If you want to file a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim, the government has provided ways for you to do so pro se, meaning that you would represent yourself and present your claim without the benefit of legal counsel. To do so, you must contact the Office of the Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Navy’s Tort Claims Unit (TCU) in Norfolk, Virginia, for a Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CJLA) claim form.
Once you fill out the requested information, you can either send the form electronically through email or mail it to the TCU.
We believe it will be in your best interest to retain legal counsel to file your claim. By hiring one of our attorneys, you can focus on supporting your health without the stress of deadlines, technical legal considerations, and dealing, in an adversarial manner, with the government’s lawyers.
Another advantage of having a dedicated law firm pursue a claim on your behalf pertains to case evaluation. As the law permitting these claims has just passed and, at the time of this writing no cases have settled yet, lawyers who are representing multiple claimants will have, as cases do begin to settle, a better idea of case values and be in a better position to negotiate for the most favorable outcome for you.
Additionally, when you use one of our attorneys you get the benefit of their extensive experience representing injury victims without ever having an out-of-pocket cost for legal fees or case expenses. Our attorneys will be paid only if and when they win a money recovery for you.
In This Article
- Camp Lejeune Survivors Can Now Seek Damages from the U.S. Government for Illnesses
- What Happened at Camp Lejeune, and Why Was Its Water Dangerous?
- Recoverable Compensation in a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Case
- Our Attorney Will File Your Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claim
- Call Us Today About Filing a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claim
Camp Lejeune Survivors Can Now Seek Damages from the U.S. Government for Illnesses
When President Biden signed the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 in August 2022, it also cleared the way for the passage of CJLA, which is part of the legislation. Under CJLA, U.S. military veterans, their families, and others can hold the federal government accountable for illnesses linked to Camp Lejeune’s water supply.
This includes anyone who previously filed a Camp Lejeune claim but was denied because North Carolina’s 10-year statute of limitations expired. If you filed a claim denied under the Federal Tort Claims Act, you must file another one. Our attorney will guide you through this process.
For a free legal consultation, call 516-932-0400
What Happened at Camp Lejeune, and Why Was Its Water Dangerous?
Anyone who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C., between Aug. 1, 1953, and Dec. 31, 1987, can sue the federal government for the harm they suffered if they used the U.S. Marine Corps military base’s water. Although the base opened in the early 1940s, it wasn’t until the early 1980s, some 40 years later, that officials confirmed that chemicals were present in the water everyone used while on base.
Per the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), water well samples from the base confirmed various chemicals such as:
- Trichloroethylene, an ingredient in refrigerants and degreasing solvents
- Tetrachloroethylene, found in dry-cleaning fabrics
- Vinyl chloride, found in plastic products
Chemicals Linked to Deadly Illnesses
Over the years, many diseases and medical conditions have been linked to Camp Lejeune, including various cancers. CJLA claimants could recover compensation if they can show that any of these illnesses developed after spending time at Camp Lejeune, per the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):
- Adult leukemia
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Camp Lejeune survivors can also experience any of the following after their time at Camp Lejeune:
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Parkinson’s disease
- Birth defects
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Female infertility
- Hepatic steatosis
- Lung cancer
- Miscarriage
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
If your condition isn’t listed above, you can still give us a call about a Camp Lejeune claim. We can review your situation and advise you further.
Recoverable Compensation in a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Case
If you or a loved one used the water at the base in a specific time window and believe the water is responsible for any illnesses, our Camp Lejeune water contamination attorneys can file a claim for compensation on your behalf. With our legal team on your side, you will have legal professionals looking out for you and ensuring all bases are covered when making a claim for your Camp Lejeune-related illness on your behalf.
You could recover the following losses under CJLA:
- Medical and rehabilitation expenses
- Lost income and other earnings
- Lost or reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Impaired quality of life
- Wrongful death damages (if you lost a loved one to an illness related to the water supply at Camp Lejeune)
If you are receiving VA benefits for a Camp Lejeune condition, filing a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit with TCU will not affect those benefits.
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Our Attorney Will File Your Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claim
A personal injury lawyer from our team will prepare your Camp Lejeune case and handle completing and properly filing the CJLA claim form. This process can be challenging for claimants and their families, and there are many key details to pay attention to and steps to take in these cases. We feel it is a privilege to lift this burden from those military personnel and their families who have already been through so much because of the contaminated Camp Lejeune water.
We will keep your case on track and keep you up to date as developments occur. Our Camp Lejeune attorneys will:
- Update you regularly on your case
- Identify all liable parties and their involvement in the toxic water supply
- Communicate with all parties for you
- Compile evidence that proves when you were at Camp Lejeune and the capacity in which you served
- Determine a value for your case
If we consult with expert witnesses, these could include:
- Medical experts
- Vocational rehabilitation specialists
- Life care planners
- Economists
Filing a Camp Lejeune Wrongful Death Lawsuit for a Loved One
If you lost a loved one to a Camp Lejeune-related illness, we extend our heartfelt condolences. We would be honored to fight for your family and win the compensation you need and the justice your late family member deserves.
Your loved one must have met both conditions:
- Lived, worked, or spent time at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between Aug. 1, 1953, and Dec. 31, 1987; and
- Died from an illness associated with the contaminants found in Camp Lejeune’s water supply
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Call Us Today About Filing a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claim
If you are wondering how to file a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim, the legal team at Friedman & Simon, L.L.P., will guide you through this process. We will keep your claim on track and take care of all key deadlines. We encourage you to reach out to us as soon as possible to ensure we have time to build your case and give it the personalized attention you deserve. Call us today for a free consultation to get started.
Call or text 516-932-0400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
