Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

The nationally recognized environmental litigation attorneys at Baron & Budd are investigating claims of water contamination at the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River in Onslow County in southeastern North Carolina. Studies have found there were dangerously high levels of toxic chemicals in the water supply on the bases for decades.

Seeking the guidance of an attorney is extremely important in these types of cases.

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Who May Qualify to File a Claim?

Civilians and military members who worked, lived, or served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987 and have been diagnosed with any of the following illnesses may qualify to file a claim:

Adult Leukemia
Aplastic Anemia or Other Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Appendix cancer
Bile duct cancer
Birth Defects
Bladder Cancer
Brain cancer
Breast Cancer
Cardiac (Heart Related) Birth Defect
Cervical Cancer
Chronic Kidney Disease
Colorectal Cancer
End-stage renal disease
Esophageal Cancer
Female Infertility
Fetal death
Gallbladder cancer
Hepatic Steatosis (Fatty Liver Disease)
Hodgkin’s Disease
Intestinal cancer
Kidney Cancer
Liver Cancer
Lung Cancer
Major fetal malformations
Leukemia
Miscarriage
Multiple Myeloma
Multiple Sclerosis
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Ovarian Cancer
Pancreatic Cancer
Parkinson’s Disease
Prostate Cancer
Renal Toxicity (Nephrotoxicity)
Scleroderma (Systemic Sclerosis)
Soft tissue cancer
Spinal cancer
Thyroid cancer
Other Type of Cancer

How Did the Water Get Contaminated?

Waste spills, improper waste disposal, and leaking storage tanks all contributed to the water contamination issue at Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River. In the 1980s, it was discovered that some of the water distribution systems on the base were contaminated with dangerously high levels of toxic chemicals. These chemicals include:

Perchloroethylene (PCE) – found in dry-cleaning solvent
Trichloroethylene (TCE) – found in degreasing agent
Benzene – found in gasoline
Vinyl chloride – used in the production of plastics

Camp Lejeune Justice Act

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act is part of a bipartisan bill that was recently signed into law that allows individuals who suffered harm from the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River to file a lawsuit against the federal government. Typically, the federal government has been able to claim immunity from these lawsuits, but Congress crafted the Camp Lejeune Justice Act to address the injury that has been caused by the contaminated water. It allows victims to seek compensation for the damages they have suffered from the toxic drinking water on the base.

How Does This Affect My Existing VA Disability Claim or Benefits?

If a victim of toxic water exposure at Camp Lejeune has filed a claim with the VA, they may still be allowed to seek compensation for damages under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. Even if you have been previously denied a claim with the VA, you may still be eligible for compensation.

How We Can Help

If you or someone you know became ill after being exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River, you should reach out to the experienced environmental attorneys at Baron & Budd to discuss your potential claim.

The environmental litigation attorneys at Baron & Budd believe clean water, air, and soil are essential to our lives and safeguarding these basic elements is critical. Individuals facing contamination must carefully select legal counsel. These cases are often complex and involve very technical environmental regulations. Baron & Budd has been protecting the environment for more than 40 years with many iconic successes, such as the BP Oil Spill, Monsanto water contamination, California wildfires, and other notable pollution cases. Baron & Budd’s environmental attorneys are currently representing well owners and public entities in water contamination cases across North Carolina including Cumberland County, Brunswick County, and the Town of Wrightsville Beach.