Why now?

The government has recently introduced a settlement option for claims under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act that can resolve claims faster and more efficiently than litigation. Most importantly, this settlement option will not reduce any VA benefits currently in place.

Who are we representing?

We are working on behalf of veterans, their families, and other civilians who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina between 1953 through 1987.

What is Camp Lejeune? 

Camp Lejeune is a U.S. Marine Corps base that was established in 1942 and is located in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Camp Lejeune is surrounded by eight water treatment systems, including Hadnot Point, Tarawa Terrace, Holcomb Boulevard, Courthouse Bay, Rifle Range, Onslow Beach, Montford Point/Camp Johnson, and New River.

What is this investigation about?

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, in 1982 the Marine Corps discovered that Camp Lejeune’s drinking water supply was contaminated with volatile organic compounds. The contamination was present between 1953 and 1987, during which time the dangerous substances were found to be in extremely high quantities at Camp Lejeune.

The Tarawa Terrace water treatment plant was found to be contaminated with perchloroethylene, also known as tetrachloroethylene. The other contaminated site, Hadnot Point, was found to be contaminated with trichloroethylene as well as benzene and vinyl chloride.

The contaminated water supplied the barracks, family housing, and other buildings around Camp Lejeune. Over the course of three decades, this placed hundreds of thousands of veterans and active service members, as well as their families and civilian workers, at an extraordinarily high risk of severe health issues, exposing them to toxins at concentrations from 240 to 3,400 times levels accepted as safe.

What is PCE? 

PCE, or Perchloroethylene, is a colorless, mild-odored, liquid solvent that is introduced in the environment by human activity. It is largely used in industrial settings and is frequently utilized for dry cleaning fabrics and degreasing activities. Exposure to PCE can occur, among other ways, through ingestion of contaminated water, as well as through breast feeding.

An overwhelming volume of PCE was found in waters at the Tarawa Terrace treatment plant.

What is TCE? 

TCE, or Trichloroethylene, is a colorless, volatile, liquid organic chemical. It is typically used as a degreaser for metal equipment and can be used to make refrigerants. Exposure to TCE can occur, among other ways, through drinking contaminated water or eating foods that have been washed or processed with contaminated water.

An overwhelming volume of TCE was found in waters at the Hadnot Point treatment plant.

What is Vinyl Chloride? 

Vinyl Chloride is a colorless gas that does not occur naturally. It must be produced industrially for its commercial uses. It is used in the production of plastic products, including wire coatings and PVC pipes. Vinyl Chloride was found to have generally contaminated the water at Camp Lejeune.

What is Benzene? 

Benzene appears as a colorless chemical or a light yellow liquid. It is flammable and has a sweet odor. Benzene was also found to have generally contaminated the water at Camp Lejeune.

The Types of Cancer and Other Serious Medical Conditions Associated with the Contaminated Water at Camp Lejeune

Exposure to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune may result in a wide variety of cancers and diseases, including, but not limited to:

• Kidney Cancer
• Liver Cancer
• Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
• Leukemias
• Bladder Cancer
• Multiple Myeloma
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Kidney Disease/End Stage Renal Disease
• Systemic Sclerosis/Systemic Scleroderma

Who qualifies for this investigation?

Schlichter Bogard is accepting inquiries from individuals who:

• Lived, worked, or served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 days from August 1953 through December 1987, and;
• Were diagnosed with any one of the conditions listed above.

Do the 30 days need to be consecutive?

No. If you lived, worked, or served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for any combination of days between August 1953 and December 1987 totaling thirty or more days, you may be eligible for compensation.

What compensation could I potentially receive?

Disease from the contamination is just the beginning when it comes to victims’ hardship and injuries. Often, victims’ lives are virtually suspended while dealing with seeking treatment, missing work, and undergoing therapy and/or rehabilitation.

At Schlichter Bogard, our aim is to make injury victims whole. To that end, our work is designed to help victims obtain compensation, including for medical and rehabilitation costs as well as wage loss, mental health bills, and/or loss of consortium. Even if an individual is already receiving veterans’ benefits, he or she may still bring a claim under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022.

There is no certainty of recovery, which is why it is important to take immediate action.

I lost a loved one due to their toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune. Is this lawsuit applicable to me?

We are terribly sorry to hear of your loss. A victim’s estate is entitled to bring a lawsuit under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022. Please contact our office, and we can discuss whether filing a wrongful death claim is a possible option. You can reach us by:

Phone: 800-873-5297

Email: camplejeune.investigation@uselaws.com.

Do the unborn have a claim?

Yes. An individual exposed in utero at Camp Lejeune is entitled to bring a lawsuit under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022.

Why choose Schlichter Bogard to fight for you?

Filing a lawsuit against the federal government will require extensive investigation of Camp Lejeune’s operations, and expertise in laws applicable to toxic exposure. Our firm has a lengthy history of working to achieve justice for individuals harmed by environmental exposure. We handle groundbreaking consumer and environmental cases, and routinely serve in leadership roles in major, national cases involving harmful environmental exposure, often resulting in precedent-setting outcomes.* Learn more about our firm here.

How much will our legal services cost you?

We are only paid if we win your case.

To be clear, there is no fee unless and until we bring your case to a successful resolution.

_{* ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT:}

_{H. Scott Overholt (licensed North Carolina attorney) of The Overholt Law Firm, PC, 2505 College Rd, Wilmington, NC 28412 in association with Schlichter Bogard, LLC is responsible for this advertisement. Neither Schlichter Bogard, LLC nor its attorneys are authorized to practice law in North Carolina. Any and all potential Camp Lejeune Act claims and causes of action that Schlichter Bogard, LLC may investigate and pursue are strictly limited to federal law tort claims exclusively created under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, and Schlichter Bogard, LLC will not pursue any North Carolina state law claims or causes of action. Schlichter Bogard, LLC attorneys are licensed to practice law in the states of Missouri, Illinois, and Arkansas, among others. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements. Past results afford no guarantee of future results. Every case is different and must be judged on its own merits. Schlichter Bogard, LLC, 100 South Fourth Street, Ste. 1200, St. Louis, MO 63102.}