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Camp Lejeune Breast Cancer

filing breast cancer claims

Camp Lejeune Breast Cancer

Investigators identified a contaminated water supply at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina that had been providing bathing and drinking water from 1957 to 1987.

Many service members, families, and civilians who lived or worked on the base during that time were exposed to the toxic chemicals. As a result, many have experienced adverse health effects, including breast cancer, leukemia, birth defects, other cancers, and neurological problems.

Do you suspect you were affected by this water contamination? Did you live on the marine base and now have breast cancer? Do any of your children that lived with you at the marine base have breast cancer? You may be entitled to compensation.

A Camp Lejeune water contamination lawyer from Injury Lawyer Team, sponsored by Rosenfeld Law Offices, can help you file a claim and get the money you deserve. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to learn more. All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team remains private through an attorney-client relationship.

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What Are the Claims Of Camp Lejeune Water Contamination About?

The claims that water at Camp Lejeune was contaminated with vinyl chloride, also known as vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) or chloroethene, caused some service members, military families, civil contractors, and others to develop severe medical conditions, including breast cancer.

In 1987, water supply tests revealed a severe problem with the water at Camp Lejeune: it was contaminated with toxic chemicals.

Comprehensive tests showed high levels of TCE, PCE, benzene, VCM, and other contaminants. The Department of the Navy knew about the contamination in 1981 but failed to warn those using the water supply.

The Marine Corps has acknowledged that the water at Marine Base Station Lejeune was contaminated. However, tens of thousands of service members and families working and living on the military base have been exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune for years and are susceptible to breast cancer and seven other cancers.

Trichloroethylene (TCE) in Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

Presumption Qualifications

The Department of Veterans Affairs has established a presumption that veterans who served at Camp Lejeune between 1957 and 1987 and were later diagnosed with breast cancer or one of seven specific cancers (bladder, kidney, leukemia, liver, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, ovarian, or multiple myeloma) were exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

These veterans are eligible for disability benefits. The Corps has also set up a health registry for those potentially exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The registry is open to service members, veterans, and family members who lived or worked on the base between 1957 and 1987.

The Corps also provides medical care to service members and veterans diagnosed with one of the eight cancers, including breast cancer, associated with exposure to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

You may be eligible for benefits and medical care if you served at Marine Air Station Lejeune or lived on the base when the water was contaminated.

Contact our  Injury Lawyer Team if you suspect you are suffering from Camp Lejeune breast cancer or any other seven specific cancers.

What Are the Claims Of Camp Lejeune Water Contamination About?

The claims that water at Camp Lejeune was contaminated with vinyl chloride, also known as vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) or chloroethene, caused some service members, military families, civil contractors, and others to develop severe medical conditions, including breast cancer.

In 1987, water supply tests revealed a severe problem with the water at Camp Lejeune: it was contaminated with toxic chemicals.

Comprehensive tests showed high levels of TCE, PCE, benzene, VCM, and other contaminants. The Department of the Navy knew about the contamination in 1981 but failed to warn those using the water supply.

The Marine Corps has acknowledged that the water at Marine Base Station Lejeune was contaminated. However, tens of thousands of service members and families working and living on the military base have been exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune for years and are susceptible to breast cancer and seven other cancers.

Camp Lejeune Justice Act And North Carolina Laws

The latest Camp Lejeune Justice Act revision was passed in June 2022. This law supersedes North Carolina laws and provides relief to Marines and their families who have developed Camp Lejeune breast cancer due to water that was contaminated at the Marine base camp.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act allows affected Marines and their families to file a claim for damages with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA will then review the claim and determine if the claimant is eligible for benefits.

Benefits available under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act include:

  • Medical care for conditions related to exposure to water at Camp Lejeune that was contaminated, such as breast cancer and other cancers
  • Disability compensation for eligible veterans
  • Death benefits for eligible survivors

The Act also provides for establishing a medical center at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune to care for Camp Lejeune breast cancer victims, Marines, and their families affected by the water that was contaminated.

Camp Lejeune Breast Cancer

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Why Patients Are Filing Breast Cancer Claims Over Toxic Water at Camp Lejeune

Patients are filing breast cancer claims over the toxic water at the camp because they believe that the water that was contaminated contributed to their development of breast cancer.

The water at the Corps base camp was contaminated with VCM or chloroethene, which is known to increase the risk of developing breast cancer. As a result, many patients seek compensation from the marine base camp for their breast cancer disease.

Qualifying plaintiffs (injured parties) include those who worked and lived at the Marine base camp any time between 1951 and 1987 and developed breast cancer, including:

  • Veterans
  • Service men and women
  • Military families
  • Civil contractors

Who Qualifies for Benefits?

Marine Base Air Station Lejeune in North Carolina has a dark history of water that has been contaminated. For years, the base served as a dumping ground for toxic waste, leading to life-threatening medical conditions for many victims, who have fought for years to get the government to recognize their plight.

Camp Lejeune is now working to make things right, but it may be too little too late for some of those affected. Any person exposed to contaminated water at the Marine Air Station for 30 or more days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, have an elevated risk of being diagnosed with one of the following cancers and medical conditions:

  • Adult leukemia
  • Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
  • Breast cancer
  • Brain cancer
  • Bladder cancer
  • Cardiac defect
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Female infertility
  • Heart defect
  • Hepatic steatosis
  • Kidney cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Liver disease
  • Lung cancer
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Miscarriage
  • Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
  • Neurobehavioral effects
  • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL)
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Prostate cancer
  • Rectal cancer (colorectal/colon cancer)
  • Renal toxicity
  • Scleroderma
Coverage area map of Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer to Resolve Your Camp Lejeune Breast Cancer Case

Do you suspect your recent cancer diagnosis relates to your time at Camp Lejeune and using water from the contaminated wells? Are you ready to file a Camp Lejeune breast cancer claim seeking compensation to cover your damages?

The personal injury attorneys at Injury Lawyers Team, sponsored by Rosenfeld Law Offices, represent injured victims like you who have an elevated risk of developing severe medical conditions due to exposure to toxic chemicals. Contact us to discuss your Camp Lejeune breast cancer claim.

Our attorneys accept every Camp Lejeune breast cancer lawsuit on a contingency fee agreement. This arrangement ensures that you pay nothing until we resolve your case concerning exposure to chemicals at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina military base.

Benzene and toluene in Camp Lejeune Water

Camp Lejeune Cancer FAQs

Our personal injury attorneys understand that many families have unanswered questions about filing a claim with an insurance company after suffering catastrophic disease, ailments, pain, and suffering caused by another’s negligence.

Contact us for additional information or schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

Is Camp Lejeune Toxic?

In 1982, the federal government hired Grainger laboratories based in Raleigh, North Carolina, to test the wells and water storage units at the Marine base camp. The initial tests revealed shocking results, identifying synthetic organic cleaning solvents at extremely high levels.

For decades, the wells supplied the military base and surrounding area with water needed to support thousands of Marines and their families who worked and lived there.

At the time,  the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) had already set maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for two chemicals, benzene and VCM or chloroethene. The USPHS had not yet set MCLs for the other five chemicals detected in the water at Lejeune: tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, 1,1-dichloroethylene, and 1,2-dichloroethylene.

The USPHS sets MCLs at levels that protect public health by preventing harmful effects from long-term exposure to water contamination. MCLs are enforceable standards that apply to public water systems.

What Is the Camp Lejeune Act?

The Act was passed by Congress in 2012 and signed into law by President Obama. The recently revised law (June 2022) provides health care to veterans and their families exposed to water that was contaminated while stationed at the camp.

The new law expands the list of covered conditions to include breast cancer and seven other cancers: bladder, esophageal, kidney, leukemia, lung, ovarian, and liver. The Act also provides health care for veterans of children exposed to water that was contaminated while in utero.

Who Is Eligible for Health Care Under The Camp Lejeune Act?

Veterans who served at Marine Base Station Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, and were diagnosed with breast cancer or the seven other covered cancers are eligible for health care under the Act.

Children of veterans exposed to contaminated water while in utero are also eligible for health care. The child must have been born no more than two years after the veteran left the Marine base camp to be eligible.

What Are the Benefits Available Under The Camp Lejeune Act?

The Act provides for medical treatment of covered conditions at any Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility. The law also reimburses out-of-pocket medical expenses to treat a covered disease at a non-VA facility.

To receive reimbursement, veterans must submit a claim to the VA along with documentation of their service at the Marine air station and a diagnosis of a covered condition. The VA will then determine whether the veteran is eligible for reimbursement.

How Do I File a Claim Under The Camp Lejeune Act?

Veterans can file a claim for benefits by visiting the nearest VA facility or by calling the VA’s Health Eligibility Center at 877-222-8387. Children of veterans exposed to contaminated water while in utero can file a claim.

Claims can also be filed online at https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/.

To file a claim, veterans must provide documentation of their service at the Marine base camp and a diagnosis of a covered condition. The VA will review the claim and decide on eligibility for benefits.

What Effects Did the Camp Lejeune Contamination Have On Humans?

The contamination had a range of health effects on humans. The most severe effects were caused by exposure to benzene, VCM, or chloroethene, and tetrachloroethylene. These chemicals can cause health problems, breast cancer, and other cancers.

Exposure to the contaminated water at the corps base camp also increased children’s risk of birth defects and developmental problems. Pregnant women exposed to the water had an increased risk of miscarriage or giving birth to a baby with health problems.

How Many People Were Affected by The Contamination?

It is estimated that as many as one million people were exposed to the contaminated water at the camp, including veterans, their families, and civilian employees who worked at the base.

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