You might qualify for a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit if:
- You resided at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1953 to December 1987.
- You weren’t dishonorably discharged from the military.
- You developed a life-altering condition as a result of water contamination.
- You resided at the base as a veteran, civilian, employee, or servicemember’s loved one.
It could seem like a lifetime ago when you last resided at Camp Lejeune. However, your health could affect your quality of life to this day. If so, you deserve compensation from the liable party.
- You Must Have a Life-Altering Condition Related to Contaminated Water
- You Have Options While You Consider Filing a Camp Lejeune Lawsuit
- Filing a VA Disability Claim Versus Filing a Lawsuit
- Could a Lawyer Assist Me With a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit?
- Contact a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyer Today
You Must Have a Life-Altering Condition Related to Contaminated Water
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) notes that if you have one of the following conditions, you may qualify for compensation.
- Parkinson’s disease
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Multiple myeloma
- Liver cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Aplastic anemia
- Adult leukemia
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
- Neurobehavioral disorders
- Female infertility and miscarriage
- Hepatic steatosis
- Esophageal cancer
Your medical records and other supporting information will be used to establish your right to compensation. Keep in mind that these conditions take years to develop. So, even if you were stationed at Camp Lejeune decades ago, the contaminated water could still affect you today.
For a free legal consultation, call 516-932-0400
You Have Options While You Consider Filing a Camp Lejeune Lawsuit
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 has been passed by the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. It is anticipated that President Biden will sign the bill, making it law, sometime during August 2022. This would allow certain individuals to file lawsuits and recover compensation from the government. At this time, the government has immunity from certain lawsuits––but, with the passage of this bill into law, that immunity would be waived.
Right now, the Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 allows water contamination claimants to seek benefits through VA. They could receive monthly cash payments and healthcare benefits through the organization.
Filing a VA Disability Claim Versus Filing a Lawsuit
You have options for recovering your losses. Here’s what you need to know:
- Filing a disability claim with VA would allow you to receive various benefits, including healthcare coverage.
- Filing a lawsuit against the government, once the bill is signed into law, would allow you to seek damages unique to your situation, including pain and suffering.
Both actions require you to prove certain things, namely, that you lived at Camp Lejeune from August 1953 to December 1987. Yet, this could prove harder than it seems––especially if your records were destroyed in the St. Louis 1973 National Personnel Records Center fire.
An attorney could evaluate your situation and explain what course of action could yield benefits.
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Could a Lawyer Assist Me With a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit?
As stated above, it’s likely that the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 will be passed before the mid-term elections. Once this Act is signed into law, victims could file lawsuits against the government. While it’s possible to file a lawsuit without the assistance of a lawyer, this process is complex.
Filing a water contamination lawsuit entails strict adherence to courtroom procedures––among other obligations. A personal injury lawyer could assist you with a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit by:
- Keeping you updated on the status of your case
- Answering your legal questions
- Identifying the liable parties
- Communicating with all parties for you
- Gathering evidence to assert your condition’s severity
- Determining what you’re entitled to receive
- Fighting relentlessly to win every dollar of compensation your deserve
A personal injury lawyer could also draw on expert testimony to support your case. These experts could include:
- Medical experts. These professionals could make the connection between your condition and the water contamination at Camp Lejeune.
- Life care planners. Your condition might affect your day-to-day life, including your mobility. To recover damages through a lawsuit, we must assert the impact of your condition on your life.
- Economists. A settlement or court award should account for each of your injury-related losses––both now and in the future. Economists could project your past- present, and future injury-related losses.
What Types of Compensation Could I Receive in a Water Contamination Lawsuit?
Compensation in a personal injury lawsuit is broken into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages cover the financial toll associated with your case, including:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages or a reduction in your earning capacity
- Ongoing care costs, like rehabilitative therapy or prescription medications
Non-economic damages are equally important in a personal injury lawsuit. These damages account for the toll your condition, or in some cases, the condition of a loved one has taken on your life. Examples include:
- Loss of consortium (These are the special types of loss, recognized by law, that a person suffers when their spouse is seriously injured or a wrongful death victim)
- Reduced quality of life
- Physical or intellectual disabilities
- Pain and suffering
Damages are the core of personal injury lawsuits. When secured, they could improve a victim’s quality of life by offering financial support.
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Contact a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyer Today
Soon, many former residents of Camp Lejeune could file lawsuits against the government. Whether you qualify to file such a lawsuit depends on your situation. If you’re interested in exploring your legal rights, call Friedman & Simon, LLP.
We could review your case free of charge. Contact our offices to get started today.
Call or text 516-932-0400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
