Camp Lejeune is a Marine Corps Base in North Carolina that unfortunately had a contaminated water supply. A significant number of Marines stationed at Camp Lejeune between the 1950s and the 1980s may eventually develop illnesses. These conditions include leukemia and other forms of cancer, as well as Parkinson’s disease.
The passage of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 (CLJA) created an alternative to simply depending on benefits provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to treat these conditions. Some veterans may now have grounds to file a civil lawsuit.
The CLJ A reduced the burden of proof for such lawsuits but also created a new rule that applicants should know if they think that they are one of the veterans affected by the water contamination.
There is a deadline for filing a lawsuit
The CLJA gives you an opportunity to pursue compensation, but you only have two years from the date of enactment to bring a claim. The clock for claims began counting down as of August 10th, 2022 when President Joe Biden signed the CLJA into law.
Those with a diagnosis that they believe relates to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune will only have through August 10th, 2024, to pursue benefits under the CLJA. Experts estimate that there could be more than a million veterans already dealing with medical issues likely directly related to the water contamination at Camp Lejeune.
Why a lawsuit could be beneficial
Anyone receiving VA benefits already knows that they often don’t cover enough of someone’s costs. The consequences of cancer, Parkinson’s disease and other debilitating medical conditions associated with Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water may have already resulted in massive expenses for you and your family.
You may have lost out on wages that you would have earned at work or incurred massive medical expenses. Members of your family may have also had to endure hardship and losses, especially if someone left their career to serve as a caregiver for you. Instead of merely requesting VA benefits, pursuing a lawsuit under the CLJA may be the best option for those struggling with the dire consequences of chemical exposure during their military service.
Asking for appropriate compensation as someone harmed by the water at Camp Lejeune could protect you and the people that you love.