If you’ve been watching the news lately, you might have heard of the Camp Lejeune water contamination scandal. The Camp Lejeune water contamination was an unfortunate event that affected millions of people living in the Camp Lejeune Marine training base in North Carolina between 1953 and 1987.
If you’re interested in learning more about this tragic incident and whether or not it might affect you or a loved one, read more here. You can also read below to learn more about getting the settlement and compensation you deserve.
Where is Camp Lejeune?
Camp Lejeune is a military training base located in North Carolina. Camp Lejeune also houses several schools, dining centers, lodging, and even legal representation centers.
What Is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022?
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 was introduced into the House of Representatives in March 2021 by House Representative Matt Cartwright. The Act sought justice for the victims of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. Between 1953 and 1987, victims living in Camp Lejuene were exposed to toxic levels of solvents in the groundwater of Camp Lejeune.
As explained above, Camp Lejeune was much more than a military training base. Many family members, civilian contractors, and even health care staff used this toxic water to shower, cook, drink, and wash clothes.
This toxic water had high levels of chemicals, which were once used to dissolve other compounds. These chemicals had a disastrous effect on people that drank Camp Lejeune’s groundwater, including the following:
- Kidney cancer
- Adult leukemia
- Bladder cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Liver cancer
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
What is the PACT act?
The PACT act is also called The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. This Act greatly expanded benefits to veterans who suffered from toxic exposure to gases, chemicals, and in the case of Camp Lejeune, contaminated water.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 was rolled into the PACT act, which President Joe Biden recently signed into effect on August 8, 2022. The PACT act allows veterans, civilian contractors, and family members living at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 to file for VA disability for diseases linked to the toxic water.
The PACT Act provides justice to the victims that want more compensation for the pain and suffering they endured due to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune. The PACT act also allows victims of contaminated water to file civil lawsuits and earn more settlement money. Federal cases were once complicated to file due to the Federal Torts Claims Act.
How Much Do Victims Receive?
Victims exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune can receive VA disability based on the severity of their illness. Disability ratings range from 0%, meaning a person gets no compensation, to 100%, meaning someone can receive around $3,500 a month or more based on the number of dependents they have.
Remember that VA disability benefits are based on conditions that continue to affect people. For instance, if someone continues to suffer from the effects of a neurological disorder caused by the toxic water at Camp Lejeune, they can continue to receive benefits for as long as that injury persists.
Victims can also file civil lawsuits to receive additional settlement amounts. These settlements, however, will be offset by the amount of VA disability benefits they also receive. A legal representative can help victims receive more settlement money and represent them in court, so they can be fully compensated for emotional damage, pain, and suffering due to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune.
