Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claims Are Pouring In At An Unprecedented Rate
It is unclear whether the military is equipped to process water contamination claims within the six months allotted to do so
Tuesday, January 10, 2023 - It is easy to see why legal experts believe that the number of Camp Lejeune Justice Act claims may exceed 100,000 or more over the next two years. As of the first of January 2023, about 14000 claims were made by individuals that were injured or the survivors of those who died from cancer due to drinking contaminated water at the base. It is widely expected that many of the claims may be rejected or will not be processed in the six months allowable. This will leave people with no choice other than to file a Camp Lejeune water lawsuit seeking lump-sum monetary compensation as the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) permits. The types of cancer that are presumed by the Veterans Administration (VA) to have been caused by drinking contaminated Camp Lejeune water include but are not limited to adult leukemia, aplastic anemia, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, ovarian cancer, Parkinson's disease, and various reproductive cancers in men and women. Other diseases will be considered individually and the claim will be decided on its merits. Even though the CLJA allows funds to increase the number of administrative personnel available to process claims, it is unlikely they will be able to do so in the limited time they have to do so.
In the early 1980s, two of the base's main water treatment facilities tested positive for volatile organic compounds thought to be carcinogenic. These toxins include trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and other compounds from a nearby clothing dry-cleaning business. The US Navy and Marine Corps are being accused of covering up what they knew to be the catastrophic extent of the drinking water crisis by failing to fully inform the public about what they knew in 1980 until 1987 when the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a "Do Not Drink" order for the water coming from two of the water treatment facilities. Even then, the USMC was vague about the serious nature of the illnesses one would develop if the order was not followed. Most marines and civilian employees filing Camp Lejeune water lawsuits say they were unaware a do not drink order was ever given.
Anyone who has developed cancer or Parkinson's disease and was living or working at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days from 1953 to 1987 may qualify to file a claim seeking lump-sum monetary compensation. It is advisable to consult a Camp Lejeune water attorney lawyer to make sure all of the forms that are required are filled out properly including the assessment of damages to come up with an accurate lump sum to request. The forms must also be submitted promptly and properly. The CLJA claim form asks where you lived during your stay at Camp Lejeune … whether it be at Tarawa Terrace, Hospital Point housing, or anywhere else on or off the base. Simply working on the base is enough to qualify to file a claim. Claimants are asked to describe any personal property damage that resulted from exposure to drinking water. Item number 10, "personal injury and wrongful death" is the most critical as the full nature and extent of the injury or death that is at the basis of the claim must be fully explained. An attorney can write a detailed report for you to attach to the claim.
OnderLaw, LLC and The Overholt Law Firm, PC -