Bladder cancer

Male veterans are 4 times more likely to develop bladder cancer due to solvent exposure than female veterans

Over 700 military bases in the country have a grim legacy of toxic environmental contamination, which has been contributing to the prevalence of bladder cancer among veterans. The chemicals associated with a high risk of bladder cancer that were also lurking on military bases are industrial solvents. According to a study from the medical journal Environmental Health Perspectives, perchloroethylene exposure has a strong link to bladder cancer, with people exposed to it for a long time having a nearly 2 times greater risk of developing this cancer. Furthermore, exposure to the following solvents on military bases also has a significant connection with bladder cancer:

• trichloroethylene
• alicyclic hydrocarbon solvents
• benzene
• aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents
• toluene
• aromatic hydrocarbon solvents

Some of these industrial solvents, as well as PFOS and PFOA, two chemicals from the PFAS group, were present in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune for 34 years during the last century. Therefore, veterans and civilians who spent time there are likely to come to struggle with bladder cancer. If you lived at this military base, we might be able to help you file a Camp Lejeune toxic water claim or lawsuit and a VA disability claim if you are a veteran. However, you have to meet the following eligibility criteria:

• you must have been discharged from the military other than dishonorably as a veteran
• you must have drunk contaminated water at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 consecutive days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987
• you must have a correct, accurate diagnosis of bladder cancer that is the result of drinking toxic water

Even if you meet the above requirements, you might not be entitled to financial compensation under the new Camp Lejeune Justice Act or from the VA. For this reason, to determine whether you qualify for filing a claim, our experienced attorneys will have to assess your employment or military records, which you must retrieve, and your medical records.

If you want to file a claim as a family member of a veteran whom you lived with at Camp Lejeune, you will have to send us evidence of your stay at the military base along with your medical records. Finally, it is important to know that women who stayed at Camp Lejeune while pregnant and gave birth to a child with a congenital malformation may also be eligible for compensation.

The bladder cancer risk among military and civilian firefighters who used AFFF is nearly 2 times higher

A study from Environmental Health Insights found that people with a high level of PFAS in their blood are nearly twice as likely to develop bladder cancer than the general population. This is often the case with military and civilian firefighters who used the fire suppressant AFFF, which contains between 50% and 98% of these toxic chemicals. Not only do PFAS persist in the environment once they are released by employing AFFF, but they also stay in the body for a long time. This increases the risk of numerous life-threatening diseases, including bladder cancer. Moreover, firefighters are exposed to PFAS from the very personal protective equipment they wear.

It is worthy of note that, when it is the consequence of AFFF exposure, bladder cancer may take several years to several decades to develop. The following are the most common symptoms of bladder cancer, regardless of the cause:

• pain or a burning sensation during urination
• lower back pain on one side of the body
• feeling the need to urinate many times at night
• blood in the urine and frequent urination
• feeling the need to urinate yet not being able to do so
• trouble urinating or a weak urine stream