Camp Lejeune Esophageal Cancer Lawsuit [2026 Update]

An increased risk of Esophageal Cancer has been identified by professionals who’ve studied the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and veteran medical records as a particularly common diagnosis.

About Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal Cancer is a type of cancer that originates in the esophagus, a hollow tube reaches from the throat to the stomach.

Esophageal cancer can be onset in a number of ways, including genetic or environmental risk factors.

In the case of Camp Lejeune water contamination, exposure to certain industrial chemicals or toxic chemicals has been found to lead to esophageal cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2022:

• About 20,640 new esophageal cancer cases diagnosed (16,510 in men and 4,130 in women)
• About 16,410 deaths from esophageal cancer (13,250 in men and 3,160 in women)

Esophageal Cancer and its Causes

Esophageal cancer diagnosis can be linked to a number of different factors, both environmental factors and non-environmental, genetic factors.

Environmental Esophageal Cancer risk factors include, but are not limited to:

• Tobacco Use
• Alcohol Use
• Toxic Exposure to contaminants and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

In terms of toxic exposure to contaminants and VOCs, the water contamination at Camp Lejeune is no exception.

In commentary on the Camp Lejeune water contamination, medical professionals have postulated that exposure to tetrachloroethylene (PCE or PERC) and trichloroethylene (TCE), main contaminants at the Marine Corps Base, have resulted in bladder cancer diagnoses.

Research on the relation of PCE and TCE exposure and Esophageal Cancer include:

• Environmental Health Perspectives: Tetrachloroethylene-contaminated drinking water in Massachusetts and the risk of colon-rectum, lung, and other cancers.
• International Archives of Occupational Environmental Health: Critical review of the epidemiological literature on occupational exposure to perchloroethylene and cancer
• Cancer Causes Control: Cancer in relation to occupational exposure to perchloroethylene
• Ohio Department of Public Health: Bureau of Environmental Health and Radiation Protection – Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)

Esophageal Cancer Symptoms and Complications

Esophageal cancer symptoms may be difficult to identify.

The sooner a person seeks medical attention for their potential symptoms, the quicker treatment can be undertaken.

The symptoms of esophageal cancer include the following:

• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• Weight loss without trying
• Chest pain, pressure or burning
• Worsening indigestion or heartburn
• Coughing or hoarseness

There are serious complications associated with esophageal cancer, especially if treatment isn’t undertaken as soon as the warning signs appear:

• Obstruction of the Esophagus
• Severe pain
• Bleeding in the Esophagus

Treatment and surgery for Esophageal Cancer can also result in devastating complications:

• Chylothorax: a rare but serious condition in which lymph fluid formed in the digestive system (chyle) accumulates in your chest cavity.
• Pulmonary (heart) complications
• Anastomotic leakage: when a surgical anastomosis fails and contents of a reconnected body channel leak from the surgical connection.
• Anastomotic stenosis: narrowing of the esophagus after anastomotic surgery.
• Reflux esophagitis: inflammation of the esophagus that damages the lining of the esophagus, making it difficult to swallow.

Regulatory bodies such as the National Research Council, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and others have conducted numerous studies on the Camp Lejeune water contamination disaster, compiling scientific evidence that links the toxic water at the North Carolina military base to numerous health conditions.

The consumption of Camp Lejeune contaminated water has been linked to a number of cancer and non-cancer diagnoses including, but not limited to:

• Prostate Cancer
• Lung Cancer
• Bladder Cancer
• Liver Cancer
• Breast Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Adult Leukemia
• Aplastic Anemia
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Renal Toxicity
• Multiple Myeloma
• Other myelodysplastic syndromes
• Miscarriage, infertility and birth defects
• Many more diagnoses

Service members, their families, civilian workers, and countless others were diagnosed with deadly health conditions, and for years could not secure the benefits they desperately need.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act is a new piece of legislation that has been signed into law by President Biden.

This bill is encompassed by the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which grants new health care, disability benefits and Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits to veterans exposed to toxic substances during their military service.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act affords Camp Lejeune residents the ability to sue and recover damages for exposure to the toxic substances in the water supply, one of the first times the federal government has allowed legal action of this sort.

Camp Lejeune veterans and Camp Lejeune families will be able to secure compensation for health problems and medical expenses related to the toxic chemicals they were exposed to while living on the base.

Those eligible will file Camp Lejeune lawsuits in the U.S. District Court: Eastern District of North Carolina.

In the past, several bills, such as the Camp Lejeune Families Act and the Janey Ensminger Act, were introduced to address the issue at the North Carolina military base but none have had any widespread impact for victims and families.

Now, people who were denied benefits or compensation in the past may have a fair shot at adequate compensation.

With the Senate passage of the PACT Act, and the signing of the bill into law by President Biden, Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuits are able to be filed by any person exposed to contaminated water at the Marine Corps base between 1953 and 1987.

If you, a family member or a loved one was exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune between these dates, and have subsequently diagnosed with esophageal cancer, you may qualify to file a Camp Lejeune Lawsuit.

We thank the brave veterans and active duty military service members for their sacrifices. Now let us serve you. Our law firm is dedicated to achieving justice for service members and their families.

TorHoerman Law is accepting clients for the Camp Lejeune Cancer Lawsuits in all 50 states.

Contact us for a free consultation or use the chatbot on this page to see if you qualify for legal action instantly.

Our law firm works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you are not required to pay attorney fees unless your case wins compensation.