Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit - November 2022 Update

In 1982, toxic chemicals that can potentially cause cancer were found in drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune on the coast of North Carolina.

Which Water Treatment Plants Supplied Contaminated Water To Camp Lejeune?

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other toxic chemicals were found in two (2) of the eight (8) water treatment plants that supplied the Marine Corps Base.

VOCs and other toxic chemicals were found in the following two (2) water treatment plants that supplied Camp Lejeune:

• Tarawa Terrace Treatment Plant

• Hadnot Point Treatment Plant

The chemicals found in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune can result in a number of health issues in people of all ages.

Drinking water contamination at Camp Lejeune has potentially affected upwards of one million people.

Disastrous health effects have been seen at high rates in the area surrounding Camp Lejeune.

A CDC study found that Children at Camp Lejeune had higher rates of birth defects and childhood diseases, such as:

• Leukemia

• Lymphoma

• Neural tube defects

Another CDC study found that people stationed at the base had elevated risks for cancers of the kidney, liver, esophagus, cervix, multiple myeloma, ovaries, Hodgkin lymphoma, Parkinson's Disease, and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) conducted a similar study on the specific birth defects and childhood cancers linked to exposure to contaminated drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 

Their findings echoed those of the CDC.

What Health Issues And Symptoms Have Been Linked To Camp Lejeune Water Contamination?

The main health issues and symptoms linked to Camp Lejeune water contamination include:

• Bladder Cancer
• Breast Cancer
• Cervical Cancer
• Esophageal Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Liver Cancer
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Adult Leukemia
• Aplastic Anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
• Multiple Myeloma
• Renal Toxicity
• Scleroderma
• Hepatic Steatosis
• Infertility In Women (and other birth effects)
• Lung Cancer
• Neurobehavioral Effects (like ALS & Parkinson’s Disease)

Other associated conditions include:

• Ovarian Cancer

• Stomach Cancer

• Birth defects and birth injury

• Miscarriage

The ATSDR is also conducting a more general healthy study of the several cancers and chronic conditions linked to Camp Lejeune because people were exposed to chemicals known to cause those ailments.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced a list of presumptive conditions related to water contamination at Camp Lejeune.

The Veterans Administration allows members of the armed services to seek benefits for the conditions outlined on the aforementioned link.

Please Note:

• Disability benefits secured through Veterans Affairs are available to only former military personnel, and not family members.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were found in the water serving the base housing and a variety of other buildings.

These VOCs included:

• Dry cleaning solvents

• Degreasers

• And almost seventy (70) other hazardous chemicals

Scientific and medical evidence has linked these chemicals present in water to a number of serious health conditions.

The sources of contamination at Camp Lejeune are varied, but the sources of a few chemicals can be pinpointed.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), water from the Tarawa Terrace Treatment Plant was primarily contaminated by PCE (perchloroethylene or tetrachloroethylene), which reportedly originated from a dry cleaning business off-base.

The following four (4) chemicals were found in Camp Lejeune water sources:

1. Tetrachloroethylene (PCE or PERC)

Tetrachloroethylene (also known as Perchloroethylene) is an industrial chemical used in:

• Dry-cleaning fabrics

• Degreasing metal machinery

• Manufacturing other chemicals

• Producing paint

• And more

Exposure to Tetrachloroethylene can lead to bladder cancer and other health effects.

2. Trichloroethylene (TCE)

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is used as a degreaser product for metal machinery.

Ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin, exposure to Trichloroethylene (TCE) can potentially lead to:

• Kidney Cancer

• Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

• Other cancers

• Cardiac effects

3. Vinyl Chloride

Vinyl Chloride is an odorless gas used in the production of many plastic products including PVC pipes and wire coatings.

Vinyl Chloride was previously used in products like makeup, refrigerants, and household aerosols.

Vinyl chloride has been heavily linked to liver cancer and other cancers.

4. Benzene

Benzene is an organic compound commonly used in industrial chemical operations.

In the ATSDR assessment, it was found that consuming water contaminated with Benzene is linked to Leukemias and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Benzene may also be linked to Multiple Myeloma.

A new bill that affords new benefits for veterans has been officially signed into law by President Biden. 

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act is a massive step forward for qualifying service members, family, workers, and others affected by toxic water in recovering disability compensation for their ailments.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act would allow individuals to file a claim in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Northern Carolina and recover damages for harm from exposure to contaminated water at the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987.

The bill outlines that anyone exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune for 30 days is able to pursue legal action.

The 30-day threshold can be met in a non-continuous manner:

• If a family member visited at various times totaling 30 days between 1953 and 1987 - they have a viable claim.

The bill also prohibits the United States Government from "asserting specified immunity from litigation in response to such a lawsuit."

It also overrides a North Carolina state law that has made actions such as this previously impossible.

How Did The Camp Lejeune Justice Act Come About?

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the Department of Defense found that upwards of one million people present at Camp Lejeune were exposed to contaminated water that can lead to devastating health effects.

Years prior to these recent developments, a number of lawsuits were filed over water contamination at Camp Lejeune.

Over 850 cases were consolidated into an MDL, but the lawsuits were dismissed due to a North Carolina law known as a statute of repose, which stated that legal action could not be brought since the alleged water contamination occurred more than three (3) years prior to filing suit.

The resulting public outrage led to the proposal of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act years later.

For those who resided at Camp Lejeune, how is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act different than other bills?

In 2012, Congress passed H.R.1627 - Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act, which granted some benefits to those who were exposed (both veterans and family members) if they met certain standards.

This bill would provide health care benefits to a family member, not VA compensation benefits.

A veteran would be able to secure health care benefits and VA compensation benefits.

Then, in 2017, Congress passed an additional statute that granted more benefits and expanded upon the conditions associated with exposure at the base.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act is different than previous bills in that it does not only provide health care or disability benefits, it provides a legal route for affected individuals to seek compensation for their exposure-related medical issues.

Filing a lawsuit for your or your loved one's injuries or conditions can seem incredibly daunting.

With the help of experienced legal representation, the process can be simplified.

Who can file a claim in the Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit?

As stated in the Veterans Administration release and the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, anybody who resided at the marine corps base for at least thirty (30) days, while the Camp Lejeune accident was occuring, may be eligible to file a claim.

This includes active duty and former service members, family members living on base, non-military staff, families of deceased, and even in-utero victims who were not yet born when their mother was residing at Camp Lejeune.

It's important to note that if you were dishonorably discharged, you may not be eligible for disability benefits or disability compensation.

Families of dishonorably discharged military personnel are also not eligible to file suit or apply for benefits.

Gathering Evidence

Quality evidence is the cornerstone of any successful personal injury or mass tort case.

Evidence relating to water contamination can include a number of documents relating to your or a loved one's time spent at the marine corps base.

Evidence in a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit may include:

• Documents proving residence at Camp Lejeune

• Military service records indicating dates and locations served

• Medical records and diagnoses

• Medical bills

• Travel records

• Health care information

• Records on disability benefits or VA compensation benefits

Hiring a Lawyer and Assessing Damages

When you have gathered pieces of key evidence, a lawyer will help you to refine your case and assess damages.

Damages are any losses, both physical and mental/emotional, that a person incurs as a result of an injury at no fault of their own.

Damages are the total amount the defendant is liable to pay to the plaintiff to compensate for the damage that they have caused.

Damages in a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit may include:

• Medical bills

• Pain and suffering

• Lost wages

• Disability benefits

• Loss of companionship, consortium, enjoyment of life, and earning capacity

• Permanent disability

Determining Liability

Camp Lejeune Lawyers will also establish liability in the case.

In a Camp Lejeune contamination case, the liable parties or defendants may include, but are not limited to:

• The federal government

• Other governmental or regulatory agencies

• Businesses that may have contributed to tainted water supplies

• Any other person or group that acted in a negligent manner that contributed to an injury or diagnosis

TorHoerman Law is currently investigating the facts of the case and strategizing legal action against the defendants.

With over $4 billion won in monetary compensation for people injured at no fault of their own - our prior results speak to our expertise at TorHoerman Law.

Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your legal options.

We understand the attorney client relationship and are here to help when you need it most.