Your eligibility doesn't change if you file a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim.
The Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 was signed into law in August, and its goal is to expand and not diminish the rights of veterans affected by toxic water at Camp Lejeune, Camp New River, Camp Johnson, and Camp Geiger.
Gervelis Law Firm attorney David Tschantz, who is working on assisting veterans with potential Camp Lejeune lawsuits, stated that there is a large amount of confusion regarding these claims from normally reliable sources, such as veteran rights groups, concerning the Honoring Our PACT Act.
Despite reports that pursuing a Camp Lejeune exposure claim could affect your benefits, there is no way pursuing a claim would impact future benefits.
If an injured veteran previously received treatment for a presumptive disease, there could be an offset in any settlement or judgment. However, this will not affect the veteran's benefits in the future.
In a settlement offer, the setoff amount would be available to the veteran to review, who can then decide to reject the settlement.
Who can file a claim?
You may be eligible to pursue a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim if you meet the following criteria:
- You resided at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. You may also be eligible if you were in utero and exposed during that period.
- Exposure to the contaminated water caused you to develop a medical condition.
- You can show a causal connection between your medical condition and the contaminated water.
Common medical conditions associated with exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune include the following:
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Lung cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Myelodysplastic syndromes (also known as preleukemia)
- Female infertility
- Hepatic steatosis, a liver condition that can progress to liver failure (cirrhosis)
- Miscarriage or stillbirth
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
Attorney Mark Gervelis urges veterans or family members affected by the toxic water not to delay investigating their claims. There is a time limit to make your claim, and the sooner you talk to a lawyer from our law firm about your legal rights and options, the better.
Find out if you have a case. Contact us today.
Remember, this is not a class action where you can sit back and wait for the results of the litigation. You must take action with a qualified attorney to assert your claim on your behalf and file the necessary administrative actions to preserve and investigate your claim.
Schedule a free case consultation today to learn more about how Gervelis Law Firm can help with your potential Camp Lejeune water contamination claim.