Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (Photo: Marine Corps Installations East)
Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuits transition into wrongful death claims as legal proceedings continue at a sluggish pace.
Approximately a million individuals, including Marines, civilian staff, and their families, were exposed to trichloroethylene, or TCE, and other waterborne contaminants between 1953 and 1987. These contaminants were later linked to numerous health issues, including various cancers and neurobehavioral conditions.
Although the Marine Corps internally acknowledged the presence of dangerous chemicals in the water by the early 1980s, affected individuals were not alerted to potential exposure until 1999. Almost a decade later, Congress mandated that the Marine Corps inform Veterans and personnel who had been exposed to the chemicals of the potential risks involved. However, due to the delay in disclosure, many individuals had already suffered serious health consequences.
Recent legislation, the PACT Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden, permitted Lejeune water victims to file lawsuits against the government. Nevertheless, the pace of these lawsuits remains sluggish, leading to increasing numbers of wrongful death claims.
The Eastern District of North Carolina, overseeing all Lejeune-related civil cases, has appointed a team of lawyers to represent plaintiffs and guide cases to trial, along with determining settlement levels for specific medical conditions tied to toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune.
Despite the potential progress, many victims have passed away from Lejeune-associated diseases while awaiting their cases to be heard, causing their families to take up the legal battle on their behalf. The slow advancement of the cases highlights a pattern of delayed response and inadequate action by the military in addressing exposure to toxins.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act, which streamlines compensation processes for potential victims, has fallen short. The Navy, responsible for addressing these claims, has processed only a fraction of the submitted claims, leaving victims and their families in limbo. Advocates and plaintiffs are stressing the importance of holding the government accountable through legal action and demanding swift justice for those affected by the water contamination.
It is unclear how many California Veterans have been impacted by Camp Lejeune’s contamination.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted connection to the military, a spouse who is a Navy veteran, a father who served in the Air Force for 25 years, and a grandfather who proudly served, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.
