Part Two: 2010s-2020s Aftermath at Camp Lejeune The Ongoing Efforts

The lessons learned from the Camp Lejeune water crisis resonate beyond its boundaries

Tuesday, January 30, 2024 - In 2010 and for the next several years, the aftermath of the Camp Lejeune water contamination continued to affect individuals who had been exposed to the toxic substances over the years. Cancer has a latency time of ten years or more so the majority of people with cancer from Camp Lejeune water contamination may not have known it yet. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) released comprehensive studies detailing the health effects of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, further substantiating the connection between the contamination and adverse health outcomes. The Department of Defense acknowledged its role in the crisis and established a program aimed at notifying and providing health assessments to individuals who may have been affected by the contamination. Compensation programs were initiated to provide support for eligible individuals facing health challenges linked to the Camp Lejeune water contamination. These efforts represented a concerted attempt to address the long-term consequences and provide a measure of relief for those who had suffered. Tens of thousands of people who were exposed to carcinogens in the water in previous years were never notified or any notification was insufficient to prompt them to seek compensation.

The 2020s saw a continued commitment to dealing with the legacy of the Camp Lejeune water contamination on the part of the military. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act was a major step in the direction of offering substantial lump-sum payouts to people with specific types of cancer that were assumed to have been the result of drinking Camp Lejeune water. If the Department of the Navy fails to address CLJA claims within six months or rejects a claim outright, individuals now have the right to sue the federal government for personal injury or wrongful death. Only compensatory damages may be claimed and punitive damage awards are not allowed. Congress.gov writes, " The Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA). allows certain individuals to sue and recover damages for harm from exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. This action is available only to individuals who were exposed to contaminated water for at least 30 days." Efforts persist to provide healthcare, compensation, and support to affected individuals and their families. Town Hall meetings are taking place at VFW and American Legion halls around the nation where a person can speak openly with a Camp Lejeune water attorney.

The saga serves as a blatant reminder of the devastating impacts of environmental negligence on the part of the military and the importance of proactive environmental stewardship on military bases and in broader industrial practices. The Camp Lejeune water contamination situation underscores the need for stringent environmental regulations at military installations throughout the world, prompt responses to contamination incidents, and ongoing vigilance to protect the health and well-being of military families. The lessons learned from Camp Lejeune resonate beyond its boundaries, emphasizing the imperative of responsible environmental practices and accountability to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Information provided by CampLejeuneJusticeActClaim.com, a website devoted to providing news about Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claim, including a free no-cost, no-obligation Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claim.