Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Attorneys

Our law firm stands up for veterans and their families

It’s unconscionable that our nation would fail to protect the lives and safety of those who served, but that’s exactly what happened to Marines and their families at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina, for decades.

Veterans and family members who resided at Camp Lejeune or nearby MCAS New River between 1953 and 1987 may be eligible for compensation for numerous medical conditions linked to water contamination at the base. Our attorneys are actively reviewing cases on behalf of victims. If you were exposed to toxic chemicals at Camp Lejeune, contact Gary Martin Hays & Associates for a free consultation.

Who is eligible to file a claim?

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, which is expected to be signed into law soon as part of the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022, allows servicemembers and their families exposed to contaminated water to bring claims against the federal government. This law carves out an exception to the longstanding ban on lawsuits against the government by servicemembers pertaining to military matters.

To be eligible, you must show that:

You resided at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, and
There was a causal connection between your injury or illness and the tainted water at the base.

Eligible medical conditions include but are not limited to:

Bladder cancer
Breast cancer
Esophageal cancer
Female infertility
Hepatic steatosis
Kidney cancer
Leukemia
Lung cancer
Miscarriage
Multiple myeloma
Myelodysplastic syndromes
Neurobehavioral effects
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Renal toxicity
Scleroderma

If a loved one died due to a medical condition caused by exposure at Camp Lejeune, it may be possible to bring a claim on behalf of their estate as well.

Note that filing a civil claim or lawsuit against the government does not affect your eligibility for VA benefits.

What was the safety risk at Camp Lejeune?

The water wells at Camp Lejeune were contaminated with several toxic chemicals, including:

Trichloroethylene (TCE), which is an industrial solvent used to clean munitions.
Tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene or PCE, another solvent that was used to clean service members’ uniforms.
Vinyl chloride (VC), a toxic chemical formed when TCE and PCE degrade in the environment.
Benzene, a toxin found in plastics, resins, and synthetic fabrics.

The contamination dates back at least to the early 1950s, and the wells were not closed down until the mid to late 1980s. That means for over 30 years, service members and their families, including pregnant women and young children, drank and bathed in contaminated water. This is considered one of the most far-reaching instances of toxic water pollution in United States history.

Why do you need an attorney for your claim?

While this new law will create a pathway for veterans and their families to pursue long-delayed justice, the government will not make these claims easy. Filing a lawsuit against the federal government requires in-depth investigation and documentation of the link between exposure to toxic chemicals at Camp Lejeune and your medical condition. An experienced attorney can take care of that process and put you in the best position to win.

We are honored to stand up for those who sacrificed so much to serve our country. If you developed health problems after being exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, contact us today for a free, confidential consultation.