Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Attorney
Were you exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune?
Between August 1953 and December 1987, did you serve, live, or work at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina?
If so, you may be entitled to compensation.
Contact our veteran’s law firm for aggressive and effective representation.
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If the Veterans Administration denied your disability claim, you might be eligible for compensation.
Veterans, their family members, or others may have been exposed to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, between 1953 and 1987 and later developed cancer. The Veterans Administration has denied some of the service members’ claims or deemed them ineligible, but a new law may allow them compensation.
We are committed to being open and honest with our clients. King Law Firm works on a contingency fee basis. If we settle your case, we will collect 1/3 (33%) of the settlement or the amount set by the US Government, but never more than 1/3.”
Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyers
Camp Lejeune Water Contamination and Veterans Affairs Disability Benefits
Veterans who consumed contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune between the mid-1950s and mid-1980s may qualify for VA disability benefits. For certain disabilities, veterans with qualifying service at Camp Lejeune or the Marine Corps Air Station New River are entitled to presumptive service connection, which means they do not have to show that their disabilities are related to drinking the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune
At Camp Lejeune, service members and their families consumed water that contained high levels of toxic chemicals, including:
Trichloroethylene
Perchloroethylene
Tetrachloroethylene
Vinyl chloride
Benzene
In 1985, the military closed two wells that contained contaminated water. It was only after heavy pressure from veterans, families, and veterans advocacy groups that the decision was made.
VA published a new rule in January 2017 that makes it easier for veterans suffering from one of eight diseases associated with contaminated water to obtain disability benefits.
To be eligible for VA disability compensation, a veteran must prove three things: 1) a current disability, 2) an in-service injury or illness, and 3) a link between the in-service injury or illness and the current disability.
According to VA presumptive rules for contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, under some circumstances, VA will presume an in-service injury (exposure to contaminated water) for certain veterans or a link between in-service contaminated water exposure and disability (or both). The VA disability compensation benefits can be obtained much easier by proving a connection to service.
The veteran must have certain service experiences in order to be presumed exposed. An important condition for the inference of a medical link is that the veteran must have been exposed to contaminated water and have one of the eight disabilities determined by the VA to be highly related to exposure to contaminated water. Please see the below questions and answers for more information.
The veteran can still obtain VA disability benefits if he or she does not qualify for the presumptions of in-service exposure to contaminated water or a link between a current disability and service-but some evidence of a connection must be presented.
We assist disabled veterans in obtaining higher disability ratings at the King Law Firm
Additionally, veterans and their families who lived at Camp Lejeune during the contamination period are eligible for certain VA health care benefits if they suffer from one of 15 illnesses linked to the base’s contaminated water.
The King Law Firm can assist veterans who qualify in appealing or reopening their disability claims and in seeking other benefits related to Camp Lejeune water contamination. The firm works with veteran families throughout the nation. Please contact us for more information.
Who Qualifies for Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Health Benefits?
In order to qualify for free VA health care, you must have served at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune between January 1, 1957, and December 31, 1987. Those conditions are:
- Esophageal cancer
- Breast cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Renal toxicity
- Female infertility
- Scleroderma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Lung cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Leukemia
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Hepatic steatosis
- Miscarriage
- Neurobehavior effects
You will be reimbursed by the VA for all costs that health insurance does not cover if you are a family member of a veteran who lived at Camp Lejeune during the above time period.
Veterans and their families are provided health benefits by a separate law, the Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012.
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS VETERAN
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The Law Firm You Choose Should Be Experienced And Understand The Issues Military Veterans Face.
Attorney Ken King proudly served as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps. Ken served at Camp Lejeune and was also a member of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, more commonly known as JAG Corps. Our Jacksonville, NC firm employs former military personnel intimately familiar with these issues.
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Not every personal injury law firm employs a registered nurse, but at King Law Firm, our Registered Nurse and Attorney, Caroline Cusick Crawford, is an integral part of our team and a valuable resource for our clients.
What Is the Role of the Law Firm Nurse?
Although our nurse does not treat clients, she is often integral to their physical and legal recovery. Meet our Registered Nurse and Attorney, Caroline Cusick Crawford. Her role as a Registered Nurse includes but is not limited to:
Registered Nurse, and Attorney, Caroline Cusic Crawford
Camp Lejeune Justice Act Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for Presumptive Compensation for Contaminated Water at Camp Lejeune?
Presumptive service-connected diseases include:
- Adult leukemia
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
To qualify for VA disability benefits, veterans must show three things: (1) a current disability, (2) an in-service injury or illness, and (3) a link between the in-service injury or illness and the current disability.
Veteran’s with certain service experience are not required to prove an in-service injury the same way they would for other claims. Instead, VA presumes the injury (exposure to contaminated water) if the veteran:
- Has been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable from active duty, reserve service, or National Guard service;
- At least 30 consecutive or non-consecutive days at Camp Lejeune (or MCAS New River) between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987
- If a veteran does not have the qualifying service above, he or she might still be able to receive disability compensation due to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, but the veteran’s claim and evidence collected by the VA must show that the veteran was actually exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune (in addition to the normal qualifying service criteria for VA benefits).
How The New Veterans Affairs Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Rules Can Affect Your Disability Claim?
You can undergo a medical examination if you believe you qualify for VA benefits related to Camp Lejeune water contamination. You can go to your own doctor or to a VA Medical Center. The examination will determine whether you suffer from a presumptive condition.
If you do, you can take these steps:
File an Original Claim
If you do not have a VA disability claim, you can submit VA Form 21-526 EZ to your local VA Regional Office. When you submit the application, the VA will request or look for the following:
- Records that show you served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for a total of at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987.
- Medical evidence that shows you currently suffer from one of the eight presumptive conditions.
Veterans Affairs can obtain VA treatment records and service personnel and treatment records directly-but if you can provide proof of qualifying service and a qualifying disability, your claim will be more likely to succeed.
Existing Claims
If you already have a VA Ratings Decision denying your claim, you have multiple options to appeal that decision.
Who Qualifies for Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Health Benefits?
Veterans and their families are provided health benefits by a separate law, the Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012.
In order to qualify for free VA health care, you must have served at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune between January 1, 1957, and December 31, 1987. Those conditions are:
- Esophageal cancer
- Breast cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Renal toxicity
- Female infertility
- Scleroderma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Lung cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Leukemia
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Hepatic steatosis
- Miscarriage
- Neurobehavior effects
You will be reimbursed by the VA for all costs that health insurance does not cover if you are a family member of a veteran who lived at Camp Lejeune during the above time period.
Which Disabilities Can Camp Lejeune Veterans Get VA Disability Compensation?
For VA disability compensation, generally a veteran must show three things: 1) a current disability, 2) an in-service injury or illness, and 3) a link between the injury or illness and the current disability.
In accordance with the rule that allows presumptive service connection for compensation, the VA presumes the following disabilities are related to Camp Lejeune water contamination:
- Adult leukemia
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
Veteran who has a current disability that is not listed above can still receive VA disability compensation for it, but the evidence collected by the VA must show that it is at least as likely as not related to the veteran’s service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
Many veterans who served at Camp Lejeune and were exposed to contaminated drinking water have cancers other than those listed above. If those veterans can provide, or the VA obtains, medical evidence that their cancer was caused or made worse by the contaminated water, then they might be eligible for VA disability compensation.
How Much Compensation Will I Get for a Disability from Camp Lejeune Water Contamination?
The amount of monthly, tax-free payments that a veteran may receive will be determined by their specific disability and how much their disability affects their earning capacity, once a service connection was proven for a disability caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
Cancer veterans are entitled to 100 percent coverage for active, symptomatic cancers, continuing for a period of years after their treatment or diagnosis. The veteran must attend a VA examination after the first year of service to determine if any residual disabilities are present as a result of the condition, which may justify some compensation. In general, asymptomatic conditions are given a 0% disability rating, which means the veteran receives no monthly disability compensation.
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