By Treven Pyles
Posted on May 14th, 2023
While drinking toxic water at Camp Lejeune can be responsible for many health problems, only certain diagnoses are considered presumptive. This means that veterans and family members who struggle with these conditions will not have to prove the connection between their service or time spent at Camp Lejeune and their disease.
Veterans who seek financial compensation under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act or from the VA should know that some of the diagnoses they have were deemed presumptive. Consequently, they no longer have to present evidence of the connection between their conditions and toxic water exposure, as the VA automatically presumes that certain diseases were caused by military service. When a veteran has a presumptive diagnosis, they only have to meet the service requirements for the presumption.
It is important to note that there are also presumptive conditions for the family members of veterans who lived at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, for at least 30 consecutive days. So, the spouses and children of veterans who drank toxic water at the military base can also seek compensation and VA benefits if they came to struggle with one of the presumptive diagnoses. The following is the complete list of presumptive conditions for Camp Lejeune veterans and family members:
- adult leukemia
- aplastic anemia
- myelodysplastic syndromes
- bladder cancer
- kidney cancer
- liver cancer
- multiple myeloma
- non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- breast cancer (male and female)
- Parkinson's disease
- esophageal cancer
- female infertility
- lung cancer
- miscarriage
- neurobehavioral effects
Another essential requirement for filing a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim as a veteran is that you must have been discharged from the military other than dishonorably. If you have a disease that is not on the above list and were stationed at Camp Lejeune during the 34 years the drinking water was contaminated, you might still be entitled to compensation as long as you can prove the connection between your illness and your service. In addition to receiving VA disability compensation, Camp Lejeune veterans and family members might also be eligible for VA healthcare if they have a presumptive condition.
Because the process of filing a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim is challenging, tedious, and demanding, it is best to hire a toxic exposure attorney with significant experience in these cases so you can receive the assistance you need. With over 30 years of experience in handling toxic exposure cases, our skilled attorneys are ready to help you determine whether you are entitled to compensation as a Camp Lejeune veteran or a family member of one. Many of our clients are veterans in your situation, so we have the necessary knowledge and resources to provide you with quality legal assistance.
File your Camp Lejeune water contamination claim with the help of our diligent attorneys
If you are a veteran Marine who was stationed at Camp Lejeune and have a presumptive diagnosis as a result of drinking toxic water at the military base, you might be eligible to file a claim. Our attorneys will gladly help you find out whether you are entitled to financial compensation under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act and from the VA if you are a veteran. The only documents we will request are your military records, which you must retrieve, and your medical records.
Family members will have to provide our resourceful legal team with evidence of their stay at Camp Lejeune in addition to their medical records. After a thorough evaluation of your case, we will let you know if you are eligible to file a toxic exposure claim. We prioritize the claims of ill veterans, as we are well aware that many need extra money to afford the healthcare and treatment they need, which is often expensive. Our law firm works on a contingency fee basis.
