Senate Passes Bill To Help People Sickened By Contaminated Water At Camp Lejeune

United States Senate Voted To Pass Bipartisan Bill To Help People Who Became Sick From Toxic Water at Camp Lejeune

WASHINGTON D.C., VIRGINIA (August 2, 2022) – The U.S. Senate voted 86-11 to pass the bipartisan Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022  aimed at helping veterans and other people affected by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, according to Roll Call.

President Biden is expected to sign the bill when it arrives at his desk in the coming week. Passage of the bill remained uncertain after some senate republicans voted against it, but they have since come on board after backlash.

The passage of this bill comes many years after thousands of U.S. service members and veterans said that they became ill after being exposed to contaminated water at the Camp Lejeune military base. The water at the military base became primarily contaminated by PCE (perchloroethylene or tetrachloroethylene) due to improper waste disposal.

Long term exposure to these chemicals has led to numerous illnesses including various cancers, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and parkinson’s disease. For many decades people were becoming seriously ill after drinking the water at Camp Lejeune, but for a while it was not understood that the water was contaminated.

There is also a 10-year statute of repose in North Carolina for pursuing civil claims. Many veterans and those affected by the water were being disqualified from pursuing claims before they even understood the origin of their illness. On top of this, the federal government normally has immunity from civil claims when a service member is injured during their service.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act closes these loopholes and allows veterans and others who have become ill to pursue damages. In order to qualify for a civil claim a U.S. veteran, their family members or others must have been exposed to the contaminated water from 1953 to 1987 at Camp Lejeune.

Have you or someone that you care about suffered illness or death after being exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. You may have legal recourse with the passage of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. Our team of veteran’s rights advocates at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that veterans get the medical and financial support that they need in order to recover. Whether you just have legal questions or need any guidance after being exposed to contaminated water we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.