Camp Lejeune Water Contamination: Diseases

A number of reports uncovered a troubling secret: Water sources at the Marine Corps base at Camp Lejeune were contaminated with toxic chemicals. Veterans and others who were stationed at the Camp may have grounds to sue the federal government for damages based on contracting an illness tied to the water contamination.

Read on for a discussion of the Camp Lejeune fiasco and the diseases connected to contamination at the military base. If you or a loved one suffered from any of the noted conditions and were stationed at Camp Lejeune during the relevant time period, call a zealous NYC Camp Lejeune exposure attorney at the law office of Leandros A. Vrionedes, P.C. for advice and representation.

What Happened at Camp Lejeune?

Camp Lejeune is a military training facility located in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Over the last few years, evidence came to light demonstrating not only that water sources at the base were contaminated with extremely hazardous chemicals, but also that the government knew about the contamination.

Since at least the 1980s, the government has known that the water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune was contaminated with harmful chemicals, including perchloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated these chemicals as “likely human carcinogens” and “known human carcinogens.”

In June 2022, finally recognizing the exposure faced by our military personnel, on our own land, for decades, Congress passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA). Under the terms of the CLJA, veterans, other personnel, and surviving family members of anyone who “resided, worked, or was otherwise exposed (including in utero exposure) for not less than 30 days during the period beginning on August 1, 1953, and ending on December 31, 1987, to water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina” has the right to bring a lawsuit against the United States for harm caused by exposure to that water.

What Illnesses Are Connected to Camp Lejeune Contamination?

The water contamination at Camp Lejeune has been connected to several different illnesses. A number of these conditions have already been proven so conclusively to be connected to Camp Lejeune that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has established a presumptive service connection for veterans, reservists, and National Guard members who were exposed to the waters during the relevant period.

Currently, there are eight conditions that the VA will presumptively connect to Camp Lejeune water contamination. These eight diseases include the following:

● Adult leukemia
● Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
● Bladder cancer
● Kidney cancer
● Liver cancer
● Multiple myeloma
● Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
● Parkinson’s disease

Further research and court proceedings have connected several additional conditions to the water contamination at Camp Lejeune. These conditions do not automatically qualify a veteran for VA benefits, but they may nevertheless be cited in a claim for damages under the CLJA.

If you or your loved one were stationed at Camp Lejeune during the relevant period and developed any of the following conditions, then you may have a claim for damages against the government:

● Breast cancer
● Miscarriage
● Lung cancer
● Renal toxicity
● Scleroderma
● Neurobehavioral problems
● Female infertility
● Esophageal cancer
● Cervical cancer

Call for Advice and Representation for Your Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claim

If you or someone you care about was exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, find out if you’re entitled to monetary damages by contacting the dedicated and knowledgeable New York personal injury and toxic exposure lawyer Leandros A. Vrionedes for a free consultation at 212-889-9362.