Which toxic agents were dumped in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune?
The dangerous chemicals which ended up in the body of soldiers and their family members at Camp Lejeune mostly stem from degreasers, oil, industrial wastewater, radioactive chemicals, and solvents. Volatile organic compounds are the chemicals which caused the contamination. There were two main volatile organic compounds initially detected in Camp Lejeune's water supply: a dry cleaning solvent and a degreaser.
Nevertheless, later studies found that there were up to 70 other chemicals in the water which can lead to serious health problems. If you ingested these toxic agents, you have a high risk of developing a serious disease as a consequence of exposure. Recent medical studies found a direct causal relation between exposure to these chemicals and multiple types of cancer. It is noteworthy that exposure to these dangerous chemicals also occurred when the people at Camp Lejeune would bathe in contaminated water, use it for cooking, and washed their clothes in it. The following dangerous chemicals were present in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune during the last century:
- trichloroethylene
- perchloroethylene
- vinyl chloride
- benzene
- halogenated hydrocarbons
- trihalomethanes
Exposure to all of the above toxic agents can lead to the development of terrible health issues over the years, as once they enter the body, they remain there, gradually damaging the organs they attach themselves to. Thereby, if you are a veteran or have a family member who was present on Camp Lejeune between 1952 and 1987, we strongly advise you to take legal action, as not only will you recover the compensation you deserve, but will also hold the responsible party accountable for their negligent actions. Two of eight water treatment facilities supplying water to the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in North Carolina were contaminated with volatile organic compounds from 1957 through 1987. Furthermore, in September 2012, 12 pounds of mercury were found at the Hadnot Point Water Treatment Plant at Camp Lejeune. The water plant was offline for several weeks to clean up the mercury.
What diseases can you develop following toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune?
Because the chemicals which made their way into drinking water at Camp Lejeune are highly toxic to the human body, people who were exposed are now at great risk of developing a serious, even fatal disease as a result of exposure. If you notice a new onset of symptoms and were stationed at Camp Lejeune as a soldier or as a family member, please seek medical attention immediately, as you may have already developed a disease.
The following are the diseases and health issues associated with exposure to the toxic agents present in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune:
Misdiagnosis of the diseases which can occur as a result of drinking contaminated water at Camp Lejeune
When it comes to cancer, misdiagnosis is very common, as the symptoms of the disease often resemble the signs of more common and less serious health problems. For this reason, we strongly advise you to seek a second opinion from a medical specialist, as you may have received a wrong diagnosis. With over 25 years of experience, the medical experts we collaborate with can offer you a free of charge screening, which will result in assigning you a correct and accurate diagnosis. Thereby, if you spent at least 30 days at camp Lejeune, whether you are a veteran or a family member of one, please reach out to us and we will gladly examine you. Here are the most common misdiagnoses for all the diseases which can occur as a result of drinking the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune:
- bladder cancer: cystitis, prostate infection, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, bladder papilloma, overactive bladder, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and kidney infection
- leukemia: immune thrombocytopenic purpura, influenza, bleeding disorders, autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome, aplastic anemia, mononucleosis, thrombocytosis, myelodysplastic syndromes, and chronic lymphoproliferative illness
- multiple myeloma: kidney damage, neurological symptoms, hypercalcemia, amyloidosis, bone pain, and anemia
- non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: indolent T-cell lymphoproliferative disease of the gastrointestinal tract, costochondritis, ovarian cysts, appendicitis, hemorrhoids, and gastroenteritis
- liver cancer: cirrhosis, gastroenteritis, influenza, gallstones, alveolar hydatid disease, fatty liver, hepatic hemangioma, liver abscess, mosses syndrome, and pancreatic cancer
- breast cancer: fibroadenomas, blocked milk duct, breast cysts, fibrocystic breast disease, lipomas, fibroids, and pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia
- lung cancer: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, lung abscess, lung nodules, acid reflux, pneumonia, pleural effusion, tuberculosis, pleural plaques, lymphoma, and pulmonary embolism
- birth defects: diabetes, sexually transmitted infections, anemia, preeclampsia, and ectopic pregnancy
- kidney cancer: urine infection, cystitis, kidney stones, respiratory problems, renal toxicity, kidney disease, kidney failure, and renal cell carcinoma
- miscarriage: viable pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, and heterotopic pregnancy
- ovarian cancer: irritable bowel syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, ovarian cyst, urinary tract infection, changing menopausal status and diverticulitis
What documents are necessary to apply for compensation?
While veterans only need to provide their attorney with their military records which state that they were stationed at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between 1957 and 1987 and that they were not dishonorably discharged, as well as with their medical records, their family members who were accompanying veterans must send additional documents if they decide to seek financial compensation, including the following:
- a document stating your relationship to the veteran who served on active duty for at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune, such as a marriage license, a birth certificate or adoption papers
- a document proving that you lived at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 days from August 1953 through December 1987, such as utility bills, base housing records, military orders or tax forms
- medical records showing you have one of the 15 conditions listed above, as well as the date the health problem was diagnosed and that you are being treated or have been treated in the past for this health problem
In addition to these documents, family members must also provide evidence of payment which was made between January 1, 1957, and December 31, 1987, or between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1956. It is worthy of note that only if you developed the following diseases you can qualify for compensation, as the rest of the above diseases are presumptive and thereby there is no definitive causal relation between those and exposure to the toxic agents at Camp Lejeune:
- adult leukemia
- aplastic anemia
- myelodysplastic syndromes
- bladder cancer
- kidney cancer
- liver cancer
- multiple myeloma
- non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Parkinson's disease
Treatment costs for people who were injured by drinking contaminated water from Camp Lejeune
In the regrettable event that you came to struggle with a disease as a consequence of drinking contaminated water during your stay at Camp Lejeune, the compensation our attorneys will help you obtain will also cover the costs of your healthcare and treatment. This is another reason why we strongly encourage you to take legal action if you developed a disease as a result of drinking tainted water from Camp Lejeune. The following are the costs of treatment for the diseases which can occur following drinking contaminated water. However, it is important to keep in mind that these are estimated costs and thereby, you may have to pay more or less, depending on factors such as the severity of your disease.
- bladder cancer: $65,158 per month
- female infertility: $19,690 per session
- leukemia: $25,531 per month
- multiple myeloma: $4,477 per month
- lymphoma: $14,174 per month
- liver cancer: $28,000 per month
- breast cancer: $70,000 per month
- hepatic steatosis: $2,575 per month
- lung cancer: $3,565 per month
- myelodysplastic syndromes: $17,361
- renal toxicity: $4,357 per month
- birth defects: $1.5 billion
- esophageal cancer: $9,263 per month
- kidney cancer: $18,813 per month
- miscarriage: $15,000
- neurobehavioral effects: $27,000 per month
- scleroderma: $191,107 per month
- ovarian cancer: $93,000 per month
Testimonials of people who developed serious diseases as a consequence of staying at Camp Lejeune
Since over 900,000 people and their family members were exposed to the toxic agents present in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune over a period of 30 years, numerous of these individuals sought financial compensation for the awful, even life-threatening diseases they came to struggle with, including from our law firm. The following are only some of the cases our skillful attorneys have pursued so far to recover fair compensation for veterans and their family members.
