South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
We have many military personnel and retirees living here in Florida. If you ingested water from Camp Lejeune, it is important you understand the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA). Enacted in August 2022, the CLJA gives injured parties a two-year window to sue the federal government for injuries sustained due to the water contamination at Camp Lejeune between the years of 1953 and 1987.
Camp Lejeune was one of the worst water contamination disasters in U.S. history. Wells contained trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, vinyl chloride, and other volatile organic compounds (VOC). One major contamination source was underground storage tanks that leaked 1,500 gallons of fuel every month into the surrounding soil. This was known for years and the problem was hidden, ignored, or downplayed. Another source was a dry cleaner outside the base, which opened in 1953 and dumped wastewater laced with PCE, a known carcinogen. PCE is also used in other solvents that may have been used on the base.
Significant negligence and intentional deception and concealment allowed this toxic environment to continue long after the problems were discovered, leading to a great outcry for justice. Generally, service members cannot sue the federal government for injuries sustained while in military service, but the CLJA allows the victims of Camp Lejeune to sue the government for this gross negligence.
VA compensation
You are entitled to VA benefits for your injuries from Camp Lejeune. If you have any of the listed diseases, you are eligible for “presumptive” benefits, which is to say, you do not have to prove that the injuries are directly associated with your time at Camp Lejeune during the stated period of 1953-1987. It is presumed that they are connected. Your family members may also file for compensation under the Camp Lejeune Family Member Program.
The presumptive illnesses are:
- Adult leukemia
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
Additional illnesses that are covered for veterans only include:
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Female infertility
- Hepatic steatosis
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Lung cancer
- Miscarriage
- Multiple myeloma
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
Suing the government
The VA is not your only option, however; you can also sue. VA coverage is generally insufficient to compensate for the years of pain and suffering you and your family have endured. In addition, the VA will not cover your family for many of the illnesses associated with these known toxins. Additional diseases associated with these particular chemicals continue to be discovered, and you and your loved ones should receive compensation for all your suffering.
Civilians who worked at Camp Lejeune cannot receive VA coverage, but they can take part in the mass tort lawsuit against the federal government.
But don’t delay. Victims only have until August 2024 to file their lawsuits. As a personal injury attorney with extensive experience in class action and mass tort lawsuits, I can help you file your case in the Eastern District of North Carolina, where the case is being heard.
The situation is rapidly changing, as more and more individuals join the lawsuit. You need an experienced attorney by your side to present your case for the highest possible settlement for your suffering. Camp Lejeune lawyers have filed a motion to consolidate pretrial proceedings in order to speed settlement offers from the government.
As Judge James C. Dever recently noted, with an expectation of one million cases being filed, without a streamlined process it could take over 1,000 years to answer each case individually. This, of course, is hyperbole, but the point was made clear. He urged the government and attorneys to work quickly to create a framework to streamline the process of settlements, which should include:
- How long the person was at Camp Lejeune
- What contaminants the person was exposed to
- What conditions the person has
- All possible or related causes of the person’s condition
This framework could help set up a settlement structure and expedite payouts. All those involved recognize our servicemen and other victims cannot wait for years for compensation.
Contact me 24/7 for a free consultation. I am committed to “fighting for the little guy” against big corporations and organizations – and the federal government is the biggest. Call me at (954) 448-7288 today.