When you hear the term “Act,” it’s important to know that this means it is now a law. In order for a bill to become a law, there are many legal steps that the bill must take before being signed into law by the President. However, these steps also mean that any “Act” signed into law has been heavily reviewed, and has also been heavily scrutinized.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 is no different. This, along with the recently signed PACT act, will allow victims of the Camp Lejeune toxic water exposure and veterans exposed to other toxins to get the benefits they deserve. Sadly, many victims weren’t able to get the compensation they deserved due to being civilian workers.
Read on below to find out more about this revolutionary act, and whether or not you or a loved one might be entitled to benefits from the Camp Lejeune contaminated water exposure.
What is the History Behind the Camp Lejeune Justice Act?
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2021 was first introduced to the House of Representatives in March 2021 by Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-8]. This bill was introduced into the House after an outcry about Camp Lejeune’s toxic water exposure at the Marine training base in North Carolina.
Camp Lejeune is famous for being the only female Marine training base in the United States. Marines living on the East Coast will also attend training and boot camp here. This training base was used since the early 1950s, and from 1953 to 1987 suffered a massive fatal flaw.
During these years, two wells at the Camp Lejeune training base were affected by toxic water run-off. This toxic water contained compounds such as Trichloroethylene (TCE), Perchloroethylene (PCE), Benzene, Vinyl chloride, and other compounds that caused a number of fatal diseases.
These diseases included issues such as miscarriages, infertility in women, certain cancers, and even neurological behavioral disorders. Unfortunately, many people used the ground water at Camp Lejeune for everyday life, such as for bathing, washing clothes, cooking, and drinking. As many as one million people might have been exposed to this deadly water.
Why Was It Signed Into Law?
Many of the victims of Camp Lejeune toxic water contamination were not military members. Instead, they included civilian contractors, family members, healthcare workers, day care workers, and other staff on the base. These civilian workers were not entitled to disability benefits offered by the VA for their pain and suffering.
In addition, people could also not sue the federal government for their negligence in the contamination, or for additional settlement amounts. The PACT act wanted to extend veterans benefits to those veterans exposed to toxic chemicals during the wars, and also to their family members. It incorporated within the bill the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.
What Does This Mean For Me?
If you were a victim of the toxic water at Camp Lejeune, can prove you were exposed to the water for more than 30 days, and now suffering from long-term consequences or paid out-of-pocket medical costs, you are entitled to VA disability and civil lawsuit settlements.
This applies for both military members and civilian employees. Fortunately, you can now file for VA disability and also for a civil lawsuit. Any settlement amounts will be offset by the amount of disability benefits you receive.
