Between 1953 – 1987 toxic waste products were introduced to the water supply at the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in North Carolina, contaminating the drinking water for as many as one million military members, civilian contractors, and their families. The contamination has led to serious, even life-threatening, chronic conditions for those exposed. Veterans and their families who were stationed at Camp Lejeune from the early 1950s through the late 1980s may have been exposed to contaminated drinking water at both locations. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) was signed into law on August 10, 2022. The passing of the act allows all former residents, military or civilian, to file a financial claim to recover compensation after potential exposure to chemical contamination.
Anyone who has lived or worked at Camp Lejeune, a Marine base in Jacksonville, North Carolina, may be wondering if their illness is related to the time they spent there and exposure to the contaminated water. If there is a possibility of that, we strongly recommend you explore whether you have a claim by contacting our office.
How Herren Law Can Help
We’ve helped over 4,000 people in Houston and around Lone Star State with their Veteran’s claims, and we’re available to help you with your Camp Lejeune claim. There is a deadline of two years from when the act was passed on August 10, 2022, so do not hesitate to find out as soon as possible if you or a family member may have a claim.
When you make an appointment with us, we’ll discuss your case with you. This includes when and where you were stationed, (as well as your family) along with your current medical condition that brings you to this point. We will ask about:
• Your tenure at Camp Lejeune, the medical conditions that developed later, and its impact on your everyday life and your family, and your ability to earn a living.
• Provide an assessment of your case and the possibility of recovering compensation
• Collect and collate all required evidence to support your claims, such as medical records, service records, expert witness statements, and other proof of your claim.
• Ensure that your claim is prepared and filed correctly and on time to help you recover the maximum amount of compensation available.
You will need to prove that you were at Camp Lejeune during the affected time for at least 30 days, consecutive or not. Based on your time there, we’ll give you advice and answer your questions and concerns.
Please note you are not required to hire a lawyer to file a claim. But having legal counsel will help you prepare your case correctly and get through the legal process and the court system. Camp Lejeune claims are complex and are filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Since we are experienced in helping clients like this, we feel we are able to help potential claimants file in a timely and efficient manner and help to construct a successful claim.
Again, you must file your claim filed by August 10, 2024, so timing is critical.
What are Presumptive Conditions?
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act has identified certain medical conditions that are called “presumptive.” That is, their condition is judged to be stemming from their military service. Therefore you are not required to prove if your illness was caused by the contamination. The VA assumes that because someone served in a specific place during a specific time, the medical condition resulted from that part of their service. So if you lived or worked at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, then it’s believed that you were exposed to the contaminated water.
In the case of Camp Lejeune residents, there are certain conditions that are currently presumptive for both military and civilian claimants. This means that you won’t have to offer evidence that you were exposed, because it’s assumed that you were.
Here are some of the current presumptive medical conditions:
• Adult leukemia
• Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
• Bladder cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Multiple myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Parkinson’s disease
However the above is not the only conditions that a claim can be made for. Attorney Herren states that while those conditions are certainly eligible for claims, he wouldn’t want to limit it to only these. There can be other chronic conditions related to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune. Herren would recommend that you not limit filing a claim based only on these listed presumptive conditions.
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.
