Camp Lejeune Water Contamination
If you served or lived at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River in North Carolina between 1953 and 1987, it is highly likely that you had contact with contaminants in the drinking water there. Scientific and medical evidence has shown a significant association between exposure to these contaminants during military service and development of certain diseases later in life. Routine water testing found that drinking water sources at Camp Lejeune were contaminated with toxic chemicals including:
- Benzene
- Trichloroethylene (TCE)
- Tetrachloroethylene
- Perchloroethylene (PCE)
- Vinyl Chloride (VC)
The above contaminants are known carcinogens and are proven to be harmful to humans. Contamination of the water Camp Lejeune was found to have up to 300 times acceptable levels of these contaminants in some instances. The government knew about this yet covered it up and hid behind legal loopholes. Finally justice is coming for potentially millions of our veterans and their families who lived and worked at Camp Lejeune.
Do I qualify to file a claim against the government for my Camp Lejeune related injuries?
To qualify for compensation resulting from Camp Lejeune related injuries, an individual must meet the following criteria.
1. Victim must have lived or worked on base at Camp Lejeune for a minimum of 30 consecutive days during the period beginning August 1, 1953, and ending December 31, 1987. A qualifying victim can include:
- A veteran, reservist, guardsman or their legal representative
- The spouse of a veteran, reservist, guardsman
- The ex-spouse of a veteran, reservist, guardsman (certain conditions apply)
- The biological child of a veteran, reservist, guardsman (alive at the time)
- The biological child of a veteran, reservist, guardsman (in utero at the time)
- The stepchild of a veteran, reservist, guardsman
- The legal dependent of a veteran, reservist, guardsman (living with him/her at the time)
- Civilian contractor (who worked on base at the time)
2. Victim must have been exposed to the water at Camp Lejeune that was supplied by the United States or on its behalf.
3. Victim must have been diagnosed with one of the following injuries, illness or diseases* after having lived or worked at Camp Lejeune for a minimum of 30 consecutive days during the aforementioned dates:
- Any Type of Cancer
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
- Aplastic Anemia
- Appendiceal Cancer
- Bile Duct Cancer
- Birth Defect / Major Fetal Malformations
- Bladder Cancer
- Brain Cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Cervical Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer
- End stage Renal Disease
- Esophageal Cancer
- Fatty Liver Disease
- Fatty Liver Disease
- Female Infertility
- Gallbladder Cancer
- Hodgkins Lymphoma
- Intestinal Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Leukaemia
- Liver Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Miscarriage
- Multiple Myeloma
- Myelodysplastic Syndrome
- Neurobehavioral Effects
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Ovarian Cancer
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Prostate Cancer
- Renal Toxicity
- Scleroderma
- Sinus Cancer
- Soft Tissue Cancer
- Spinal Cancer
- Thyroid Cancer
Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022
About the Camp Lejeune Justice Act
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 is a bipartisan bill to ensure that veterans, their family members or other individuals living or working at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987, who were harmed by the contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune can finally receive the fair compensation they deserve. Many of these individuals have had their claims inappropriately denied or delayed, resulting in additional harm.
The Bill made its way through Congress as part of the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives on March 4, 2022, finally was resolved in the Senate on August 2, 2022 and signed into law by the President on August 10, 2022. The Act will permit people who worked, lived, or were exposed in-utero, to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987, to file a claim in U.S. federal court. There is a two year statute of limitations to file a claim from the date it became law. The Statute of Limitations will run until August 9, 2024.
People or loved ones of those who lived, worked, or were stationed at Camp Lejeune who experienced a water toxicity-related illness may finally be eligible for compensation.
How did the water supply get contaminated?
"From 1953 to 1987, more than a million men, women, and children bathed in and ingested Camp Lejeune’s toxic water. Hundreds of babies died, so many filling a stretch of a nearby cemetery that it received the grim title “Baby Heaven.”"
How did the water supply get contaminated?
For years, government officials covered up their crime. Then, when the truth came out, they relied on legal loopholes to escape the consequences. North Carolina’s strict 10-year statute of repose, which has been altered by the state legislature but still applies to past cases, denies most families the ability to sue in court. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has refused care to those in need on the basis of “insufficient evidence of causation.”
Former residents of Camp Lejeune served their country in the belief that their government would take care of them. Yet, like members of the military exposed to toxic burn pits on tours of duty, they have received nothing but excuses. They deserve justice—the time for delays is over.
Fortunately, change appears to be coming.
Hadnot Point water treatment plant began operation in 1942 and supplied water to the Mainside Barracks, Hospital Point Family Housing, Family Housing at Midway Park, Paradise Point and Berkeley Manor. Hadnot Point had multiple sources of contamination streaming from leaks in underground storage tanks, industrial area spills and waste disposal sites. VOCs identified at Hadnot Point are PCE, Benzene and Vinyl Chloride.
Tarawa Terrace water treatment plant began operation in 1952 and supplied water to Tarawa Terrace family housing and Knox Trailer Park. The source of contamination was identified as an off-base dry cleaning company, ABC One-Hour Cleaners, through their waste disposal practices.
The most contaminated wells were shut down in February of 1985.
Until now, victims of Camp Lejeune water toxicity-related illnesses have been denied justice leading to many suffering additional harm. With the potential passing of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 this may give hope to those who have suffered for so many years.
Additional Resources
VA – Camp Lejeune water contamination health issues
Taking care of veterans means getting justice for Camp Lejeune
Camp Lejeune toxic water victims eye justice as pivotal House bill passes
Were you stationed, living, or working at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune or Marine Core Air Station New River in North Carolina for 30 days or more between 1953 and 1987 and have possibly suffered illness, disease or injury from the contaminated water?
You may qualify for compensation.
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