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Camp Lejeune Lawyers

Georgia

Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

Between 1953 and 1987, multiple water sources at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina got contaminated with harmful chemicals, including benzene, vinyl chloride, and industrial solvents. The contamination affected two water sources used by Marines, civil contractors, and their families. Later, some individuals exposed to the contaminated water developed health issues such as kidney disease, cancer, and Parkinson’s disease.

The water contamination at Camp Lejeune primarily affected soldiers, family members, and civilian contractors stationed at the military base. Under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) of 2022, specific individuals can sue and recover damages for the harm caused by exposure to the contaminated water at the military base between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987.

Anyone, including veterans, their family members, and civilian contractors who lived or worked at the military base for at least one month can file a compensation claim under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. Moreover, if you had a loved one stationed at Camp Lejeune but has since passed away, the deceased person’s estate can file a wrongful death claim.

Georgia Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

Hiring Lamar Law Office for Representation

Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyers

When filing a compensation claim, your best chance for a fair and timely recovery is having an aggressive personal injury attorney working on your behalf. Seeking benefits in a Camp Lejeune water contamination case isn’t any different. Lamar Law Office, LLC Camp Lejeune lawyers specialize in class action lawsuits and can help you recover damages caused by the contamination. Founded by Atlanta native Anita Lamar, we pride ourselves on being the top-rated law firm in Georgia.

Our forte lies in offering more than just legal service to clients seeking to file a Camp Lejeune class action lawsuit. We care about our clients’ recovery of the benefits they deserve, which is why we provide them with contingency legal representation. Our Georgia law firm is small enough to provide individualized legal services to our clients but have the experience and resources needed to secure the compensation you deserve.

When you schedule a free case consultation with us, we’ll assign you a case manager and a team to research your case and gather all the documentation needed to build a robust case. Lamar Law Office, LLC also handles all communication with insurance companies, the US Department of Veterans Affairs, and other parties involved in your case. Our Camp Lejeune attorneys can file a compensation claim in court if a favorable outcome for your case cannot get settled out of court.

*Disclaimer: “Contingency fee basis” refers only to fees charged by the Camp Lejeune attorney. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client. Contingent fees are not permitted in all types of cases.

Hiring Lamar Law Office for Representation Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyers

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Eligibility for Compensation Through the Camp Lejeune Justice Act

For you to be eligible for compensation under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, you must fulfill these requirements:

  1. Exposure Timeframe

    You must have lived or worked at Camp Lejeune. This includes veterans, military contractors, their family members, and anyone who lived at the base for at least 30 days during the contamination period between August 1, 1953 through December 31, 1987.

  2. Illness & Disease

    You or a family member was diagnosed with cancer or any of the other various conditions months or years after living or working on base. You must prove that you suffered an illness directly caused by exposure to the contaminated water.

  3. Birth Defects & Infertility

    You or your child was diagnosed with birth defects or other major fetal malformations, or your child died shortly after birth. -OR - You are a woman who miscarried a pregnancy during or immediately after your time on base, or suffered infertility.

Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) of 2022

Under the CLJA, individuals who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune for more than 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, and got exposed (including in utero exposure) to contaminated water can pursue compensation for any damages suffered.

Eligibility Criteria for Compensation

As a litigant, the burden of proof lies with you. As such, you must prove there’s a link between the water contamination at Camp Lejeune and the harm you suffered. To meet this burden of proof, you must produce medical evidence proving that the harm is: 1.) Sufficient to conclude there’s a causal relationship. 2.) Sufficient to conclude that the causal relationship is more likely than not.

Eligibility Criteria for Compensation

Where Should You File Your Claim with a Camp Lejeune Lawyer?

The compensation claim must get filed at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The court is also the exclusive venue for class action lawsuit Camp Lejeune. All parties in the lawsuit have a right to a trial by jury.

After filing a class action, you will cede your right to bring a tort action against the US government for the harm you suffered. Awards made to litigants or their representatives are offset by any payment, benefit, or disability award.

Where Should You File Your Claim with a Camp Lejeune Lawyer?

Importance of Hiring Lawyers for Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claims

The enactment of the CLJA doesn’t mean that anyone who files a claim will get compensated. Since the CLJA is relatively new, many procedures and questions are also under review. Thus, recovering your damages isn’t a straightforward process.

Having handled many other claims, we know the process too well and can leverage our experience to ensure that all the necessary evidence gets properly filed. From the onset, our team of Camp Lejeune attorneys and legal researchers will compile all the documents needed to lodge a successful claim, including medical reports. We will also fill out the correct forms while providing accurate information to ensure you receive benefits.

After suffering a medical condition related to Camp Lejeune water contamination, the last thing you want is to undergo a complex legal process without help. For this reason, the Camp Lejeune attorneys at Lamar Law Office are committed to taking the burden off your shoulders. We’ve litigated against major corporations and always leverage the experience to defend our clients’ rights to fair and timely compensation.

The Department of Justice

The US military knew about the water contamination at Camp Lejeune but chose to ignore it. It took the passing of the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act in 2017 and the CLJA in 2020 for the government to fully accept liability for the contamination and the consequent deaths and illnesses. Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that securing compensation is easy. When filing a Camp Lejeune class action lawsuit, the Department of Justice requires you to fill out the right forms, provide the correct information, and meet the set deadlines to be eligible for benefits. A Camp Lejeune lawyer can take this burden off your shoulders so that you focus on what’s essential—regaining your health.

Why Didn’t the DOD Fix the Camp Lejeune Water Problem?

After a free consultation to help you determine who is at fault for the accident, our Camp Lejeune lawyers and staff will gather evidence to prove that fault. Proof of negligence is necessary to establish liability for an accident or injury.

Negligence

Negligence

Many people, including veterans’ organizations that have been fighting for justice for Camp Lejeune Marines for decades, insist that the military knew of the pollution for many years before it quietly began closing the most contaminated wells in the mid-to-late 1980s. Moreover, many insist that, even after that time, contamination persisted in some active wells. There is reason to believe this is unfortunately true.

Duty of Care

Duty of Care

We often believe that those in power will do what is right, but we have seen and experienced enough to know that, often, this is not the case. Those in charge likely thought they could remain quiet and pass the torch to the next commander or the next administration. It is not fair, it is not right, and it is not the America you or your family members fought to defend.

Damages

Damages

In 2017, Congress passed the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, which made it easier for those who wanted to do the right thing. Since then, the VA has begun to change its outdated ways. There is still much work to do, but veterans’ health issues, including those resulting from toxic exposure to Camp Lejeune water, are starting to be addressed.

Contamination & Causes of Water Contamination at Camp Lejeune

For over thirty years, the water supply wells at Camp Lejeune got contaminated by multiple sources. Water from the Tarawa Terrace water treatment facility got contaminated due to poor waste disposal practices at an off-base dry-cleaning firm. Conversely, water supply wells at the Hadnot Point water treatment facility got exposed to toxins from waste disposal sites, industrial area spills, and leaking underground storage tanks. Those living and working at the military base consequently got exposed to the contaminated water. The contamination was primarily caused by these toxins:

Trichloroethylene (TCE)

This solvent is primarily used to clean metal parts, including munitions. It’s also a carcinogen, so exposure can lead to nervous system defects, cancers, and liver and lung damage.

Trichloroethylene (TCE)

Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)

The poor waste disposal practices at an off-base dry-cleaning firm caused PCE to infiltrate Camp Lejeune’s water supply system. The dangers of PCE exposure include liver and kidney damage, central nervous system damage, and cancer.

Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)

Vinyl chloride (VC)

Over time, the degradation of TCE and PCE in groundwater led to the formation of VC, a toxin whose exposure leads to an increased risk of leukemia, lymphoma, kidney cancer, and liver cancer.

Vinyl chloride (VC)

Benzene

The compound is primarily used to make chemicals in plastics, resins, nylon, and other synthetic fibers. Exposure to the toxin causes leukemia and anemia.

Benzene

What if I was Diagnosed with Cancer or Other Problems Many Years Later?

The effects of exposure to toxic chemicals often take years to develop. Many studies show that exposure for more than 30 days puts you at increased risk for these illnesses, including cancers, Parkinson’s disease, and other terrible conditions, for the rest of your life. These chemicals cause illness even decades later. You may still eligible for compensation and we will help you figure that out specifically. Here are some common illnesses caused by Camp Lejeune water contamination.

Common cancers diagnosed after exposure to water contamination at Camp Lejeune include bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, coloractal cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer, soft tissue cancer, appendix cancer, gallbladder cancer, thyroid cancer, intestinal cancer, bile duct cancer, and spinal cancer.

Other common illnesses, injuries, and diseases diagnosed after exposure to water contamination at Camp Lejeune include Multiple Myeloma, Parkinson’s Disease, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Leukemia, Aplastic Anemia, Hepatic Steatosis, Scleroderma, Renal Toxicity (Nephrotoxicity), Neurobehavioral Effects, Hodgkin’s Disease, End-Stage Renal Disease, Cardiac Defects, Miscarriage, Female Infertility, Fetal Death, and Major Fetal Malformations.

Adult Leukemia

Adult Leukemia

Carcinogenic chemicals, including trichloroethene, perchloroethylene, and vinyl chloride got discovered in at least two wells at Camp Lejeune. Many individuals exposed to the water later developed adult leukemia, a form of cancer that affects the functioning of the bone marrow and blood.

Aplastic Anemia

Aplastic Anemia

Aplastic anemia is a rare disease among the general population but gets diagnosed more frequently among individuals who worked or lived in Camp Lejeune during the contamination period. The condition occurs due to damage to the bone marrow and prevents the production of sufficient blood cells.

Kidney Cancer

Kidney Cancer

Extensive studies have established that the contaminated water at the military base is linked to an increased risk of kidney cancer. You could be eligible for compensation if you got diagnosed with the condition after living or working at Camp Lejeune.

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Benzene exposure, one of the toxins in the two water sources at Camp Lejeune, is a leading cause of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. If you lived or worked in Camp Lejeune and later got diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the CLJA allows you to seek compensation from the VA.

Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal Cancer

Evidence points to a high percentage of esophageal cancer cases among those who lived or worked at the military base. The condition is primarily caused by asbestos exposure.

Liver Cancer

Liver Cancer

Scientific evidence suggests that the presence of cancer-causing contaminants in the water sources at Camp Lejeune is the cause of the incredibly high liver cancer diagnoses among those who lived and worked there.

Multiple Myeloma

Multiple Myeloma

This is another health condition caused by exposure to contaminated water at the military base. Scientific research shows that exposure to TCE and benzene, two toxins in the camp’s water sources, can cause multiple myeloma.

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's Disease

The contaminated water at Camp Lejeune also led to a high incidence of Parkinson’s disease, a neurobehavioral condition.

Our Camp Lejeune Lawyers Will Help You Get the Compensation You Deserve

When pursuing compensation for a medical condition caused by the contamination, you need an aggressive Camp Lejeune attorney experienced in handling similar claims. The Camp Lejeune water contamination lawyers at Lamar Law Office can help ensure you get fully compensated. We will be available for free consultations and communicate any progress we make while pursuing your compensation. We will also seek your opinion at each stage. Our team will ensure you get fully compensated for your losses and damages. We know too well that insurance companies and the VA will try to pay you less than what you deserve, but we’re here to ensure that doesn’t happen. We build robust compensation claims to help secure the highest possible compensation. From the onset, our team will gather all the evidence needed to secure what’s owed to you. We operate on a contingency basis, so you won’t have to pay us a penny until we secure compensation for you.

*Disclaimer: “Contingency fee basis” refers only to fees charged by the Camp Lejeune attorney. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client. Contingent fees are not permitted in all types of cases.

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*Lamar Law Office, LLC and its attorneys are not licensed to practice law in North Carolina but we practice nationwide and associate local counsel on cases when needed to comply with all state and federal obligations. But we will remain you main legal team at all times.  Any and all potential Camp Lejeune Justice Act claims and causes of action are strictly limited to federal law tort claims exclusively created under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, and Lamar Law Office, LLC and any co-counsel will not pursue any North Carolina state law claims or causes of action.  Lamar Law Office, LLC Camp Lejeune attorneys are licensed to practice law in the states of Georgia and Oklahoma. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Past results afford no guarantee of future results. Every case is different and must be judged on its own merits.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Some veterans and their families qualify for both Camp Lejeune compensation and VA benefits, so it’s best to inform us whether you’ve received VA benefits so that we know how to build your compensation claim.

You can file a Camp Lejeune water contamination class action lawsuit if you have adult leukemia, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, and multiple myeloma.

Service members and their family members who lived and worked at Camp Lejeune during the contamination period for at least 30 days and suffered a related illness are eligible for compensation.

You can still pursue compensation if you suffered an illness caused by the exposure years later. You only need to prove that the exposure caused the medical condition.

Yes, ou must file a complaint with the Department of Veterans Affairs before you file your compensation claim.

Our Office in Tucker, Georgia

Just a half hour from downtown Atlanta, our office is located at 4500 Hugh Howell Rd. in the Heritage Place development in Tucker. If you are unable to meet at our office due to your injuries, we are more than willing to make accommodations in order to serve you. Whatever your situation, if you’ve experienced a car accident in Atlanta, call our team today.

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Tucker, GA 30085

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