Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Surges Forward After Waiting Period Ends

February 21, 2023 | Attorney, Matthew Dolman
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Surges Forward After Waiting Period Ends

After decades of harming people with cancer-causing chemicals found in the contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune, veterans have begun to file lawsuits against the Marine Corps base as the required waiting period has come to an end.

Anyone at or near Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune between the years 1953 and 1987, could potentially have been exposed to carcinogens that leaked into the local drinking water supply. Many of those that have been affected by this contaminated drinking water have had severe health issues such as liver cancer, leukemia, birth defects, and bladder cancer. 

While the victims were originally not allowed to pursue compensation for their injuries, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act has now made it possible for these victims to file a claim. Dolman Law Group wants to help those who have suffered from these serious illnesses get the compensation they deserve. Continue reading to learn about the Camp Lejeune Lawsuit and see how Dolman Law Group can help your personal injury case against Camp Lejeune.

Allegations Against Camp Lejeune and the Camp Lejeune Justice Act

Until recently, North Carolina’s statute of repose did not allow victims to seek compensation for their pain and suffering. The toxic drinking water victims did not find out about the contamination for decades and at that point, the statute of limitations had already passed.

After the Lejeune Justice Act was signed in August of 2022, marines were able to come forward and pursue compensation for their damages if they had been around the toxic drinking water for at least 30 days. Jerome M. Ensminger, a former marine at Camp Lejeune, has recently made allegations against Camp Lejeune that the contaminated, carcinogenic drinking water resulted in his daughter getting leukemia. 

Jane Ensminger passed away at nine years old from leukemia due to the toxic chemicals in the drinking water, including vinyl chloride, TCE, PCE, and benzene. The new law that was passed allows those that have been stationed at Camp Lejeune and as a result, had any health issues as a result of the contaminated water to sue within a certain time limit. Recent lawsuits that were filed on February 11th and 12th of 2023 have stated that the water contamination there has also been the cause of widespread birth defects.

How Many Camp Lejeune Lawsuits Will We See?

Since CLJA's enactment, nearly 15,000 claims have been submitted to JAG. The situation is causing a lot of speculation as to how many CLJA claims will be filed over the coming years.

According to a Bloomberg report, there may be up to 200,000 Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit claims. But whether that estimate is accurate or not is hard to tell. What we do know is that about 1 Million veterans (and possibly many many more civilians, workers, and others nearby) were exposed to toxic waters from 1953 to 1987.

I was speaking with a colleague the other day who is very familiar with the Camp Lejeune lawsuit and who has spoken to dozens of firms across the country about this case. He said that the Camp Lejeune situation is rare in the legal industry because we know exactly how many people were on the base since the military keeps such strict records.

We can never know how many people took Tylenol or how many people used certain eyedrops. But in this case, we could potentially know exactly how many people were affected and their names. How this important information will affect the overall lawsuit is unknown but it is definitely unprecedented and something to keep an eye on.

Severe Health Problems and Defects Caused By The Contaminated Drinking Water at Camp Lejeune

Between 1953 and 1987, the water used for bathing, drinking, and cooking on the marine base Camp Lejeune was found to have been contaminated with extremely toxic chemicals. These chemicals include:

  • Tetrachloroethylene
  • Perchloroethylene (PCE)
  • Trichloroethylene (TCE)
  • Vinyl chloride
  • Benzene

A dry cleaning business near the North Carolina marine base had been improperly dumping their wastewater, resulting in the carcinogenic chemicals seeping into the ground and drains nearby. The water was then pumped from these drains into a treatment facility where it was dispersed to the people at Camp Lejeune as drinking water and potable water meant for consumption, bathing, etc.

Health Issues Associated With Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

This toxic water was the cause of severe health conditions such as:

  • Female infertility
  • Organ damage
  • Kidney cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Renal disease
  • Central nervous system damage
  • Bladder cancer
  • Congenital disabilities
  • Squamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx
  • Aplastic anemia
  • Spina bifida
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome
  • Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
  • Leukemia
  • Breast cancer
  • Brain tumors
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Esophageal cancer

In 2017, the Department of Veterans Affairs estimated that about 1 million veterans had been potentially affected by the tainted water and about 15,000 administrative claims have been made since December 2022. As with all poisons, the severity of illness caused by Camp Lejeune drinking water is directly related to the amount of exposure the victim had to the water, the route of contact (bathing, drinking, etc.), the length of exposure time, the age at which the victim had the exposure, and any pre-existing medical conditions.

If you or your loved one are one of the many affected by these carcinogenic chemicals, please do not hesitate to contact Dolman Law Group to learn more about your potential case.

Why Hire Dolman Law Group For Your Personal Injury Claim?

After suffering from major illnesses due to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, you deserve the maximum compensation for your pain and suffering. While it may be possible to represent yourself in a civil case, hiring an expert personal injury lawyer significantly increases your chances of winning your case as well as receiving the compensation you deserve. 

At Dolman Law Group, our attorneys are committed to you and your case so your time can be better spent healing from your injuries. When you hire Dolman Law Group as your personal injury lawyer, we will be able to provide you with an expert opinion on your case. Our firm has handled more than 10,000 personal injury cases, ranging from minor to catastrophic, and we are positive we can help you with your case as well.

Contact Dolman Law Group For Help With Your Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit Today

At the personal injury law firm, Dolman Law Group, our attorneys specialize in assisting those who have been injured due to the negligence of another by maximizing the value of their injury claims. By filing a Camp Lejeune lawsuit, you are able to help those that have been harmed by contaminated and toxic water with compensated-related damages such as medical bills, lost wages, lost earning potential, and even the pain and suffering from mental anguish.

Even if your exposure to the toxic water was 40-70 years ago, you have the right to compensation and we want to help. All lawsuits must be filed by August 10th, 2024, and the Camp Lejeune Lawyers of Dolman Law Group offer free consultations to those who have been harmed by the carcinogenic water at the camp. Please consider contacting our law firm about your case to learn what legal options you may have and find out what our lawyers can do for you. We offer free, no-obligation consultations which means that you owe us nothing unless we are able to get you a settlement.

You can contact us at any time by filling out our online contact form or by calling us at 866-458-3265.

 

Matthew Dolman

Personal Injury Lawyer

This article was written and reviewed by Matthew Dolman. Matt has been a practicing civil trial, personal injury, products liability, and mass tort lawyer since 2004. He has successfully fought for more than 11,000 injured clients and acted as lead counsel in more than 1,000 lawsuits. Always on the cutting edge of personal injury law, Matt is actively engaged in complex legal matters, including Suboxone, AFFF, and Ozempic lawsuits.  Matt is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for resolving individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Superlawyer and as a member of Florida’s Legal Elite on multiple occasions. Further, Matt has been quoted in the media numerous times and is a sought-after speaker on a variety of legal issues and topics.

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