Were you a visitor of Camp Lejeune that was exposed to contaminated water that ultimately resulted in a dangerous medical condition developing? If so, you might have already heard about the Camp Lejeune Justice Act that was passed under the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT Act). You might have a number of questions, including the following:
- Can I file a lawsuit if I was just a visitor at Camp Lejeune?
- Can I file a water contamination Camp Lejeune lawsuit if I was not military and was just visiting the camp?
You could still have grounds to file a lawsuit, even if you were just a visitor at Camp Lejeune. For more information about your legal options, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible. Our lawyers are ready to provide you with absolutely all the information that you need to file your Camp Lejeune lawsuit and help you win.
You can trust the experts here at the Normandie Law Firm to guide you every step of the way.
A Brief History of the Water Contamination at the Camp
From 1953 to 1987, millions of people, including Marines, other military service members, contractors, non-military staff, civilians, and their families were negligently exposed to highly contaminated water at Camp Lejeune (which is a Marine Corp base camp located in North Carolina). Leadership was aware that groundwater and well water was contaminated with multiple dangerous chemicals, including Benzene, Vinyl Chloride, Trichloroethylene (TCE), and Tetrachloroethylene (PCE or PERC), but they failed to take any action. Instead, military leadership kept quiet about the toxic water, needlessly exposing countless people to the dangerous chemicals. Exposure to these chemicals resulted in victims developing dangerous health conditions, including some of the following: scleroderma, renal toxicity, Parkinson’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, neurobehavioral effects, myelodysplastic syndromes, multiple myeloma, miscarriage, lung cancer, liver cancer, leukemia, kidney cancer, hepatic steatosis, female infertility, esophageal cancer, breast cancer, bladder cancer, and aplastic anemia. All of these devastating medical conditions could have been prevented only if action was taken in time.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act and the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act – Giving Affected Parties the Right to Sue
Under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, which is a part of the PACT Act, all parties who suffered injuries, that is developed severe health conditions and/or passed away due to these conditions, after being exposed to the contaminated water supply at Camp Lejeune have the right to file a lawsuit against the government. Claimants are being given a two-year window from August 10, 2022 to file their lawsuits with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Veterans, civilians, and their loved ones will be able to recover damages for the harm that they suffered. This law is long overdue. The victims harmed by being negligently exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune are finally getting the justice that they deserve.
Can I File a Lawsuit if I was Just a Visitor?
Yes – you can file a lawsuit. Although the law might seem like it only applies to veterans, their families, and non-civilians that worked on the base, the law also applies to visitors. Essentially, anyone who lived at the base for at least 30 days during the affected period is eligible to file a lawsuit for any harm resulting from exposure to the contaminated water.
Now, you might be wondering how you can prove that you were a visitor for at least 30 days during the determined period. Typically, visitors have to go through an application process to be able to enter military bases. Therefore, you should have some sort records that show that you applied to visit the base and that your application was approved. Other evidence can include dated letters and photographs, although military records might be the soundest evidence.
What if I was not on the base for 30 days? Of course, a 30-day visit is a long-term visit. Most visitors do not stay longer than just a week or two. Unfortunately, if you were a visitor at Camp Lejeune for less than 30 days, you will likely not have grounds to file a lawsuit.
For more information about your right to file a lawsuit even if you were just a visitor at Camp Lejeune, do not hesitate to contact the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible.
Your Right to Recover Compensation
If you were a visitor at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days during the time between 1953 and 1987, you could have grounds to sue for the harm that you suffered. Similarly, if your loved one was the visitor, you could also sue. Of course, you could be entitled to recover compensation. What could you recover? The payout that you could potentially recover could include the following: medical costs, expenses for mental health services (including counseling), lost income, disability benefits, funeral/burial costs, loss of consortium, punitive damages, and legal fees. If you allow our experts to handle your law firm, you can trust that you we will fight for your right to recover the highest payout available for the harm that you suffered.
File Your Claim on Time
If you have the right to file a lawsuit, you must make sure that you file your lawsuit on time – as failing to file a lawsuit within the appropriate deadline could result in losing the right to sue. Under the PACT Act, claimants have a two-year window from the date that the law was signed to file a lawsuit with the U.S. District Court for the Easter District of North Carolina. This means that claimants have until August 2024 to file their lawsuits. For more information about the total length of time that you have to file your visitor Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit, contact us as soon as possible.
Reach Out to Normandie Law Firm Today
Here at the Normandie Law Firm, our experts have decades of experience handling all sorts of claims – always remaining 100% committed to representing our clients and getting them the best recovery possible. If you are unsure of your right to participate in a lawsuit, contact us as soon as possible. We offer free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns. Whether you are looking to start or continue your Camp Lejeune visitor lawsuit, you can trust that our lawyers can provide you with absolutely all the information that you need.
Our Zero-Fee guarantee ensures that you will never pay upfront legal costs to speak with our attorneys.
Our strict contingency structure ensures that you will not have to pay anything until you win your claim. If you do not win, you simply will not pay anything.
If you are ready to discuss the legal options available to you with the experts here at our law firm, contact us immediately.
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