The Veterans Administration is meant to help veterans with various needs, including obtaining disability benefits. Regarding potential Camp Lejeune victims, the VA did not do the right thing. They enlisted the help of non-specialists physicians to evaluate veterans affected by the Camp Lejeune water contamination. The physicians in the VA have only completed four hours of training on the Camp Lejeune water contamination issue. The lack of experience and knowledge led to many disability claim denials. Veterans are left to deal with the consequences of their medical conditions individually.
Additionally, military members and their families could not file lawsuits for these injuries. North Carolina prohibits claims of exposure to be brought after ten years, which is far past the exposure time for veterans and their families. Their only recourse was to work with the Veterans Administration. Without the possibility of legal action and disability claim denials, veterans were left with no options. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 allows veterans, their families, and other non-military personnel on Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 to file a claim and obtain the compensation they need for their injuries. To get started, you will need to contact a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawyer in Philadelphia.
Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022
The bipartisan bill ensures that any individual who meets the criteria and suffers a medical condition or injury from the water contamination at Camp Lejeune can receive compassion. There were many barriers for veterans to file a claim, and the new bill removed many of them. It overrides the North Carolina 10-year statute, which prevents veterans from filing a claim. The new limit to file a claim is within two years of the bill passing or two years from the diagnosis of the medical condition. While the bill is a big win for all residents of Camp Lejeune, you must act fast to file a claim. The bill passed into law in June of 2022, meaning you only have until June 2024 to file a claim. Contact a Camp Lejeune water contamination attorney today.
How severe are the injuries?
The injuries and conditions that victims face from this tragedy will vary due to the amount of exposure. Some victims show signs of illness right away, while others will go years before any symptoms show. The reason for the variation is due to several factors, including:
- When the exposure happens
- How much exposure
- How long there was exposure
- Method of exposure
- Etc
It is essential to note that exposure can happen anytime in these cases from pregnancy, infancy, childhood, and adulthood. There were over a million people residing on base during the thirty years of all ages. The exposure method is also vital as water has many uses from drinking, bathing, and washing clothes. Symptoms and illnesses can range from mild to deadly.
What health conditions do victims have?
Most health conditions developed years after the exposure, making it hard to link the two initially. However, there is a range of conditions that are now common for these cases, such as:
- Female infertility
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Leukemia
- Birth defects
- Hepatic steatosis
- Cervical cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Cardiac effects
- Lung cancer
- Renal toxicity
- Liver cancer
- Parkinson’s disease
- Ovarian cancer
- Higher chance of miscarriage
- Multiple Myeloma
- Scleroderma
While the list is long, there are still many other conditions that victims suffer from water contamination exposure. You have suffered without justice for long enough. Take steps to get compensation for your ailments by meeting with a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawyer right away.
How to file a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit
When water toxicity causes your injuries, someone must be held liable. You might be eligible for compensation if you lived, stationed, or worked at Camp Lejeune for thirty days between 1953 and 1987. You will be able to file a claim with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The Camp Lejeune water contamination attorney at Kwartler Manus, LLC is ready to discuss your case and get you the justice you deserve. Call our office at (267) 457-5570 to schedule a consultation today.