Water Contamination at Camp Lejeune

September 20, 2023 by

Since 1953, Marines, their families, and civilian workers who spent time at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, shared a secret that no one discussed. People became seriously ill for no apparent reason. Pregnant women living in the base’s housing had high rates of miscarriages.

victims of water contamination at camp le jeune

Until 1982, there was no explanation. Marines and their families were not told until 1985.

Even with the removal of the toxic water and contaminants, serious illnesses continued to plague people who spent time at Camp Lejeune. Many became ill many years after they left the Marine Corps’s most celebrated installation.

Some veterans who suffered illnesses post-service did receive medical treatment from the VA, but civilian workers and military dependents did not. Those non-military residents, suffered for many years, were unable to work, and died prematurely without assistance or acknowledgment from the US government or the USMC. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act changed that in 2022.

Contamination in the Water

Beginning in 1953, dry cleaners located near the base began spilling and disposing of their cleaning chemicals by dumping them in storm drains. These chemicals leaked into the water treatment facility at Tarawa Terrace, one of the facilities that provided drinking water to base housing. The primary chemical from this source was PCE or Perchloroethylene. Upon discovery in the early 1980s, levels of PCE were found to far exceed the current EPA maximum contaminant level of 5 ppb. The Tarawa Terrace water was contaminated from November 1957 to February 1987. Wells with the highest contamination was closed in February 1985.

Additional contamination came from other sources and made its way into Hadnot Point, which also supplied drinking water to military housing. Hadnot Point’s water was contaminated by:

• Chemical spills from industrial sites around the base were not properly contained and cleaned
• Drums located in storage lots and dumps
• Leaking underground storage tanks

The continued seepage compounded the contaminant levels. Besides PCE, the water was also contaminated with volatile organic compounds, or VOC:

• Benzene, a base chemical used to make other chemicals to make plastics, resins, nylon, and synthetic fibers.
• Vinyl Chloride, manufactured to create PVC for a wide variety of plastic products
• Trichloroethylene (TCE), a metal cleaning solvent
• Benzene and toluene, chemicals found in fuel such as gasoline
• Methylene chloride, a chemical solvent used in paint removal and labs

These chemicals are all known human carcinogens in quantities far above any amounts considered “safe.” Additional information is available from The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), part of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The website includes a section for Camp Lejeune’s water contamination, containing information including reports.

Sickness From The Water

More than a million people were unknowingly exposed to these toxic chemicals. They became seriously ill both while at Camp Lejeune or after they left, sometimes many years later. The most common include:

• Autoimmune diseases, including Scleroderma
• Birth defects
• Cancers of various types
• Cardiac defects
• Cirrhosis of the liver
• Kidney problems, including end-stage renal disease
• Miscarriage and fetal deaths from exposure during pregnancy (in utero)
• Neurobehavioral effects
• Neurological effects
• Parkinson’s Disease

No one considered these illnesses and diseases attributable to the water contamination at the time. It wasn’t until many years later that the connection was made, and the VA began to recognize them as presumptive conditions.

Camp Lejeune Claim? Contact The Herren Law Firm Today

For more than 30 years, the Herren Law Firm has helped veterans and other disabled people with their benefit claims and appeals. We have extensive experience dealing with governmental agencies and the claims that are filed with them.

TIME SENSITIVE:  If you or someone you know was at Camp Lejeune during this period (between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987) and later developed a serious illness, you may be able to file a lawsuit to receive compensation. This is different from a claim for disability against the VA and is not limited to active-duty military and veterans. Eligibility extends to civilian workers and dependents of the military – those who were exposed to this water contamination.

The deadline for filing a lawsuit is within two years from when the Camp Lejeune Justice Act was approved in August of 2022, so it’s vital to start your claim immediately with Camp Lejeune Water Contamination attorney, William Herren. At Herren Law, we are prepared to help you file a claim.

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, and you won’t owe us a fee until we win your case.

Filed Under: Camp Lejeune Justice Act Tagged With: , ,

Many Camp LeJeune Babies Are Over 50 Years Old

July 20, 2023 by

Its a gross but simple fact. Camp Lejeune babies were exposed to the contaminants. So much of the public’s understanding on Camp Lejeune water contamination victims has been focused on adults,  military personnel, primarily U. S. Marines or workers on the base.

But that is only part of the story. Because the contaminants were in the water supply for years before it was discovered, the many Marine families and the Camp Lejeune workers’ families  had babies, babies who grew up drinking that water along with their parents and siblings. Many were born on the base or were exposed while living with their families from the 1950’s on when the contaminants were in the water supply.

mother visiting camp le jeune babies in Baby Heaven

Like the adults, they were unknowingly exposed to the highly toxic water before they were born and while they were children.

Birth Defects

The water was contaminated from from 1953 until 1987 when it was acknowledged and the base was shut down. Throughout this period, it is estimated that at least a million people passed through Camp Lejeune. Many were married Marines who began families or added to their families while there.

The continual exposure to toxins causes considerable damage to a developing fetus. These Camp Lejeune babies and children experienced a wide variety of serious illnesses, including birth defects that led to lifelong illnesses, including:

• Anencephaly, where a baby is missing part of the brain or skull
• Childhood cancers, such as:

o Leukemia
o Lymphoma
o Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

• Heart defects
• Spina bifida

The oldest surviving children would be around 70 years old at this point. Most would be over the age of 50, with the youngest about 36 years of age.

Discovery

The contamination was finally acknowledged after the discovery of contamination in 1982. The Marine Corps did not shut down the source until 1987, leaving five more years of toxic water for base residents.

The illnesses and deaths were not acknowledged to be from the water until much later. That means the children who did make it to adulthood lived with these illnesses. Many may have been unable to work and are considered disabled. Others may have had their lives cut short by the chronic illnesses they acquired at Camp Lejeune.

Infant Death

Of all the babies and children exposed to the water contamination, many didn’t survive. Babies who were exposed in utero were miscarried or stillborn. Their mother’s exposures passed the chemicals to their babies during the pregnancies. There isn’t a full accounting of how many children were sickened or died from the contamination exposure.

One section of the Jacksonville City Cemetery near Camp Lejeune is an area where babies that died while at the base are buried. Some graves have the infant’s full names, and some are just called “Baby Boy/Girl” with a last name. Some lived a few years while some didn’t last a full day. So many children died at the facility that the area became known as “Baby Heaven.”

Family Members Can Make a Camp Lejeune Claim

Until recently, only veterans could request help through the VA for their medical conditions. After the signing of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, family members and civilian workers can now file a claim for compensation due to the harm they suffered from the contaminated water. As surviving adults, Camp Lejeune “babies” can make a claim. If you have suffered any illness that may be due to toxic exposure from Camp Lejeune water, contact the Herren Law firm for help filing a claim.

There is a deadline currently for filing so do not delay. The deadline for filing a lawsuit is within two years from when the Act was approved in August of 2022, so it’s vital to start your claim immediately.  At Herren Law, we are prepared to help you file a claim.

We’ve helped over 4,000 people with Social Security Disability, Veterans Disability and Long Term Disability over the years, and we have turned a major focus to help Camp Lejeune victims as well.

Contact us today by calling (713) 682-8194 or using our online contact form. A consultation is free, and you won’t owe us a fee until we win your case.

Filed Under: Camp Lejeune Justice Act Tagged With: , ,

Making A Camp Lejeune Claim

February 21, 2023 by

If you’ve decided to file a claim after being exposed to the contaminated water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, what time is now to begin gathering evidence and information and starting your claim? There was a two-year time limit to begin you’re filing your claim, backspace. If you miss that time frame, you will lose the opportunity to collect compensation.

camp le jeune claim case with attorney

Anyone who began having health problems that weren’t part of their family’s medical history following a tour of duty, living or working at Camp Lejeune from 1953 through 1987 may have been exposed to the toxic waters. In 2022, Congress set aside funds for Camp Lejeune victims, but you must file a claim to receive compensation for medical expenses and other losses.

Preparation

You’ll need to gather evidence of your time at Camp Lejeune and proof of one of many illnesses that qualify. Families, dependents, and survivors must also show their relationship to a veteran. Workers must show proof of employment, such as tax returns, W-2 forms, etc. This proof is required along with your claim form.

Submit Your Claim

You’ll first file your claim with the Office of the Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Navy’s Tort Claims Unit (TCU). You’ll need to file a Camp Lejeune Justice Act claims form, which requires personal information, including your background, the basis of your claim, the type and degree of your injuries, and the dollar amount of your claim.

The claim form includes space to list an authorized agent to act on your behalf and their credentials, such as an attorney. It will also list the maximum amount of compensation any claimant can recover. A Camp Lejeune water contamination attorney will ensure that your claim is properly completed and filed timely so you can receive the maximum compensation available.

You will only have two years to file your claim. If you’ve already filed a claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act, you must file a new claim under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. The sooner you begin, the better.

Once submitted, the government has 180 days to respond. They may either deny your claim or discuss negotiations with you (and your attorney.) Should your claim be denied, you then have the option to file a lawsuit.

Do You Need An Attorney?

A Camp Lejeune claim is filed in federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina. While you aren’t required to have an attorney, we strongly suggest you have one.

• An attorney can assist with claim preparation, such as gathering evidence, retrieving medical records and other documents, and determining the amount of compensation you can receive

• An attorney can handle negotiations if the government offers a settlement that’s lower than you need

• If negotiations are unsuccessful, an attorney can take the case to court and ensure that it is filed before the end of the two-year period.

These are complex claims with a limited time frame. Make sure your claim is done correctly and leaves nothing to chance.

Camp Lejeune Claim? Contact The Herren Law Firm Today

If you served at or worked at Camp Lejeune and are now suffering a chronic illness, you may have a claim under this act. 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 became ill after being stationed at Camp Lejeune, get in touch with us immediately. There is a deadline of two years to file a claim so do not wait to find out if you may have a claim.

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, and you won’t owe us a fee until we win your case.

Filed Under: Camp Lejeune Justice Act, Veterans Disability Tagged With: , ,
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