It has now been recognized that contaminated water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina caused thousands of people to suffer from serious, even life threatening, chronic conditions for those exposed. With the passing on August 10, 2022, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, our government is helping those who couldn’t get any help before. When President Biden signed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, it allows veterans and their families as well as civilian workers to file for and receive benefits if they lived or worked there during time period of exposure (1953 – 1987) and file a claim for compensation for their medical and other expenses. It also identified eight presumptive medical conditions that are recognized as connected to water contamination. These conditions are judged to be connected to the contamination and claimants do not have to prove their condition is connected to the contamination.
Although the Act only identifies eight presumptive illnesses, there is a range of cancers and other conditions that resulted from the water contamination.
Attorney William Herren wants to make sure potential claimants understand that doesn’t mean those are the only illnesses for which you can file your claim.
Presumptive Conditions
Presumptive conditions again are simply medical conditions recognized as related to service at Camp Lejeune due to exposure to the contamination. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act listed the following presumptive conditions resulting from contamination exposure:
• Adult leukemia that developed after a qualifying exposure to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune
• Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
• Bladder cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Multiple myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Parkinson’s disease
Veterans who were previously denied benefits can now reapply. Veterans who have a documented diagnosis and other proof of one or more of these illnesses should re-apply for benefits, as the eight conditions are now judged to be due to the contaminated water. Now it looks hopeful for them to receive benefits because of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.
Currently the VA believes there is insufficient evidence to prove causation for additional conditions that are listed in the Camp Lejeune Act. While veterans can access VA medical care, there is no presumption of a service connection for the list below:
• Breast cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Female infertility
• Miscarriage
• Hepatic steatosis
• Lung cancer
• Neurobehavioral effects (cognitive decline and motor difficulties.
• Renal toxicity
• Scleroderma
All 16 conditions have been traced to the contaminated water, but only the first eight are presumptive conditions. Attorney William Herren though encourages veterans, their family members, and civilian workers who were exposed during the time period to talk with an attorney to see if they may have a claim and not just exclude themselves if their condition is not on this short list.
Family Members
Spouses and children are not normally eligible for VA disability benefits, and the VA is covering out-of-pocket expenses for the above medical conditions. Family members must provide documentation showing their relationship to the veteran (marriage, birth, or adoption records), proof of residency during the affected time frame, and medical records showing that the condition exists, including the date of diagnosis and treatment records. Additionally, the VA requires proof of payment for these health conditions.
Family members can also file a claim to recover compensation through the Camp Lejeune Act, under the larger PACT Act. Under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, spouses and children of service personnel are also eligible to make a claim and Herren Law can help you make that claim by the required deadline of two years after the act was passed on August 10, 2022.
What About My Condition That Isn’t Listed?
These 16 conditions are just some that have been identified from the Camp Lejeune contamination. More medical conditions that have not yet been identified may also be eligible under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. So, you’re not required to have one of these listed illnesses, nor are you limited to just these conditions. Nearly any chronic condition that can be traced back to the water contamination as its source may be eligible to file a claim.
So if you suffer from a medical conditions not listed, and meet the other qualifiers, you may want to explore whether you have a claim and can receive compensation. Like a regular VA disability claim, you’ll need medical evidence of your condition and proof that you were at Camp Lejeune during the designated time frame.
It’s important to note that there is also a two-year statute of limitations on these claims, so you must act quickly to be eligible.
Also if you filed a claim previously and were denied, you’ll need to re-submit your claim now, before the deadline.
Anyone interested in seeking a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim can contact Herren Law immediately to discuss your case and how we can help you.
Contact The Herren Law Firm Today For Help With Your Claim
For more than 30 years, the Herren law firm has helped veterans and other disabled people with their benefits claims and appeals. We have extensive experience dealing with governmental agencies and the claims that are filed with them.
If you or someone you know was stationed at Camp Lejeune during the years of water contamination, get in touch with us immediately. You may be eligible to make a claim and receive compensation.
We’ve helped over 4,000 people, and we can help you as well. Contact us today by calling (713) 682-8194 or using our online contact form our consultation is free.
