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Camp Lejeune exposed Marines and civilians on base to contaminated water for decades. Many of these victims developed cancers and other illnesses. Thanks to a new law, victims and their families can get compensation from the federal government. MDSW can help you get it.
If you lived at Camp Lejeune before 1987, even if you were still in the womb, call the Thumbs Up Guys to speak with our North Charleston personal injuryt attorneys. Time is of the essence because you only have a limited time to join the lawsuit.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022
In August 2022, President Biden signed the PACT Act of 2022. A section of that act, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, gives victims of Camp Lejeune’s water compensation for any illnesses or death related to the water supply.
To be eligible, three things must be proven to the court:
- Camp Lejeune exposed you or a loved one to the water between 1953 and 1987, even if you or they were in-utero
- You stayed on base for at least 30 days
- You became sick or had a loved one die because of the water
At least a million people may qualify to join this lawsuit. Primary caretakers of sick victims can also sue for compensation on behalf of the victims. Both civilians and military personnel qualify for compensation from the government if they can prove these three things.
A Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit attorney in North Charleston can help you get the evidence to qualify for this lawsuit. It took decades of studies and advocacy to get the government to pass this law. Now you must act while you can.
The Statute of Limitations
You have two years from August 2022 to file your North Charleston Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit with the federal government before the statute of limitations expires. Once it does, it will be almost impossible to get compensation for the injuries you’ve suffered.
North Carolina has fought off Camp Lejeune claims for years through a statute of limitations defense. These statutes are an important part of our laws because they enforce the right to a speedy trial and due process, but sometimes they prevent justice.
The law explicitly overturns the state statute of limitations for this matter and resets the clock for the next two years. If you’ve been rejected in the past for compensation, you may have another opportunity to get it with the help of our attorneys.
Qualifying Illnesses
Over 70 dangerous chemicals have been found inside Camp Lejeune’s water, so the possible illnesses are enormous. The Veterans Administration has identified 15 specific ones that they’ve linked to the water through claims made through their system. They are:
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Female infertility
- Hepatic steatosis
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Lung cancer
- Miscarriage
- Multiple myeloma
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
These are all serious diseases. Many people have been killed because of the side effects of the chemicals in the water at Camp Lejeune, including hundreds of children. You must act now to get the compensation you’re owed before time runs out.
If your illness is not on this list, do not give up hope. More work will need to be done for your case, but you can still get compensation if we can link a chemical in the water as a causative agent for your illness.
Major Chemicals in Camp Lejeune’s Water
Four chemicals in particular are the target of scrutiny for this lawsuit:
Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Perchloroethylene (PCE)
These are dry cleaning solvents that spilled from a nearby dry cleaning operation into one of the water treatment plants. These chemicals are also used to clean metal parts. The CDC has released FAQs on the toxicity of these chemicals. The links are:
Benzene
Benzene is a common precursor chemical used for an enormous number of modern products. It also occurs in nature in crude oil and is created in forest fires and volcanoes. Long-term exposure damages bone marrow and the immune system. The CDC’s FAQ on benzene has more information.
Vinyl Chloride
Vinyl chloride is a precursor chemical used to create many plastics, including PVC piping. It’s also a byproduct created when TCE breaks down. Breathing it in for long periods of time can cause permanent nerve and liver damage. Here is more information on the effects of vinyl chloride from the CDC.
These chemicals have their uses, but they are harmful to human health. Many people in North Charleston worked at Camp Lejeune and were exposed. Too many victims chalked up their illnesses to bad luck. It wasn’t luck. It was negligence. Now, the government has to pay you, but only if you make your claim now.
Find Out How Much You’re Owed
It is difficult to say how much you will be owed because the details of this mass tort need to be hammered out. The bellwether cases need to go through the court system. But we can say that thanks to the strict liability clause in the new law, it will be easy to prove you’re owed money.
By entering the lawsuit now, you’ll preserve your claim. And when the court is ready, you will get compensated according to how much damage you or your loved one suffered. Don’t lose your chance. Contact MDSW and tell us your story of how the water at Camp Lejeune harmed you.
Our Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit attorneys in North Charleston will make sure you get what you’re owed.
