Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuits to Follow PACT Act Signing

President Joe Biden signed the PACT Act into law this week, which brings more than one million Marines and family members adversely affected by toxic chemicals in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune one step closer to recovering the compensation they deserve. It is expected that in the coming weeks and months, tens of thousands of legal claims will be filed involving exposure to harmful chemicals like benzene, trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene, perchloroethylene (PCE), and vinyl chloride (VC) at Camp Lejeune. If you served or lived at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 and were subsequently diagnosed with cancer or another serious illness allegedly caused by exposure to the contaminated water supply at the base, you may be eligible to file a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit against the U.S. government. Contact Consumer Safety Watch today to find out how we can help.

Bill Opens Two-Year Window for Camp Lejeune Claims

For years, the U.S. government has relied on legal loopholes and North Carolina’s restrictive statute of repose to unjustly deny claims by Marines and their loved ones pursuing compensation for injuries and illnesses stemming from exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune. That all changed on August 10, 2022, when President Biden finally signed into law the Honoring Our PACT Act, a historic bill providing much-needed health care and benefits for veterans with illnesses caused by exposure to toxic substances during their military service. Included in the PACT Act is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, which opens up a two-year window for veterans, their family members, and others exposed to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days to seek compensation for their injuries.

Exposed Veterans, Families Pursuing Compensation for Toxic Exposure

Lawsuits filed under the highly anticipated Justice Act include claims that the U.S. government knew about the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and rather than addressing the problem, covered it up and put thousands of Marines and their loved ones at risk for serious and potentially life-threatening injuries. For months leading up to the bill being signed into law, attorneys across the country have been reviewing Camp Lejeune water contamination claims by Marines and others who have suffered from cancer, Parkinson’s disease, miscarriage, fertility issues, and other devastating health problems linked to toxic exposure. Several Camp Lejeune lawsuits have already been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, including one claim by plaintiff Ronnie Manns, who lived and worked at Camp Lejeune during the period when the water there was contaminated with toxic chemicals. According to his claim, Manns was diagnosed with serious illnesses as a result of his exposure, including Myelodysplastic Syndrome and anemia.

“For decades the water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune was contaminated with toxic chemicals known to cause cancer and a host of other chronic – and often deadly – diseases and conditions. Hundreds of thousands of servicemembers and civilians drank, bathed in, cooked with, swam in, and/or were exposed in utero to that water,” Manns lawsuit states. “Nevertheless, in violation of governing orders and basic duties of decency, federal government officials failed to ensure that toxic chemicals from industrial facilities, fuel tanks, and dry-cleaning operations did not seep into the water used by the men and women who were willing to lay their lives on the line for our nation and their families. Indeed, for decades the federal government did not even bother to test the water.”

You May be Eligible for a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit

When the Marine Corps finally did test the water supply at Camp Lejeune and discovered that it was polluted with benzene, trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene, perchloroethylene (PCE), vinyl chloride (VC), and other toxic chemicals, they failed to remedy the issue or at the very least notify servicemembers and their families about their potential exposure. With the passage of the PACT Act and the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, former servicemembers, family members who lived on the base, and others exposed to the water at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987 who suffered illnesses linked to toxins in the water supply can now pursue Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuits. If you served or lived at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 and were subsequently diagnosed with cancer or another serious illness, speak to an attorney today about your legal options. The time to file a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit is limited, so don’t wait.