People who spent time at the Camp Lejeune military base in Jacksonville, North Carolina at any point between August 1953 and December 1987 were exposed to contaminated water and may be eligible for compensation for serious heath issues linked to toxic exposure.
The US Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune – about 2 hours south of Raleigh-Durham, NC – was the site of a serious contaminated water problem for decades. To give victims a path to justice, the US congress has enacted a law which allows anyone who was exposed to bring claims.
Canadians who spent at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune during the years in question (including those who were born to women who were exposed during pregnancy) may be eligible to seek compensation, as well as estates of Canadians who since passed away. However, the ability to bring claims is only available for a limited time. The deadline to file is August 10, 2024.
Background on the water contamination problem at Camp Lejeune
For over 30 years, the water supply at Camp Lejeune base in North Carolina was contaminated with harmful chemicals, which were present in concentrations that were hundreds to thousands of times higher than acceptable safe water standards. More than 70 chemicals were identified in the water supply during the relevant time, and it is estimated that over 2 million people who spent time at the base from the 1950s through the 1980s – including military personnel, their families and other private citizens who attended at the base – were exposed through toxic tap water.
Over time, a number of lawsuits began to be filed in the US on behalf of people who spent time at Camp Lejeune who attributed serious health issues, such as cancers, to toxic water exposure at the military base. By the 2010s, so many cases had been filed that the US Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated an MDL – a form of mass litigation – as a means of handing the common questions of fact arising from the Camp Lejeune water contamination litigation.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) provides a path for victims to bring claims
On August 10, 2024, as part of a U.S. government initiative to assist veterans and civilians with filing claims against the government for injuries caused by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) became federal US law.
The CLJA establishes a process within which anyone who lived, worked, or was otherwise exposed to the water at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987 can bring a claim to the US Department of Navy for certain injuries including various cancers (bladder, kidney, liver, leukemia, non-Hogkin's lymphoma and myeloma), as well as Parkinson's disease, cardiac defects, scleroderma, and myelodysplastic syndromes.
Canadians affected by toxic water at Camp Lejeune are encouraged to seek representation
Any Canadian who may have been harmed by water contamination at Camp Lejeune is encouraged to reach out to a lawyer to ensure that their ability to seek compensation is protected.
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