Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuits Face Logjam in North Carolina Courts

All Camp Lejeune water lawsuits must be filed in North Carolina where only four judges are available to hear them

Sunday, April 9, 2023 - The Camp Lejeune water contamination scandal has been one of the most shocking environmental disasters to occur in the United States. The discovery of carcinogenic chemicals in the water supply of two major water treatment facilities at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina has led to a plethora of health issues for millions of people, including Marines, civilian employees, and their families. It has been almost a year since President Biden signed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) into law, which allows people to file claims against the US Federal government, overriding North Carolina's statute of repose. The first status hearing for the Camp Lejeune Justice Act claims was held in a federal court in Raleigh on Wednesday. Sources estimate that around 20,000 claims have been filed so far, but they have not been answered yet. The federal government has a history of informing as few people as possible of their water contamination exposure to limit their liability, and many victims have only found out years later.

Marine Corps veteran Sgt. Jerry Ensminger's daughter died from childhood leukemia 14 years ago after her mother lived at Camp Lejeune while pregnant and consuming the household tap water. Ensminger only found out because of a local TV news report about the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry releasing its public health assessment. He believes that most people who served at Camp Lejeune were not informed of the contamination and the risks they were exposed to, leading to a wave of potential claims. While the Camp Lejeune Justice Act has allowed people to file claims, the North Carolina court system may face a logjam as there are only four federal judges available to hear them. Legal experts have raised concerns that the vast number of people who file lawsuits may bog down the courts for decades, denying injured service members their day in court.

People who lived, worked, trained, or went to school at Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987 and subsequently developed cancer are encouraged to contact a Camp Lejeune Water attorney to see if they qualify to file a claim. The process is slow and requires claimants to first file a claim and then wait for at least six months for a response before they can proceed to file a lawsuit. Multi-million dollar jury awards for Camp Lejeune water contamination cancer will make national and local headlines, encouraging wave after wave of injured service members to come forward and press their claims. However, the delays in the North Carolina court system may mean that it could take years or even decades for all the claims to be heard, further denying justice to those who have been affected. While the Camp Lejeune Justice Act has allowed people to file claims, the North Carolina court system may face a logjam, further denying justice to those who have been affected. The government and the court system need to ensure that all those affected by this tragedy are given their day in court and receive the justice they deserve.

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