As per the BBC, the number of climate change-related cases have doubled in the last few years, with only 800 such cases filed between 1986 to 2014 to over 1000 of them in the last six years.
The Camp Lejeune water contamination class action suit is one of America’s largest environmental health cases. The contamination occurred at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina when the drinking water was contaminated with toxic chemicals.
The EPA estimates that over 1 million Americans served in the Marines Corps and drank the contaminated water for years. If you or someone you love served at Camp Lejeune and suffered from any type of illness or disease after drinking from these wells, then you may be entitled to compensation through this settlement.
A Class-Action suit Against the Department of Veterans Affairs
A class-action lawsuit is a type of civil case. In these cases, one or more individuals act on behalf of a larger group to seek a resolution for a common wrong. The persons who are affected by the wrong may be allowed to join the suit as plaintiffs once it’s filed, but they don’t have to do so if they don’t want to.
According to CNN, thousands of people are filing class-action claims against the government for what the contamination did to them as they drank and bathed in the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
The Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit alleges that the Department of Veterans Affairs failed to provide proper medical care for veterans whose health was adversely affected by exposure to toxic drinking water at Camp Lejeune during their service there between 1953 and 1987.
The lawsuit is seeking compensation via disability benefits and medical treatment for those who developed symptoms of Camp Lejeune water contamination as a result of their exposure and wants reimbursement from the Veterans Affairs (VA) for all related expenses incurred due to those illnesses.
The Number of People Connected to This Lawsuit
The Camp Lejeune Water Contamination class action suit is connected to over 200,000 veterans, over 3 million civilians, over 4 million dependents of those civilians, and family members of those dependents.
This means that if you were a military member who lived at Camp Lejeune during the time frame of 1957 through 1987, you could be included in this lawsuit.
Health Risks Associated With Contamination at Camp Lejeune
The contamination at Camp Lejeune is known to have caused many health issues, including
- Cancer: The contaminated water from the base was linked to an increased risk of cancer in those who drank it.
- Mental Health Issues: Symptoms like depression, anxiety, and memory loss were linked to consuming contaminated water daily.
- Kidney Disease: Drinking contaminated water caused kidney disease in some people who drank it.
- Respiratory Illnesses: Some veterans suffered from chronic respiratory illness due to drinking this tainted water for years at Camp Lejeune.
- Miscarriages and Birth Defects: Both miscarriages and birth defects were linked to ingestion of contaminated tap water while living or working on base during that period (1960-1985).
According to Daily Journal, The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 allows individuals who were present at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 for a minimum of 30 days, including service members, family members, residents, civilians, and workers, to seek justice for the health problems caused by the contaminated water supply.
Source of the Contamination at Camp Lejeune
The contamination was caused by chemicals used to clean the base.
From 1957 to 1987, trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) were used to clean the base’s drinking water system at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The two chemicals are known as industrial solvents linked to serious health problems.
Official Action Against Contamination Source
The contamination was known as early as the 1980s, but officials did not take action until 2012. The Marine Corps first became aware of the problem in 1984 and began monitoring water contamination levels.
In 1989, they again identified a potential link between illnesses suffered by Marines and contaminated water sources on base. However, no action was taken until 2012, when it was finally made public that high levels of contaminants in the water supply could cause cancer.
In 2011, officials shut off all drinking water sources at Camp Lejeune after they found out that certain chemicals could cause kidney cancer and other diseases.
Conclusion
The Camp Lejeune toxic water lawsuit is a great way to help those who have been impacted by this contamination. If you or someone you know has suffered health problems as a result of being exposed to contaminated water at this military base, then it would be worth exploring whether or not you’ll qualify for compensation.
