Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Lawsuits

Camp Lejeune Justice Act Now Lets Victims Sue for Toxic Exposure

Victims sickened by Camp Lejeune toxic water at have faced many hurdles in their fight for justice. But thanks to the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, victims can now bring civil lawsuits to pursue a recovery of their damages.

The CLJA has several key components designed to eliminate barriers for veterans, their families, and other victims seeking justice. Thanks to the CLJA:

1. Eligible individuals will be able to sue and recover damages caused by toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune in civil court.
2. The U.S. government will be prohibited from asserting immunity from litigation in response to such lawsuits.

These are significant victories that will allow victims across the country to finally secure the justice and compensation they deserve. And given that thousands of individuals may now be eligible to pursue claims, cases are expected to be consolidated through multidistrict litigation (MDL).

Multidistrict litigation is a special process in which civil cases from across the country are transferred to a single federal court. It helps streamline the court process and allows plaintiffs to maintain their own individual case and pursue compensation that corresponds to their injuries and damages.

What Are the Claims in Camp Lejeune Lawsuits?

Plaintiffs bringing lawsuits claim that they developed serious cancers and health conditions because of their exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

These claims are based on Marine Corps findings from 1982 that drinking water supplied by on-base treatment plants contained volatile compounds (VOCs) that included:

• Benzene
• Vinyl chloride
• PCE (perchloroethylene or tetrachloroethylene)
• TCE (trichloroethylene)
• Trans-1,2-DCE (t-1,2-dichloroethylene)

According to the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), there were multiple sources of contamination, including industrial spills, waste disposal sites, leaking underground storage tanks, and an off-base dry cleaning business that improperly disposed of waste.

The Federal Government has finally admitted that the water supply at Camp Lejeune was toxic causing thousands of military members and their families to contract serious medical conditions. A compensation Fund has been established to compensate eligible victims.

Individuals, including veterans, who resided, or who were otherwise exposed for at least 30 days during the time period of August 1, 1953, and ending December 31, 1987, to water at Camp Lejeune may now bring an action to obtain a recovery for personal injury caused by exposure to the water.

The individuals who can bring such a claim include:

• Veterans
• People who resided at Camp Lejeune such as spouses and other family members of veterans
• People who worked at Camp Lejeune
• Other people who may have been exposed to water at Camp Lejeune, including in utero exposure
• Legal representatives of deceased veterans, or of other people who resided or worked at Camp Lejeune, or who may have been exposed to water at Camp Lejeune, including in utero exposure

Conditions associated with exposure to the water at Camp LeJeune include: