U.S. Senator Tillis Introduces the Camp Lejeune Justice Act Designed to Help Water Contamination Victims Get Justice
Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Claims
According to an online news report posted on jdnews.com, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis and a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the Camp Lejeune Justice Act to overturn a U.S. Supreme Court decision that prevented Camp Lejeune water contamination victims from filing personal injury lawsuits against the federal government. The new bill would lift the statute of limitations barring lawsuits beyond the ten-year time limitation.
According to a statement provided by Tillis’ Senate office, the U.S. Supreme Court “prohibited retroactive application” before legislation could be passed for people who acquired diseases manifesting several years after their exposure to toxic chemicals. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act will rectify the past interpretation of North Carolina’s state law in federal court.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act will create a federal Cause of Action permitting veterans to file federal lawsuits to receive compensation for the harm caused by toxic water exposure at Camp Lejeune. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act specifically corrects an irregularity in the application of North Carolina’s Statutes of Limitations concerning toxic tort time limitations. Senator Tillis stated that the Camp Lejeune Justice Act would give veterans and their families, who were harmed by Camp Lejeune’s water contamination, the right to have their day in court.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act was introduced two days after the U.S: Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs passed legislation submitted by Senator Tillis to improve and reform how military veterans who have been harmed by toxic exposure receive medical benefits and healthcare from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The Toxic Exposures in the American Military (TEAM) Act allows the Department of Veterans Affairs to treat medical conditions that are connected to the toxic exposure at no charge to exposure victims. The TEAM Act also creates an independent scientific commission to research the health consequences of the toxic exposure and report those findings to both Congress and the VA and Congress.
The Department of Veterans Affairs website acknowledges that military veterans stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River or Camp Lejeune for 30 accumulative days between August 1953 and December 1987 with one or more eight presumptive medical conditions might be eligible to receive disability benefits. Moreover, these military veterans and their family members who have been exposed to the toxic drinking water from August 1, 1953 to December 31, 1987 might be able to be reimbursed for medical care expenses related to the 15 medical conditions. These medical conditions include:
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Female infertility
- Hepatic steatosis
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Lung cancer
- Miscarriage
- Multiple myeloma
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
CONTACT PARKER WAICHMAN LLP FOR A FREE CASE REVIEW
Did you or a loved one live or work at Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987? Parker Waichman LLP helps those who have suffered harm from contaminated water receive full monetary compensation. Trust your case with our legal professionals. For a free consultation, contact our law firm today by using our live chat or calling 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
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