How to Get VA Compensation for Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

January 25, 2024 | Attorney, Matthew Dolman

If you are a veteran, guardsman, reservist, or the family member of one who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River in North Carolina between August 1953 and December 1987 doctors diagnosed you with certain illnesses, you can seek compensation for lost earning capacity and medical expenses through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. If you are experiencing symptoms due to the toxic water in Camp Lejeune, contact an attorney to start your Camp Lejeune lawsuit today.

Read on to find out how to get VA compensation for Camp Lejeune Water Contamination.

The Types of Illnesses Caused by Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

Camp Lejeune water contamination has caused many illnesses. Currently, the VA compensates those who worked or lived at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River during specific periods and were diagnosed with:

  • Adult-onset leukemia: a cancer of the body's blood-forming tissues, including bone marrow and the lymphatic system.
  • Myelodysplastic syndromes, including aplastic anemia, occur when the bone marrow cannot produce enough new blood cells for the body to function normally.
  • Cancers of the liver, bladder, or kidneys.
  • Multiple myeloma: cancer that involves the white blood cell, known as the plasma cell.
  • Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a type of cancer that begins in the body's lymphatic system.
  • Parkinson's disease: a progressive neurologic condition that produces muscle spasms, uncontrollable movements, and difficulty with balance and coordination.

How the Water Contamination at Camp Lejeune Occurred

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), in 1982, the Marine Corps discovered specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the drinking water produced by two of Camp Lejeune's water distribution plants.

A third plant was also identified as water users serviced by that plant used water from one of the contaminated plants intermittently through the years during scheduled shutdowns and when water was in high demand during summer and spring.

These plants included:

  • The Tarawa Terrace distribution plant supplied water for Tarawa Terrace family housing from 1952 until it was shut down in 1987. This plant also served the Knox Trailer Park. The waste disposal practices of ABC One-Hour Cleaners, an off-base dry cleaner contaminated the Tarawa Terrace with PCE (perchloroethylene or tetrachloroethylene). PCE is a compound commonly used in dry cleaning and metal degreasing operations. Sufficient evidence shows that regular exposure to PCEs causes an increased risk of bladder cancer. Studies link it to non-Hodgkin lymphoma and end-stage renal disease.
  • The Hadnot Point distribution plant serviced the drinking water needs of the Mainside barracks, Hospital Point family housing, and family housing at Midway Park, Paradise Point, and Berkeley Manor until June 1972. Water from the Hadnot Point distribution plant had high levels of TCE (trichloroethylene), used in dry cleaning and metal degreasing applications, as well as in adhesives and paint and stain removers. This contamination's primary source was leaking underground storage tanks and improper waste disposal sites, allowing the compound to leech into water supplies. TCEs increase the risk of kidney cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and cardiac defects. Evidence suggests that high exposure to TCEs over time can also increase the risk of leukemia, liver cancer, multiple myeloma, end-stage renal disease, Parkinson's disease, and scleroderma.
  • The Holcombe Boulevard distribution plant, which began operation in June 1972, provided drinking water for family housing at Midway Park, Paradise Point, Berkeley Manor, and Watkins Village. After March 1987, this plant also serviced family housing at Tarawa Terrace. While the wells feeding this plant were generally uncontaminated, those on the Holcombe Boulevard distribution system received water for a brief period in January - February 1987 from the Tarawa Terrace distribution plant and intermittently during dry years from 1972-1987.

Other types of compounds found at both the Hadnot Point and Tarawa Terrace distribution plants included:

  • Benzene: One of the top 20 chemicals used in manufacturing, is often an ingredient in detergents, dyes, plastics, and resins. Benzene causes leukemia and lymphoma. Evidence associates it with an increased risk of aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes, in addition to miscarriage.
  • Vinyl chloride: Used to make PVC pipes and other plastic products, as well as wire and cable coatings and packaging materials. In high doses, Vinyl chloride causes liver cancer. Evidence also suggests that it increases the risk of other types of cancer, including the liver, brain, and soft tissues, and liver cirrhosis.

Who May Claim Compensation Through a VA Water Contamination Claim?

Those who may receive compensation for lost wages and loss of earning capacity, as well as medical treatment and payment of out-of-pocket medical expenses, include:

  • Veterans, reservists, and guardsmen who served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 consecutive days between August 1953 and December 1987 who were diagnosed with one of the eligible conditions.
  • The family members of veterans, reservists, or guardsmen who lived at least 30 consecutive days at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River between August 1953 and December 1987 and were diagnosed with one of the illnesses caused by exposure to the compounds in the base drinking water supply.

Health Benefits Available for Veterans and Their Family Members

In addition to disability compensation, veterans and their family members are eligible to receive health benefits.

These health benefits include coverage of the costs of treatment and prescription medication if they meet the above-listed exposure criteria and have been diagnosed with any of the following conditions linked to