Few victims of Camp Lejeune’s water poisoning have found justice

[Lori Dee]

Few victims of Camp Lejeune's water poisoning have found justice as the final deadline for claims nears
The Navy said it has received more than 320,000 claims and has settled 64 of them since the Camp Lejeune Justice Act was signed into law in 2022.
Link to Full Article
NBC News - Melissa Chan
Aug. 4, 2024, 5:00 AM MDT

On Aug. 10, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the PACT Act, the "most significant expansion of benefits and services for toxic exposed veterans in more than 30 years," according to the White House.

A provision of the bill allowed people exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune to file new lawsuits in the Eastern District of North Carolina if they have waited longer than six months for the Navy to resolve or respond to their initial claim.

With the Aug. 10 deadline fast approaching, at least 2,067 Camp Lejeune Justice Act cases have already been filed there so far...

Of the 109 settlement offers extended to claimants, 64 have been accepted so far and three were declined, ...

For more than 30 years, multiple sources contaminated Camp Lejeune's supply wells, including waste from a nearby dry-cleaning facility and leaks from underground storage tanks on base, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There were extremely high levels of trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, vinyl chloride and benzene — colorless chemicals that can cause several diseases, including cardiac defects and some cancers, the agency said.

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The lawsuits mentioned above are separate claims against the Navy. The Veterans Administration has a separate claims process and health issues related to toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune and other military bases are considered "presumptive". That means being stationed at any of these locations is presumed to have caused these health issues and no direct evidence must be submitted.

If you have health issues that you believe were caused by toxic exposure, contact a Veteran Service Officer immediately and file a claim. You can find VSOs through State Veterans Affairs Offices, Disabled American Veterans, and other Veteran service organizations, and at your local VA health clinic. Go to VA.gov for more information about filing a claim.

[Northern Star Girl]

@Lori Dee
Dear Lori:
Thank you for posting this news. 

It is so very sad that this is taking so very long for the innocent military members
and civilians that were essentially poisoned on a US Military installation.

First off, it seems unbelievable to me, than in the USA, we should ever be concerned
about the safety and cleanliness of the available drinking water, especially at a
US Government installation.

Those that are now having health issues connected with all of this should not have to
wait for another minute to get the essential help and remuneration that they deserve
from the government.

Again Lori, thank you for posting this news article.

Danielle  [Northern Star Girl]
The Forum Administrator
                      US AirForce Veteran... served right after college.
                                    1st Lt   First Lieutenant
                      Much of that time at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas
                      staff at the Air Education and Training Command