By Treven Pyles
Posted on September 22nd, 2023
The diseases Camp Lejeune veterans and family members can develop are insidious, and the symptoms often appear several years after the occurrence of the health problem. For this reason, people who spent time at the military base while the drinking water was contaminated should closely monitor their health.
If you are a veteran or a family member of one who lived at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 when the drinking water contained volatile organic compounds, you should inform your physician about your history of toxic exposure, as you are at high risk of developing a related disease. Unfortunately, cancer is one of the most prevalent illnesses affecting people who spent time at the military base, and it is often found when treatment is no longer effective. According to a study from Environmental Health that compared the cancer rate in Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune veterans, the former had elevated mortality hazard ratios for the following cancers:
- kidney cancer
- liver cancer
- esophageal cancer
- multiple myeloma
- Hodgkin's lymphoma
However, these are far from being the only diseases Camp Lejeune veterans and family members can develop, as water contamination exposure is responsible for many other cancers. Depending on what other risk factors you have in your life, you should undergo regular health checkups for the diseases you are prone to developing as a Camp Lejeune veteran or family member. Your physician should be able to point you in the right direction when it comes to the specialists you should periodically see to monitor your health. If you are worried about the cost of undergoing regular screenings, it is important to know that most Camp Lejeune veterans, as well as their family members, qualify for healthcare benefits from the VA.
The Camp Lejeune Family Member Program is offered by the VA to the spouses and children of former Marines who were stationed with them at the military base during the last century. On August 6, 2012, the Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 was signed into law. This law requires the VA to provide healthcare to veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune and to reimburse eligible family members for healthcare costs related to one of 15 illnesses or medical conditions, namely:
- 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
Nevertheless, to avoid finding out about a potential disease when it is too late, it is crucial to monitor your health as a Camp Lejeune veteran or family member. In between checkups, you can also keep a close eye on your health at home by measuring your blood pressure, keeping a mental color chart of the color of your urine, seeing if your hair falls out excessively, keeping your diabetes under control if you have it, checking your cholesterol levels, and conducting a breast self-exam, among many other things you can do. Your physician can offer you more advice on how to self-monitor your health in between checkups.
Receiving a timely diagnosis is essential when it comes to cancer, so Camp Lejeune veterans and family members should take their health very seriously. In the unfortunate event that you develop a disease related to drinking contaminated water at the military base, remember that you have the right to seek financial compensation for your suffering. Veterans can obtain both VA disability compensation and compensation under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act from the government. With over 30 years of experience in filing toxic exposure claims, our diligent attorneys will provide you with quality legal assistance if you come to struggle with a disease as a result of toxic water exposure.
Quality legal assistance for Camp Lejeune veterans and family members exposed to contaminated water
Since 1990, our mission has been to pursue compensation on behalf of toxic exposure victims, and many of our clients are veterans in your situation. If you lived at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 when the drinking water was contaminated and now struggle with a related illness, we strongly encourage you to contact our skilled attorneys, who will help you determine whether you are eligible to file a Camp Lejeune toxic water claim.
Veterans who intend to file a claim will only have to provide us with their military records, which they must retrieve, and their medical records, while family members will need to send in proof of their stay at Camp Lejeune along with their medical records. The legal process will entail minimal involvement on your part, as we understand how overwhelming suffering from a serious disease can be. We operate on a contingency fee basis.
