If you have suffered an illness or injury due to exposure to contaminated water, you may be able to file a lawsuit. This lawsuit may be filed in a class action or individual action. To file a case, you must submit the proper information, including medical documents. The lawsuit can be filed with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Class action lawsuits
The Department of Navy has begun to address the problem of toxic water contamination at Camp Lejeune by implementing programs for treating the water and monitoring it. In 1989, the government designated the facility a Superfund site, a program designed to clean up hazardous waste sites. Since then, thousands of veterans have filed class action lawsuits. Many of these cases have resulted in massive settlements.
The ATSDR estimates that up to 750,000 people have been exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune. Some of these people may have even contracted cancer. These illnesses can develop years after exposure. Because of the public outrage, the government passed a new federal law addressing these toxic water exposure cases.
Individual lawsuits
Individual lawsuits against Camp Lejeune for exposure to toxic water are filed by people who were exposed to the water at the military installation. These cases generally claim that the water was contaminated with volatile organic compounds and hazardous chemicals. This contaminated water comes from sources like oil, fuel, degreasers, and more. Exposure to contaminated water is known to cause many illnesses, including many types of cancer.
In the US, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 allows individuals to file civil suits against the government for their exposure to toxic water at the military installation. The Act covers the period between 1953 and 1987, and more than one million individuals could be affected. The Act was signed into law by U.S. President Joe Biden and provides legal relief to victims of the toxic water exposure in the US military base. The law also allows individuals with disabilities and medical conditions to sue the government.
Deadline to file suit
You have a couple of years left to file a lawsuit against the United States Marine Corps over the Camp Lejeune toxic water contamination. The water at the base was contaminated in the 1950s and early 1980s with chemicals that can cause cancer. Many military service members were affected by the contamination and are seeking compensation. There are over 750,000 people who may be eligible to file a lawsuit.
To make your case, you must first file a claim with the appropriate federal agency. Then, you must wait at least six months for that agency to process your claim and approve your lawsuit.
Damages awarded to plaintiffs
If you’ve had an exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, you may be eligible to file a claim for damages. The amount of damages you can receive is dependent on how long you were exposed. Usually, a person must be at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or longer to be eligible. Additionally, you must provide evidence that your exposure caused your illness.
Several years ago, the U.S. Senate passed a law aimed at preventing future contaminate water contamination at the Camp Lejeune base. The bill, known as the “Honoring Our PACT Act,” is expected to be signed by President Biden soon. Once it’s signed by the president, it will enable those harmed by Camp Lejeune’s water contamination to seek compensation.