The Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit Demystified

The first known chemical contamination of the water supply is said to have occurred during Queen Isabella’s rule in Spain. A well was dug on a farm, and it produced such a large amount of water that it was deemed poisonous. The wells were then closed off, but not before villagers began suffering from painful sores and swelling symptoms on their skin.

Throughout history, there have been several water contamination cases in the United States. One of the most famous is Camp Lejeune, a Marine base in North Carolina that had its drinking water contaminated with carcinogens for over 30 years starting in 1953.  

A lawsuit was filed on behalf of all former residents who lived there during this time period, including their families and children who were born while they were stationed at Camp Lejeune (and thus could be affected by their mothers’ exposure).

If you lived at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or more between 1953 and 1987, you may be eligible for compensation and might want to seek legal counsel for the same. We recommend that you check verified online resources for seeking legal counsel on the ongoing Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Lawsuit.

Read on to know the basic details about the lawsuit.

1. What Is the Camp Lejeune Lawsuit All About?

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act became an official law as part of the Honoring Our PACT Act in August 2022. It gives individuals, mostly veterans and their dependents, the right to file a civil suit against the federal government for damages caused by toxic chemicals in the groundwater at Camp Lejeune from Aug. 1, 1953, to Dec. 31, 1987

A class action lawsuit has been filed against the United States by former residents of Camp Lejeune Marine Base in Jacksonville, NC, for $1 billion, alleging the United States failed its duty to protect those who were exposed to toxic chemicals from groundwater at Camp Lejeune from 1957 through 1987. 

The contaminated water resulted in serious health effects due to exposure to carcinogens such as benzene and trichloroethylene (TCE), which can cause cancer as well as birth defects.

More than 5000 claims have come in till September 2022, and the number can go up to half a million. This might make Camp Lejeune one of the largest cases of water contamination in the history of the United States.

2. Who Does the Lawsuit Name?

The lawsuit says that both the United States and the Department of Defense were negligent in allowing a plume of carcinogens to reach the well water at the base from 1953 until 1987. 

The government was negligent because it knew about the contamination and did nothing to stop it and should have known about the contamination because of a study in 1976 that found elevated levels of chemicals in some wells on or near the base. The lawsuit claims that officials also failed to warn residents about possible health risks, which could have helped them avoid contaminated drinking water.

The lawsuit also names US Fuel Corp., which operated a gasoline plant across the highway from the base, along with McGraw-Edison Co., and Chem-Nuclear Systems.

• US Fuel Corp. operated a gasoline plant across the highway from Camp Lejeune
• McGraw-Edison Co. and Chem-Nuclear Systems are also named in the lawsuit

US Fuel Corp., which has not commented on the lawsuit, is still in business but doesn’t sell fuel at its Lejeune location anymore.

3. What Is the Evidence of Water Contamination?

Sixteen chemicals were reported to be in the water supply at levels “far higher than allowed by federal law,” according to an investigation by USA Today. Benzene, vinyl chloride, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene were among them.

It is important to note that there is no evidence that the chemicals caused cancer in those who drank the contaminated water. However, one of these chemicals was known to cause cancer and kidney disease. 

The area has been declared safe again and no longer requires bottled water for drinking or cooking; residents are free to use their taps again (though boiling tap water is always recommended).

4. Who Are Eligible for Compensation?

The lawsuit applies to all former residents of Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987.  This includes people who were stationed at the base, as well as their families. 

If you are wondering whether or not your loved one is eligible to file a claim after living at Camp Lejeune, here’s what we know:

• The government has not set an official end date for the filing period because of ongoing research into the full extent of contamination at Camp Lejeune. But it should be open until 2079 (or longer).
• Those who have fallen ill due to their exposure may still qualify if they were around during any time frame when they could have been exposed. There is no guarantee that one’s illness would not have occurred without exposure as well.
• Those involved in the lawsuit may seek compensation for damages, medical expenses, and pain and suffer from a number of sources, including the federal government and contractors that provided services such as waste management or construction work on base during its operation.
• There are some exceptions, too, as those who lived on base but had no contact with contaminated water will not be included in this lawsuit.

 Veterans, reservists, and guardsmen who were stationed in the base may be eligible for disability benefits as per official documentation. The health issues covered under the disability benefits include adult leukemia, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and Parkinson’s disease, among others. Those receiving dishonorable discharge from the military during their release may not be eligible.

Conclusion

This is just one of the many cases of water contamination in our country. If you think you may be affected by this issue, it is important to speak with an attorney who can help assess your case and provide advice on how best to proceed.