If you're a veteran or family member of a veteran that served at Camp Lejeune, you've likely heard of the toxic water contamination scandal that has rocked the base's reputation. Especially if you've suffered a life-altering health condition since serving at Camp Lejeune, the passage of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act is something that you must know about. To help you, here is a useful veteran's primer to water contamination issues at Camp Lejeune and the Camp Lejeune Justice Act:
Are Exposed Individuals Eligible for Disability Benefits from the VA?
If you or a loved one served (or resided) at Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps Base Camp in New River, North Carolina, you likely had contact with toxic, contaminated water sources during your time there. Newly gathered medical and scientific evidence has demonstrated irrefutable evidence linking toxic water exposure and the development of life-altering diseases. For those who served at Camp Lejeune between August 1953 and December 1987, and have since been diagnosed with one of the following conditions, you're likely able to get disability benefits through the VA:
-Kidney Cancer
-Liver Cancer
-Bladder Cancer
-Aplastic Anemia
-Adult Leukemia
-Parkinson's Disease
-Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
-Multiple Myeloma
What Types of Benefits Can I Get (and How Can I Get Them)?
The two primary benefits veterans receive through the Camp Lejeune Justice Act are government health care and financial compensation. To receive these benefits, you'll need to file a disability compensation claim and provide evidence that you were both actively serving at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1953 and December 1987 and that you've been diagnosed with one of the serious, life-altering conditions that we listed in the above section.
Filing a claim can be done in many ways. You can file a claim online at VA.gov, file a claim in person at a VA regional office, or file a claim using an accredited representative of the VA, such as a Veterans Service Officer. That being said, gathering the documents you need to prove you were exposed to water contamination at Camp Lejeune, and navigating the claim process can prove difficult, so hiring a knowledgeable Veterans Affairs attorney to assist you through this journey is highly recommended.
What Health Conditions in Veterans' Family Members are Covered?
Thankfully, the text of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act extends the ability to file a lawsuit, and the right to support, to veterans' family members as well. For those who were a family member of an affected veteran, and were affected themself, you can get health care benefits through the legislation. Fifteen specific health conditions qualify for getting your entire out-of-pocket medical costs compensated through the federal government via the Camp Lejeune Justice Act:
-Renal Toxicity
-Scleroderma
-Hepatic Steatosis
-Multiple Myeloma
-Female Infertility
-Breast Cancer
-Bladder Cancer
-Miscarriages
-Lung Cancer
-Neurobehavioral Effects
-Myelodysplastic Syndromes
-Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
-Leukemia
-Hepatic Steatosis
-Esophageal Cancer
How Can I Receive These Benefits as a Veterans' Affected Family Member?
Knowing the process for actually receiving these benefits is critical for affected family members. Firstly, you'll need to file a claim for disability compensation that includes the following information and evidence:
-Medical records showing that you are/were inflicted with one of the 15 conditions we've listed in the section above.
-Documentation showing that you lived at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1953 and December 1987.
-Documentation showing your relationship to the Veteran who served at Camp Lejeune during this period.
In addition to having this documentation, you should provide a Camp Lejeune Family Member Program Treating Physician Report (or VA Form 10-10068b). Make sure that your doctor signs this form before submitting it to the VA to ensure that it will be approved and filed correctly. Once again, hiring a knowledgeable, professional Veterans Affairs lawyer to help you through this documentation gathering process, and the actual filing of any suit that you pursue, is highly recommended.
What Exactly Was in the Contaminated Water at Camp Lejeune?
There were several harmful chemicals contained in the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. These compounds seeped into the water supply from two on-base water wells that were eventually shut down in 1985. The current toxic compounds were identified by scientific research:
-Trichloroethylene
-Perchloroethylene
-Vinyl Chloride
-Benzene
-Other Harmful Compounds
Hold Camp Lejeune Responsible for the Camp Lejeune Justice Act
Thanks to the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, you can hold the Federal government responsible for your suffering. They knew that you were being exposed daily to toxic compounds, and sat on their hands for decades before taking the necessary actions needed to keep people safe, all while keeping it a secret from you. Your fight is every victim's fight, and with the lawful support of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, you can finally gain the compensation that you rightfully deserve.
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of sciencetimes.com
