Camp Lejeune: Miscarriage claims

Camp Lejeune: Miscarriage claims video

Up to 15 out of 100 pregnancies end in miscarriage, which is a devastating experience. While a miscarriage is most often the result of chromosomal abnormalities, it can also be triggered by exposure to harmful substances on military bases among female veterans or the wives of male veterans. Between 1953 and 1987, multiple industrial solvents, which are teratogens, were present in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune. Teratogens are substances that cause fetal abnormalities, but they can also lead to miscarriages. If you are a female veteran or the spouse of a male veteran who spent at least one month at Camp Lejeune and experienced a miscarriage, we advise you to contact our attorneys, as you might be eligible for compensation.

Claim Application

Female veterans exposed to industrial solvents are more likely to experience a miscarriage

Micarriage

Defined as fetal death in the womb before 20 weeks of pregnancy, miscarriage represents a risk for 10% to 15% of pregnant women. Exposure to toxic substances increases this risk of miscarriage substantially.

Once a pregnant woman is exposed to a solvent from drinking water, for instance, the chemical will enter her bloodstream and possibly affect the fetus, eventually causing a miscarriage.

According to medical studies, the first trimester is the most critical time in fetal development when it comes to vulnerability to teratogens. It is important to mention that the father's exposure to teratogens can also increase the risk of miscarriage by increasing the levels of chromosomal abnormalities in the sperm. The following are the solvents that were lurking in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune in dangerous concentrations until the end of the last century, which are also teratogens:

  • trichloroethylene
  • benzene
  • perchloroethylene

A study from the British Journal of Industrial Medicine observed the pregnancy outcome of 71 women, 24 of whom had been exposed to organic solvents in occupational settings. Out of the participants, eight - or 33% - experienced a miscarriage, whereas only nine out of the 47 - or 19% - who had not been exposed to organic solvents had one. In another study of 155 pregnancies in women exposed to organic solvents in the workplace, the frequency of miscarriage was 18%, as opposed to only 7% in the control group.

Researchers also examined the miscarriage rate among women in the pharmaceutical industry. Out of the 405 pregnancies, 18% were miscarriages in those engaged in laboratory work, but only 10% were in the non-exposed workers. So, it can be concluded that women exposed to organic solvents have a significantly increased risk of miscarriage than those who were not. Teratogens affect the fetus when a pregnant woman comes in direct contact with such a substance by crossing the placenta and potentially affecting the pregnancy by causing a miscarriage.

We can efficiently help female veterans file a Camp Lejeune toxic water claim for miscarriage

Since 1990, our dedicated attorneys have been pursuing compensation for toxic exposure victims and are ready to do the same for you. Still, before filing a Camp Lejeune toxic exposure claim, we must assess your eligibility. The process is fast and simple and only requires you to send our legal team your military records, which you must retrieve if you are a female veteran, and your medical records. If you are the wife of a veteran who experienced a miscarriage due to drinking contaminated water at the military base, we will need evidence of your stay at Camp Lejeune in addition to your medical records.

Following a thorough and careful review of your case, our skilled attorneys will determine whether you are entitled to financial compensation for your loss. Eligible women will have their claim filed with the VA and with the government, as they might be entitled to compensation from both sources. If you were stationed at another military base and suffered a miscarriage, we might also be able to help you, so do not hesitate to contact our law firm. Lastly, it is important to know that our law firm operates on a contingency fee basis.