Recent legislation makes clear that these cases will be handled individually, with individual Camp Lejeune settlements or trial judgments. Filing a Camp Lejeune lawsuit will not cause you to lose your health care benefits or disability benefits from the VA. Researchers from the National Cancer Institute conducted these samples, so they dubbed that cohort the NCI study. Our law firm is dedicated to keeping you up to date on the latest Camp Lejeune water contamination news, and well help you fight for your rights. They are supported by a dedicated team of staff that are as equally friendly and helpful. Resources | Compared to the Camp Pendleton control group, the ATSDR discovered that the Camp Lejeune group had higher mortality rates for the following causes of death: The higher rates of kidney, prostate, and rectum cancers, as well as leukemias and Parkinsons disease, were mainly concentrated among Camp Lejeune civilian workers. Only about 2,300 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with the disease in a year, compared with more than 250,000 cases of breast cancer diagnosed in women annually. Ultimately, the VA ruled against expanding its list beyond the initially-stated eight conditions. Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Retrieved from: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/lejeune/index.html. The fastest tumor growth rate occurred in mice exposed to a combination of PFOS and a high-fat diet. Bladder cancer. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. It served the mainside barracks, as well as family housing at the following locations: The ATSDR discovered elevated levels oftrichloroethylene (TCE) in the water at Hadnot Point. They are also time-consuming. You may be eligible to file a Camp Lejeune prostate cancer lawsuit if you were diagnosed with the disease after being exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987. To qualify for compensation in regard to your condition, you must be able to show that you were exposed to contaminated water on the base for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. One of the most important pieces of legislation to follow is theCamp Lejeune Justice Actof 2021. However, future settlements may award high figures. True story, look it up Another study from Occupational and Environmental Medicine suggests that a high duration and level of exposure to benzene, xylene, or styrene may increase the risk of non-aggressive prostate cancer. VA grants presumptive service connection to veterans who served at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 cumulative days from August 1, 1953 through December 31, 1987 and developed one of the following conditions: Adult leukemia Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes Bladder cancer Kidney cancer Liver cancer Multiple myeloma These toxic chemicals are considered volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and can cause cancer. [2023 Guide], What Caused Camp Lejeune Water Contamination? Black veterans who used AFFF have the greatest prostate cancer risk, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found an excess risk of prostate cancer at younger ages. In all, there were7,282 membersin the NCI study. They had a 35 percent higher risk of kidney. Disclaimer. Goldberg, M., Zapata-Marin, S., Labrche, F., Ho, V., Lavigne, E., Valois, M., & Parent, M. (n.d.). However, when someone is exposed to dangerous chemicals, they rarely feel the effects immediatelythis is especially true when one is exposed to small amounts over a long period. All of my questions were answered quickly and in a way I could understand. You may be eligible to file a Tepezza Lawsuit if you or a loved one took Tepezza and subsequently suffered permanent hearing loss or tinnitus. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Camp Lejeune service-connected conditions are: Additionally, the chemicals were not just causing cancer. It was introduced tothe U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate in January 2022. PFAS were also present in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune after 1967. Though the survival rate is high for prostate cancer, it is still an extremely serious and debilitating disease with potential lifelong effects. Government and independent investigations uncovered up to seventy separate chemicals that were contaminating the base. We believe the average settlement amount for a tier 1 Camp Lejeune cancer will exceed $500,000.00. In August 2022, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 became law, allowing veterans and others affected by Camp Lejeune's contaminated water supply can sue the government for the injuries and losses they endured from the toxic water supply at Camp Lejeune. The findings of the ATSDR studies are promising. This web site is designed for general information only. present in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune, your military records, which you must retrieve. If youve been diagnosed with prostate cancer and you spenttime at Camp Lejeune during this time period, the two instances could be connected. The researchers found that during the listed periods of TCE exposure, there were: Of the cancer deaths in the NCI study, 22 of them were prostate cancer. The ATSDR selected these causes based on research and literature reviews conducted by its internal staff, as well as the following agencies: The different causes of death determined to be possibly linked to VOC exposure included: In addition, the study alsoincluded multiple types of cancers, including cancer that affects the following regions: During the time period studied (1979 to 2008), there were 644 deaths in the Camp Lejeune group and 869 deaths in the Camp Pendleton group. Birmingham, AL 35205, 2101 L St NW, Suite 800, All of the systems contributed to the finished water supply at Camp Lejeune. (2022, March 1). However, PCE and TCE were not the biggest culprits. Veterans and their families exposed to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 may qualify for compensation.. Veterans of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River are entitled to presumptive service connection for . During this time, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) estimates that upward of one million people could have been exposed to toxic, carcinogenic contaminants. It still happens, for example, did you know that Veterans Affairs processors in recent years mishandled more than one-third of all disability claims related to water contamination issues at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, potentially cheating as many as 21,000 veterans out of financial compensation? When the water at Camp Lejeune was tested in the 1980s, it was found to contain benzene, PCE (perchloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene), TCE (trichloroethylene), and vinyl chloride. In addition to other conditions and types of cancers, researchers are looking into the prevalence of prostate cancer in Marines/Navy personnel, as well as civilian employees. A variety of cancers were found to be caused by exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune. The Camp Lejeune Claims Center exists to help military veterans harmed by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune to get the financial compensation they deserve. The contamination at Camp Lejeune caused other health issues and disorders, such as: Further analysis has indicated additional types of cancer that may also be associated with exposure at Camp Lejeune. Adult leukemia in those exposed, as well as childhood leukemia in their children have both been linked to chemicals in the contaminated water. It was only years laterand in some cases decades laterthat many people began to get very sick. Veterans with health problems that they believe are related to the contaminated water can file a claim for disability compensation at http://www.ebenefits.va.gov or call (800) 827-1000. TorHoerman Law is an extraordinary law firm a firm that truly makes the clients best interests the primary concern. Steve and the entire staff were friendly and professional. We investigated disease severity at diagnosis, overall survival, and cumulative incidence of metastases for PC patients within the . If you or a loved one was exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune between these dates, and meet other certain criteria, you may qualify to file a Camp Lejeune Lawsuit. As the DNA changes, it causes the cells in and around your prostate to grow and divide at a faster rate than normal. Below, our attorneys look at the studies conducted on the water contamination at Camp Lejeune, and evidence linking these substances to prostate cancer and other conditions. Veterans encounter various situations and geographical locations that put them at risk for cancer development. The water supply at Camp Lejeune became contaminated by cancer-causing chemicals due to unsafe practices of a local dry cleaning business near the base. At the moment, over 200,000 veterans struggle with prostate cancer, many of whom are victims of toxic exposure. We've recovered over $4 Billion in verdicts & settlements, 16 Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Diseases & Symptoms, Camp Lejeune Prostate Cancer Lawsuit [2023 Update]. In accordance with the 2012 Camp Lejeune health care law, VA provides cost-free health care for certain conditions to Veterans who served at least 30 days of active duty at Camp Lejeune from August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987. What Chemicals Were Found in the Water at Camp Lejeune? Other times, the cancer ismore aggressivein nature and can quickly spread to other parts of your body. One of the cancers that has been linked to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune is prostate cancer. On March 14, 2017, VA updated 38 CFR 3.307, establishing its final rule on presumptive service connection for Camp Lejeune toxic water exposure. In total, the federal government is expected to pay out more than $6 billion in settlements to veterans and their loved ones. Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit February 2023 Update. If your lawsuit is successful, you will get an additional payout from the U.S. government on top of your VA benefits. This includes certain types of cancers, such as prostate cancer. More specifically, exposure to the chemical PFOA was found to contribute to the development and progression of prostate cancer. This base used TCE as a solvent from the mid-1950s to 1979, with potential peak exposures of up to 400 ppm occurring in the mid-1960s. These findings also support the connection between VOC exposure and cancer diagnoses. Prostate cancer could be caused by exposure to toxins, such as the ones that leached into Camp Lejeunes drinking water for decades. If you are a veteran who spent time at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, and have prostate cancer, you might be entitled to financial compensation. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act is a new piece of legislation that is soon to be signed into law by President Biden. 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