Esophageal cancer claims

Exposure to volatile organic compounds on military bases, strongly associated with esophageal cancer

During the last century, the environment of over 700 military bases across the country was severely contaminated with volatile organic compounds, which stem from the use of industrial solvents. A study from the medical journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences found that exposure to volatile sulfur compounds, lead, and solvents has a connection with a high risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma, a subtype of esophageal cancer that starts in the mucus-secreting glands of the organ.

The following solvents have been associated with esophageal cancer, most of which were polluting military bases:

• vinyl chloride
• benzene
• ethylene glycol
• formaldehyde
• methylene chloride
• perchloroethylene
• toluene
• xylene
• 1,3-butadiene

Furthermore, PFAS, a group of over 5,000 different chemicals, also lurked on military bases and can lead to the development of esophageal cancer. PFOS and PFOA, the most researched chemicals from this group, have the strongest link to esophageal cancer. According to a study from Environmental Health Insights, the residents of Merrimack, New Hampshire who had been exposed to PFAS have a considerably increased risk of developing esophageal cancer, among other malignant diseases. On military bases, the source of these chemicals was the use of the fire suppressant AFFF, which sometimes contains up to 98% PFAS.

If you were stationed, lived, or worked at Camp Lejeune and came to suffer from esophageal cancer, you may be entitled to financial compensation under the new legislation known as the Camp Lejeune Justice Act and to disability compensation from the VA if you are a veteran. These are the eligibility criteria you must meet to file a claim:

• as a veteran, you must have been discharged from the military other than dishonorably
• you must have drunk contaminated water on the military base
• you must have spent at least 30 consecutive days at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987
• you must have a diagnosis of esophageal cancer related to water contamination

To determine whether you qualify for filing a Camp Lejeune toxic water claim, our experienced attorneys will have to carefully review your employment or military records, which you must retrieve, and your medical records. If you lived at the military base as a family member of a veteran or as a civilian, we will ask you to send in evidence of your stay at Camp Lejeune in addition to your medical records. Lastly, it is important to note that women who spent time at the military base while pregnant and gave birth to a child with a congenital malformation might also be eligible for compensation.

Secondary asbestos exposure victims may also obtain financial compensation

Because asbestos manufacturers and employers kept the dangers of asbestos exposure hidden from workers and the general public for decades, many family members were also indirectly exposed to the mineral.

When industrial workers would return home, their clothes were often covered in asbestos dust, which their loved ones could easily inhale or ingest. Usually, their wives would be exposed to asbestos when shaking out their work clothes before laundering them, while their children would breathe in toxic fibers when greeting their fathers.

If you lived in the same home as a family member who worked with asbestos during the last century and developed esophageal cancer, feel free to contact our attorneys, as they might be able to help you recover financial compensation for your unjust suffering. You will have to provide our legal team with the employment records of your family member, proof that you shared a living space, and your medical records. Shortly after, we will be able to tell you whether you are eligible to file a claim. If you are entitled to compensation, and everything goes in our favor, you may receive the sum of money you deserve.

If you lost a family member to esophageal cancer, we might be able to file a wrongful death claim

Refusal to pursue a claim for compensation from asbestos trust funds or the VA is very common among toxic exposure victims when they are alive, as they usually believe that the legal process will be exhausting and overwhelming.

However, the process is relatively fast and easy for our clients since our attorneys have nearly 30 years of experience in filing wrongful death claims related to asbestos exposure. We have successfully helped thousands of clients and will do the same for you.

If you lost a family member to esophageal cancer caused by asbestos exposure, please contact our legal team, and we will strive to obtain the financial compensation you may be entitled to. You will only have to send us their employment records, medical records, and death certificate. Lastly, it is important to keep in mind that the sum of money you may recover will be smaller than what your loved one would have obtained since there are no more ongoing medical costs.