Water Contamination Attorneys
Our experienced attorneys are accepting cases to help veterans, their family members, and others who resided or served on active duty at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between 1953 and 1987. During those years, the drinking water at Camp Lejeune was contaminated with toxic chemicals often found in cleaning solvents, such as perchloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), vinyl chloride, benzene, and more. These solvents are linked to numerous illnesses, including several types of cancer.
If you or a loved one worked or lived at Camp Lejeune before being diagnosed with a health condition linked to toxic exposure, you need to know your rights. Our attorneys may be able to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
To speak with a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawyer for free, contact Colling Gilbert Wright today online or at (800) 766-1000.
What Health Conditions Are Linked to Water Contamination at Camp Lejeune?
The contaminated water at Camp Lejeune contained numerous toxic chemicals that have been linked to a variety of different cancers, including:
- Lung cancer
- Brain cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Leukemia (cancer of the blood)
- Multiple myeloma (cancer of plasma cells in the body)
- Bladder cancer
- Liver cancer
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (a cancer of the lymphatic system)
- Kidney cancer
In addition to several cancers, other serious illnesses have been linked to toxic exposure from the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. These health issues include:
- Cardiac defects
- Neurobehavioral disorders
- Hepatic steatosis (fatty liver syndrome)
- Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) (abnormalities in the production of blood cells)
- Aplastic anemia (a condition where the bone marrow does not produce sufficient blood cells)
- Scleroderma
- Nephrotoxicity (damage to the kidneys)
- Parkinson’s disease
Water contamination at Camp Lejeune has been linked to miscarriages and fertility issues. High rates of childhood cancer and an array of birth defects have also resulted from in-utero exposure to contaminated water at the base, causing the tragic injury and death of many children.
Potential Compensation for Water Contamination Illnesses Linked to Camp Lejeune
If you or members of your family suffered losses as a result of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, you may be entitled to recover damages for:
- Medical costs
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Disability
- Loss of society and companionship
- Out-of-pocket expenses
If you or a family member was previously granted health and disability benefits for an illness related to water contamination at Camp Lejeune, your compensation will be reduced in proportion to any prior payments or awards.
Who Is Eligible for Damages in a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claim?
If you worked or lived at Camp Lejeune and were later diagnosed with a health condition associated with toxic exposure, you may be eligible for compensation for your physical, financial, and emotional losses.
Our attorneys are handling claims on behalf of those suffering from the conditions listed above who:
- Have not yet received medical care or disability benefits from the VA
- Have applied for disability compensation and have been denied
- Are currently receiving medical care through the VA, but have not yet applied for disability compensation
How a Lawyer Can Help You
If you or someone you love suffers from a health condition related to water contamination at Camp Lejeune, a lawyer at Colling Gilbert Wright can help you get the medical care you need and the compensation to which you are entitled.
“Meritorious, Dedication, Attention to Detail, Distinguished reflecting great credit upon himself and his… This is the criteria that must be met for any Soldier to receive a Medal in the United States Military rather it’s a CMH or an AAM. The process of finding a lawyer, especially when your world has been turned upside down, is scary. I spent many days researching lawyers. Trust me, I did my homework and due diligence. Choosing Colling Gilbert Wright to represent my family was a well thought-out and educated choice. But that is only the beginning. After meeting Jesse then Nathan, Marisol his Paralegal and Morgan his legal assistant, we knew I had chosen a powerful team to go into battle with and into battle we went. It was swift and decisive. Far beyond our expectations. Impressive to say the least. On a personal note. The care and respect we received from Nathan and his team, from the beginning to the end of our mission, was Amazing!!! He’s family now. We Love you Brother!!!
– SGT Kenny C (DAV) US Army Retired, Military Intelligence
Veterans and former residents of Camp Lejeune continue to live with the impact of toxic exposure to this day. Many have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, cancer, and other illnesses decades after leaving the base.
Veterans’ disability benefits can provide the monetary compensation and medical treatment you need to ensure your health and independence. However, the VA may deny your claim or give a disability rating that falls short of what you need.
The Camp Lejeune water contamination lawyers at Colling Gilbert Wright are here to help you pursue the justice you deserve. We can help you or a family member gather the documentation needed to appeal for a higher disability rating and receive compensation that reflects the true extent of your losses.
Through research, experience, and the assistance of medical experts, our seasoned attorneys can effectively link the conditions you have suffered to the dangerous contaminated water that caused them. We will work diligently to recover the full and fair compensation to which you may be entitled.
A History of Water Contamination and Legal Challenges at Camp Lejeune
First opened in 1942, Camp Lejeune is a sprawling United States Marine Corps base located in Onslow County, North Carolina.
The nearly 250 square-mile facility has served as a base of operations for the Marine Corps, a military operations and training facility for various branches of the armed forces, and a home for thousands of military service members and their families.
In the 1980s, environmental testing revealed that Camp Lejeune’s drinking water supply was dangerously contaminated. It is estimated that more than a million people have been affected by toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune, resulting in cancer and other serious medical diagnoses. The victims include contract workers, veterans, and their families, including young children and even babies in utero.
Until very recently, legal options have been limited for individuals harmed by Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water. For veterans stationed at the base between 1953 and 1987, the VA established a “presumptive service connection” that only recognized presumptive service connections for the following eight illnesses:
- Cancer of the kidneys
- Cancer of the liver
- Cancer of the bladder
- Multiple myeloma
- Adult leukemia
- MDS
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
Certain “qualifying health conditions” of veterans and others affected by exposure to Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water were covered under the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012. Although this established a way for veterans and their families to receive care through the VA, a number of claims for medical services and disability were denied by the VA. Additionally, no provisions were made to help civilian employees and their families who suffered from toxic exposure at the base.
A North Carolina law, referred to as the statute of repose, gives plaintiffs only 10 years to bring a claim for disease or other “latent injury.” This prevented many of Camp Lejeune’s water contamination victims from bringing civil actions for illnesses connected to toxic exposure on the base.
Although the statute of repose has been amended by North Carolina’s state legislature, many water contamination claims have been barred by the courts because the statute of repose does not retroactively apply.
The injustice suffered by veterans and others who experienced toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune has been recognized by lawmakers. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act is intended to help those victims of water conatmination pusue the justice they deserve.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act will override the North Carolina statute of repose. It enables those exposed to water contamination at the base for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, to file personal injury and wrongful death claims in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
The House of Representitives passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act in March 2022. In June of 2022, the bill was passed by the U.S. Senate as part of the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022. The amended bill is expected to pass in the House and be signed into law.
Talk to a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyer for FREE
If you or a family member was exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 and suffered an illness as a result, the attorneys at Colling Gilbert Wright want to hear your story.
Our firm has extensive experience in a range of personal injury claims and we have built a reputation for excellence in even the most complex cases. We possess the knowledge, skill, and resources needed to pursue the justice you deserve.
Contact our Camp Lejeune water contamination lawyers today online or at (800) 766-1000 for a FREE case review. Our firm proudly serves clients in Orlando and other areas throughout Florida.