August 10, 2022, marked a historic day: President Joe Biden signed the PACT Act into law. The law was an incredible victory for many U.S. veterans — including those exposed to toxic water at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. One year after the historic legislation, learn how veterans are getting the help they need for service-related illnesses.
How the PACT Act Helps Camp Lejeune Veterans
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act was part of the larger PACT Act, a broad bill that provides expanded benefit eligibility for veterans. It allows veterans and their families to seek justice and compensation if they developed illnesses from Camp Lejeune’s toxic drinking water.
From August 1953 to December 1987, Camp Lejeune’s drinking water was contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Exposure to VOCs can lead to many health problems, including cancer, neurobehavioral issues, and birth defects.
For decades, Camp Lejeune victims had very few ways to pursue justice — even benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) were hard to achieve.
Now, thanks to the PACT Act, many can file Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuits and pursue financial aid for their suffering. Much like U.S. veterans with mesothelioma, those who served at Camp Lejeune can get justice.
Why Camp Lejeune Veterans Deserve Justice
Nearly 1 million people were exposed to toxic chemicals in drinking water at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between 1953 and 1987. As a result, many are still grappling with health problems or the trauma of losing a loved one.
Illnesses linked to Camp Lejeune water contamination include:
- Adult leukemia
- Aplastic anemia
- Birth defects
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Cardiac defects
- Cervical cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Lymphomas
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Pancreatic cancer
- Parkinson’s disease
- Prostate cancer
- Rectal cancer
- Scleroderma
These illnesses have destroyed the lives of many Camp Lejeune veterans and their families. John Carberg, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, died of bladder cancer believed to stem from Camp Lejeune water contamination.
His son Chris Carberg shared hope that the Camp Lejeune Justice Act would help his family and countless others.
“Many families are feeling like they are being seen and heard for the very first time. Many of us have lost our loved ones as a result of the toxic exposure, and this act made a statement that the military and the government acknowledge us.”
— Chris Carberg, son of Camp Lejeune Veteran John Carberg
Sadly, Camp Lejeune veterans have been denied justice and compensation for far too long. While the VA allowed these veterans to pursue VA benefits, many of their claims were denied.
- In 2019 alone, the secretary of the U.S. Navy denied over 4,500 claims filed by Navy veterans stationed at Camp Lejeune.
- As recently as 2022, 3 in 4 Camp Lejeune veterans had their requests for VA benefits denied.
The government’s and the VA’s treatment of Camp Lejeune victims stands in sharp contrast to the treatment of U.S. veterans with mesothelioma, who are often awarded full disability benefits if their condition is linked to military service.
Justice Is Now Possible
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act finally opened up ways for veterans and their families to pursue justice from both VA benefits and other legal claims.
As of April 2023, more than 500,000 PACT Act claims have been submitted, and the VA has awarded more than $1 billion in benefits to veterans or their families. These numbers are only expected to climb as more veterans and loved ones learn of their options.
The VA is also offering 12 months of backdated compensation for qualified Camp Lejeune veterans who submit their claims by August 14, 2023.
Further, the act allows victims to file a Camp Lejeune lawsuit to increase their compensation. These lawsuits do not affect a veteran's eligibility for VA disability compensation or VA health care and are meant as a way to pay veterans and their families for pain and suffering, lost income, and treatment.
Anyone exposed to Camp Lejeune drinking water for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987 may be eligible, but time is quickly running out. Veterans have until August 10, 2024 — only one more year — to file a Camp Lejeune lawsuit.
Take Action Thanks to the PACT Act and Camp Lejeune Justice Act
If you or a loved one served or lived at Camp Lejeune and later got sick or died, the PACT Act and Camp Lejeune Justice Act may provide financial aid and a sense of closure.
With legal help, you can determine if you are eligible to pursue a Camp Lejeune drinking water settlement and receive financial compensation.
Nobody deserved to get sick from Camp Lejeune’s water — but that’s exactly what happened. Just like how we’ve stood by veterans with asbestos-related diseases, the Mesothelioma Veterans Center is here to help you.
