On August 10, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. The PACT Act, which includes the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, substantially benefits anyone who lived or worked at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987.
For the last year, Camp Lejeune toxic water victims have finally been able to file lawsuits after facing decades of frustrating denials and chronic suffering. Find out if you or a nursing home resident you love is newly eligible to file a claim now.
File a Camp Lejeune Water ClaimCamp Lejeune Water Contamination & Health Risks
Military personnel, civilian workers, and families living or working on U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina were exposed to contaminated drinking water for decades.
Between 1953 and 1987, two of Camp Lejeune’s water treatment plants were contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a term used for dangerous chemicals like benzene, vinyl chloride, and more.
In some areas of the base, VOC levels were 400 times what safety standards allowed.
VOCs are known to cause many serious health issues, including:
- Birth defects
- Bladder cancer
- Heart disease
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
Fortunately, nursing home residents and family members who suffer from any of these Camp Lejeune health problems can now pursue compensation.
New Avenues for Camp Lejeune Justice
For years, despite the water contamination being well known, families suffered from avoidable illnesses, and many veterans were denied benefit claims from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
President Biden signing the Camp Lejeune Justice Act into law last year turned the tide for Camp Lejeune veterans and their families to get the financial assistance they need from both VA benefits and legal claims.
Camp Lejeune VA Benefits
The PACT Act is considered the most substantial expansion to VA benefits in decades. It updated the list of service-related illnesses covered by the VA to include those linked to Camp Lejeune.
This is an important new resource for veterans in nursing homes and anyone else harmed by Camp Lejeune drinking water.
These benefits include:
- Compensation for surviving family members
- Disability compensation
- Health care
The VA reported in April 2023 that over 500,000 PACT Act claims have been submitted, with over $1 billion in benefits awarded to veterans or their families from the VA.
Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuits
Lawsuits are another avenue for those affected by the water contamination to seek justice. Compensation from a Camp Lejeune lawsuit could help pay for medical bills and living expenses while also giving families money for the pain and suffering they endured.
Anyone who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days from 1953 to 1987 may be eligible to file a Camp Lejeune water lawsuit.
This eligibility extends to survivors of veterans who have since died and may also include parents who lived or worked on the base and tragically lost a child due to an illness related to Camp Lejeune water contamination.
Camp Lejeune lawsuits must be filed before August 10, 2024, meaning families only have one more year to submit their claims.
Does My Loved One in a Nursing Home Have Camp Lejeune Legal Options?
If your loved one currently lives in a nursing home and was exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days, they may finally have legal options.
Since the PACT Act became law, the Nursing Home Abuse Center has partnered with the Camp Lejeune Claims Center, an organization founded by the son of a Marine who died from bladder cancer attributed to his time at Camp Lejeune. The Camp Lejeune Claims Center is dedicated to helping victims pursue justice.
