Justice Act has received, we have received numerous inquiries from individuals who were potentially exposed or who had family members that were potentially exposed. We therefore wish to take the opportunity to answer some of the more frequently asked questions:
- Who is potentially eligible to pursue a claim for harm caused by exposure to water contaminations? Anyone who resided, worked, or was otherwise exposed for not less than 30 days during the period beginning August 1, 1953, and ending December 31, 1987, to water at Camp Lejeune
- Am I prohibited from pursuing a claim because my exposure occurred so long ago? The Camp Lejeune Justice Act provides for the opportunity to bring claims that otherwise would typically be barred by the statute of limitations and/or statute of repose. However, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act does set certain time limits for when a claim must be pursued depending in the circumstances of your case.
- What health issues were possibly caused by exposure to water contaminants? There is a wide range of health issues that could have been caused by exposure to water contaminants. These are just a few:
- Birth defects
- Bladder cancer
- Hepatic steatosis
- Infertility
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL)
- Parkinson’s disease
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
In short, whether there is a viable claim requires an analysis of the specific circumstances of each individual.
As such, it is imperative that you contact an attorney who has significant experience navigating the nuances of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. The attorneys at DiSandro and Malloy, P.C. have the experience necessary to handle these often difficult cases. If you or a loved one was potentially exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and subsequently experienced significant health issues, please contact us today for a free consultation.
