Generations of U.S. Marines, their families, and civilian workers have lived and worked at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, a 246-square-mile military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. But for more than 30 years, the people who spent time at this base were drinking, bathing, cooking, and cleaning with toxic water that contained high levels of cancer-causing chemicals.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) now admits that between 1953 and 1987, the water at Camp Lejeune contained levels of trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride—all known carcinogens—that were between 240 to 3,200 times higher than what’s considered safe and acceptable.

Repeated and excessive exposure to all four of these chemicals is linked to an increased risk of many types of cancers and other serious health problems, including female infertility and birth defects. Studies show that exposure for as little as 30 days was enough to significantly increase the risk of developing many of the health problems linked to the chemicals that were found in Camp Lejeune’s water for more than 30 years.

What Health Problems Are Associated with Exposure to Camp Lejeune’s Toxic Water?

People who drank, cleaned with, or bathed in Camp Lejeune’s water for an extended period of time are at risk of developing the following health problems:

  • Adult leukemia
  • Aplastic anemia
  • Bladder cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Female infertility
  • Hepatic steatosis
  • Kidney cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Lung cancers
  • Miscarriage
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Neurobehavioral effect
  • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Renal toxicity
  • Scleroderma

What Help Is Available for Affected Military Servicemembers?

Veterans, reservists, and guardsmen may be eligible for VA disability benefits if they meet the following criteria:

  • Served at Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River for at least 30 cumulative days between August 1953 and December 1987
  • Didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge when their military service ended
  • Were diagnosed with one or more of the following health conditions:
    • Adult leukemia
    • Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
    • Bladder cancer
    • Kidney cancer
    • Liver cancer
    • Multiple myeloma
    • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
    • Parkinson’s disease

In addition, veterans who served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for 30 cumulative days between August 1953 and December 1987 also may be eligible for healthcare benefits for out-of-pocket costs for any of the following health problems:

  • Bladder cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Female infertility
  • Hepatic steatosis
  • Kidney cancer
  • Leukemia
  • Lung cancer
  • Miscarriage
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Myelodysplastic syndromes
  • Neurobehavioral effects
  • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
  • Renal toxicity
  • Scleroderma

Family Members of Servicemembers Are Eligible for Disability and Healthcare Reimbursement, Too 

Family members of servicemembers who were stationed at Camp Lejeune can receive disability benefits if they can provide the following evidence:

  • Proof of relationship to a veteran who served active duty for at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune
  • Documentation proving they lived at Camp Lejeune or MCAS for at least 30 days between August 1953 and December 1987
  • Dated medical records showing diagnosis of any of the 15 conditions listed above

We’re Here to Help with Your VA Disability Claim

Both veterans and their family members who were diagnosed with cancer and other health problems associated with exposure to the chemicals found in Camp Lejeune’s water are eligible to receive disability benefits and healthcare cost benefits from the VA. However, getting those benefits is an uphill battle that requires plenty of evidence, military documentation, medical records, and more.

If you or a loved one spent time at Camp Lejeune and developed serious health problems, we want to help. Contact the experienced Michigan personal injury lawyers at Fieger Law today for a free consultation.