Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claims
****FINAL FILING DATE FOR CAMP LEJEUNE CLAIMS IS AUGUST 10, 2024!****
UPDATES On Camp LeJeune Claims
2024 April – STILL NO PAYMENTS Have Been Made Under the EXPEDITED Payout Program Announced in September 2023.
It’s been seven (7) months since the US Navy announced with great fanfare the implementation of an EXPEDITED Payout Program for certain qualifying Camp LeJeune toxic water victims. Unfortunately, no such payments have been made, nor has there been any further public indication as to when these “expedited” payments would begin.
2023 September – US NAVY Announces EXPEDITED Payout Program For Camp Lejeune Claims –
In September, 2023, the US Navy and the Justice Department announced the implementation of a program designed to EXPEDITE payments to victims who suffer from certain types of cancers and other medical conditions. The payments would range from $100,000.00 to $550,000.00 and be calculated based on the specific medical condition and the amount of time spent at Camp LeJeune. The burden of proof necessary to establish claims falling under this program would be significantly less than that required for victims who don’t qualify for the expedited program. The announcement DID NOT SPECIFY WHEN THE FIRST PAYMENTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MADE.
Attorneys With Lattof & Lattof, P.C. Are Representing Toxic Water Victims Nationwide
History Of Camp Lejeune Justice Act
From August 1953 through December 1987, the drinking water at Camp Lejeune military base in North Carolina was contaminated with a number of cancer-causing chemicals, including benzene, perchloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE) and vinyl chloride (VC). This contamination came from multiple underground storage tank spills and leaks, waste disposal sites and industrial activity on and around the base. The contamination was not discovered until 1982 and it wasn’t until 1987 that the wells and sources of water were closed.
In 1999, a full 17 YEARS after they first knew of this life-threatening health hazard, the US government finally began notifying people who had possibly been exposed to the contaminated water. Unfortunately at the time, the law prevented suits against the government for this type of injury, so victims were left to suffer without compensation or assistance.
Justice Finally Made Possible
As a result of years of veterans and others lobbying and campaigning to have something done for the Camp Lejeune victims, Congress passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act which went into effect on August 10, 2022.
This law made an exception to the bar against suing the government and provided a 2-year period during which victims can file claims in federal court in North Carolina for injuries or death suffered as a result of exposure to the contaminated drinking water. It’s estimated that there may have been as many as 1,000,000 persons who were exposed, although only those injured can bring a claim under the Act.
Who Has a Claim?
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act applies not only to active military personnel, but to their families, friends and anyone else who developed a medical problem related to the contaminated water at the camp and who were at the camp between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987.
The qualifying medical conditions include various cancers such as cancer of the bladder, breast, esophagus, kidney, liver and lung. It also includes such diseases and medical conditions as leukemia, myeloma, non-hodgkin’s lymphoma, aplastic anemia, Parkinson’s disease, birth defects, pregnancy miscarriage, liver disease, kidney disease and scleroderma.
Deadline for Filing Camp Lejeune Claims
Claims must be filed no later than August 10, 2024. If you or a loved one developed a serious medical condition after being exposed to contaminated drinking water at the Camp Lejeune military base in North Carolina, the law firm of Lattof & Lattof will fight to protect your rights and obtain the compensation you deserve.
Our firm has been representing injury and death victims for over 70 years and it would be our pleasure to help you. We are happy to consult with you FREE OF CHARGE, and handle your claim on a contingent fee basis with no money out of your pocket. We only get paid if we win your case. Call us today at (251) 432-6691 for a free case evaluation.
