To date, there have been more than 26 separate lawsuits filed in the Camp Lejeune litigation. Mass tort lawyers all over the country have been meeting with people who may have gotten sick while on the military base.
Here, we’ll explain how you can find out whether you may be entitled to compensation as well.
Brief History of the Camp Lejeune Litigation
Most people have either read about or seen commercials about the current Camp Lejeune mass tort litigation. Essentially, anybody who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune may have been exposed to contaminated water.
Experts at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry confirmed that there’s a link between the contaminated water at the military base and a host of serious illnesses. They found a host of chemicals in the water at Camp Lejeune. These toxic chemicals likely made hundreds of thousands of people sick.
The four toxins below were found in the greatest amounts in the water.
- TCE – Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a chemical used to clean various parts, specifically metal parts.
- PCE – Perchloroethylene (PCE) is a chemical that is used in dry cleaning. It was also used as a metal degreaser.
- Benzene – This is a chemical that is used to make plastics, resin, and synthetic clothing fabrics.
- Vinyl Chloride – This is a chemical created when TCE and PCE start to deteriorate.
All of these chemicals were entering the water at Camp Lejeune. As a result, people exposed to the water became sick.
Your Mass Tort Lawyer Must First Prove You Have Standing to Sue
For your mass tort lawyer to file suit on your behalf, you need to demonstrate that you have standing. This just means that you meet the basic criteria needed to join the Camp Lejeune litigation.
What your mass tort attorney will have to show is the following:
- You lived or worked at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or more between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, or your mother lived on the base and was pregnant with you during this period.
- You must have been exposed to the contaminated water on the base.
- You must have been diagnosed with one of the qualifying illnesses.
If you meet these basic criteria, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to file your claim. Your mass tort lawyer is familiar with the process and will ensure that you join the mass tort action in a timely fashion.
Your Mass Tort Attorney Has to Demonstrate You Suffered from One of the Qualifying Conditions
It isn’t enough that you lived at Camp Lejeune. It’s not even enough that you were exposed to the contaminated water on base. Your mass tort attorney must be able to show that you are officially diagnosed with one of the qualifying illnesses.
As with many of these cases, the reason so many people join the action is because they all suffered a similar injury.
When it comes to the Camp Lejeune mass tort action, many of the victims suffered some form of cancer. Others suffered other devastating diseases and illnesses. Your mass tort lawyer must be able to demonstrate that you suffered one of these in order for you to sue for damages.
What Are the Qualifying Medical Conditions?
It’s important that you know what the underlying medical conditions are before you talk to a mass tort attorney. The only way anyone has standing to sue for damages is if they can demonstrate that they were injured.
With the Camp Lejeune litigation, there are a host of illnesses that have plagued the victims. Some of these include, but are certainly not limited to, the following:
- Many types of cancer
- Fertility issues
- Kidney disease
- Cardiovascular disease
- Birth defects
- Parkinson’s disease
- Miscarriages
- Epilepsy
- Nerve damage
Of course, this list, in and of itself, is long. There are many other medical conditions associated with the toxins in the water at Camp Lejeune. Your mass tort attorney must have substantial proof that you are suffering from or suffered from one of these.
How Can Your Mass Tort Lawyer Prove That Your Illness Was Caused by the Toxic Chemicals?
The harder part about the Camp Lejeune litigation is proving that your illness was caused by the contaminated water. The good news is that, in 2022, the government enacted the Camp Lejeune Act. This act allows people who were exposed to the water at Camp Lejeune to join the mass tort action.
In a sense, your mass tort attorney won’t really have to prove causation. It is almost a given that, if you lived at the military base during the stated years, you are presumably part of the group of plaintiffs.
What your mass tort lawyer has to do is demonstrate that you suffered one of the ensuing illnesses. You will run into a problem, however, if your medical records indicate that your illness or disease was caused by something other than the contaminated water. If you’re interested in learning more about what lawsuit lending is, and how it’s regulated, visit this page
Where Does the Camp Lejeune Litigation Stand Today?
If, like many of our clients, you’re wondering where the Camp Lejeune litigation stands today, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, there has not been all that much movement in the case.
There has not yet been a bellwether case. What this means is that no cases have been heard proving the connection between the contaminated water and the qualifying illnesses.
Experts estimate that it will be at least a year or two before any settlement negotiations take place.
It Will Be At Least One to Two Years Before There Is Any Resolution
The expectation is that, once the cases do settle, plaintiffs can expect as much as $10 million in damages. It is estimated that it will cost the government more than $160 million to resolve the outstanding cases.
This does not even include the thousands, even hundreds of thousands of cases, that are yet to be filed. If you think that you may have standing to sue, it’s important that you contact our office immediately.
Reach Out to a Mass Tort Attorney to See if You Have a Valid Claim
If you believe that you have standing to join the Camp Lejeune litigation, you should contact our office immediately. Our mass tort attorneys are currently helping other victims who became sick due to the contaminated water at the Camp Lejeune military base.
While there is no guarantee that you or your loved ones are entitled to compensation, it is certainly worth exploring. We offer all new clients a free, initial consultation.
If we agree that your case has merit, we will help guide you through the process.
