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Oklahoma residents who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in North Carolina anytime between August 1953 and December 1987 may be eligible for significant compensation for exposure to contaminated water that has been linked to cancers, neurological diseases, and birth defects.
A new federal law allows Marines, their families, and civilian workers who were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and were later diagnosed with serious health issues to seek compensation for the harm they suffered. Individuals who were exposed in-utero while their pregnant mothers were at Camp Lejeune also may be eligible for compensation. Thousands of Camp Lejeune water lawsuits are expected to be filed. Billions of dollars in settlements are expected to be paid, the Congressional Budget Office estimates.
If you live in Oklahoma and have questions about whether you or a family member is eligible to pursue compensation due to harm from Camp Lejeune’s water contamination, consult the accomplished attorneys of Edwards & Patterson Law in McAlester, Oklahoma. We are passionate about serving the needs of injury victims throughout Oklahoma and Arkansas, including veterans who served our nation and their families. To speak with an attorney who truly cares about your well-being, call on us today.
This is Not a Veterans Administration Program. Anyone with exposure may seek relief.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 is part of the Honoring Our PACT Act, which Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed into law in August 2022.
Recovering compensation for harm caused by exposure to toxic chemicals in Camp Lejeune’s water system requires filing a lawsuit. It’s entirely separate from any veterans’ disability benefits.
The new law allows two years for Camp Lejeune water lawsuits to be filed. The clock on the two-year statute of limitations is already running. If you believe that you have a water contamination injury claim, you need to act now!
What Caused Camp Lejeune Water Contamination?
The National Research Council Committee on Contaminated Drinking Water at Camp Lejeune reported in 2009 that improper waste disposal practices by an off-base dry cleaner caused the groundwater at Camp Lejeune to be contaminated with perchloroethylene (PCE), a chemical used in dry cleaning.
PCE was the primary contaminant found in drinking water wells serving the Tarawa Terrace water system at Camp Lejeune. Contamination of the wells is estimated to have begun as early as 1953, the year dry cleaning operations began at ABC One-Hour Cleaners.
Multiple sources are believed to have contributed to trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination of groundwater beginning in the early 1980s, including on-base spills at industrial sites and leaks from underground storage tanks and drums at dumps and storage lots. Trichloroethylene is used as a solvent for cleaning metal parts.
Other chemicals measured in the water supply included vinyl chloride, which forms as PCE and TCE breaks down; benzene, which is used to make other chemicals that compose plastics, resins, nylon, and synthetic fibers; and toluene, a common ingredient in degreasers.
Exposure to these toxic chemicals is associated with elevated rates of certain types of cancer and other serious health conditions. An individual may have developed cancer or another health condition many years after exposure to the chemicals at Camp Lejeune and be unaware of the connection to the contaminated water. Contaminated water supplied by the Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point water-treatment plants at Camp Lejeune served:
- Enlisted-family housing
- Barracks for unmarried service personnel
- Base administrative offices
- Schools
- The base hospital
- Recreational areas
The Hadnot Point water system also supplied water to housing on the Holcomb Boulevard water system and an industrial area. The most contaminated wells were closed in 1987.
Our attorneys can review your medical records and the timeline of when you were at Camp Lejeune and help you understand whether you are eligible to pursue compensation.
What Are the Symptoms of Camp Lejeune Water Contamination?
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has determined that, over time, the exposure to toxic chemicals detected in drinking water at Camp Lejeune may cause:
- Adult Leukemia
- Bladder Cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Cervical Cancer
- Esophageal Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer
- Stomach Cancer
- Multiple Myeloma and other Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Aplastic Anemia and other bone marrow conditions
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Renal Toxicity
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Miscarriage
- Birth defects and birth injuries, including oral cleft defects (including cleft lip), major malformations, and fetal death.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the following symptoms of initial exposure to the chemicals found in drinking water at Camp Lejeune include:
Trichloroethylene (TCE)
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Sleepiness
- Skin rashes
- Damage to nerves of the face
- Changes in heartbeat rhythm
- Liver damage
- Kidney damage
- Scleroderma (a systemic autoimmune disease)
- Decreases in men’s sex drive, sperm quality, and reproductive hormone levels
Perchloroethylene (PCE)
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Sleepiness
- Incoordination
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Unconsciousness
- Changes in mood, memory, attention, reaction time, and vision
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Loss of consciousness
- Altered blood flow in the hands
- Vomiting
- Stomach irritation
- Headaches
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Rapid heart rate
- Tremors
- Convulsions
- Confusion
- Unconsciousness
- Eye and nose irritation
- Tiredness
- Confusion
- Euphoria
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Tears
- Anxiety
- Muscle fatigue
- Insomnia
- Nerve damage
- Inflammation of the skin
- Liver and kidney damage
Who Is Eligible for Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Compensation?
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 extends eligibility for compensation to anyone who was on base regularly for a month or more between the summer of 1953 and the end of 1987 and has developed an illness or other health condition linked to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
Such individuals or their survivors may file claims seeking compensation for medical bills and other losses, such as lost income, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering.
Potential claimants include:
- Marines stationed at Camp Lejeune
- Service members stationed at nearby Marine Corps Air Station New River and MCAS Cherry Point, who may have visited Camp Lejeune regularly
- National Guardsmen
- Army Reservists
- Family members of Marines or other service members
- Civilians who worked on base at schools, the hospital, or Marine Corps exchanges (MCXs).
- Survivors of deceased individuals with exposure, including parents of babies stillborn or born with birth injuries.
How Do I File a Claim for Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Compensation?
Oklahomans who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1953 and December 1987 may file civil lawsuits to seek damages for injuries caused by contaminated water on the Marine Base.
The statute of limitations deadline for filing a claim under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act is two years from the date the legislation was enacted, August 10, 2022.
Before filing lawsuits, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act requires claimants to submit their claims for an administrative adjustment under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), which gives the presiding federal agency the opportunity to review and pay or deny the claim. The Oklahoma Camp Lejeune attorneys at Edwards & Patterson Law assist you with preparing and submitting a claim.
Once a claim is submitted, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has six months to either accept or deny it. Then, after six months or upon receiving notice of a denial, the claimant may file their lawsuit in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
In most cases, the federal agency denies the claim to clear the way for litigation and allow the courts to hear cases. However, there is the possibility that the DOD may offer settlements to claimants with legitimate cases because the intent of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act is to offer relief to deserving people who have been unjustly harmed.
Individual settlements may be based on such factors as:
- Age of the plaintiff
- The severity of illness/injury (pain and suffering)
- Cost of medical care (past, present, and future)
- Lost wages or earning power
- Funeral expenses (in wrongful death cases)
Once numerous lawsuits are filed, the federal court may group the cases to handle them more efficiently and expedite a resolution.
In class action cases, a single plaintiff or small group of plaintiffs may serve as the representative of the class as the litigation proceeds in court. Class actions often lead to negotiated settlements and administrative rules about who is eligible for a share of the settlement and what is required to obtain compensation.
A negotiated settlement of the class action would be based on prior jury awards and/or settlements accepted following FTCA reviews.
The Congressional Budget Office has projected spending $6.1 billion between 2022 and 2031 to compensate victims of Camp Lejeune water contamination.
Contact Our Oklahoma Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit Lawyers
If you or a loved one have been seriously ill and have a history of contact with water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, you need to act now to seek compensation set aside for you. Our mass tort attorneys at Edwards & Patterson Law have extensive experience assisting individuals and families who have been seriously harmed from exposure to hazardous products.
For further information and guidance on your Camp Lejeune water contamination claim, speak with a trusted lawyer at Edwards & Patterson Law. From our office near Tulsa, we serve individuals and families throughout Oklahoma and Arkansas. To set up a free case evaluation, call 877-405-0216 or contact us online.
Visit Our Oklahoma Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit Law Offices
