Congress recently approved a measure that offers relief for victims of contaminated water at one of the nation’s most important military bases. More than a million military members, their families, and civilian workers at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina were exposed to chemically tainted water that unquestionably has caused many deaths and made many more people seriously ill.
A variety of chemicals leeched into the water supply at the Marine Corps military base and remained there for decades. The exposure resulted in long-term illnesses in many people who unknowingly drank chemically tainted freshwater and used it for cooking and bathing.
Federal officials identified dozens of cancers and other illnesses that are assumed to have occurred due to exposure to the contaminated water on the military base. Potentially, millions of people suffered from the effects of the tainted water, including mothers who suffered miscarriages and children who contracted diseases while very young. A nearby cemetery has a section that is referred to as “Baby Heaven” and contains the bodies of infants and the unborn who died due to bad water.
Many Sources of Water Contamination
The time period of water contamination at Camp Lejeune runs from about 1953 to 1987 and has many sources. Fuel storage tanks on the base leaked onto the ground. The fuel found its way into some of the water supplied by the camp’s many water treatment plants. Degreasing chemicals also managed to leach into the soil and work their way into the water supply.
A dry cleaner that was located nearby off base also contributed to the water contamination. The dry cleaner closed long ago but while open, it improperly disposed of cleaning chemicals that also leached into the camp’s water supply.
Officials for the federal government and the U.S. Navy have confirmed that the tainted water at Camp Lejeune has caused deadly cancers, triggered miscarriages, and endangered millions of people.
Federal Act Reopens Claims Filing Period
The recently enacted PACT Act opens a two-year window to file claims for injuries and related damages caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. North Carolina law provides only a 10-year statute of limitations on filing claims in such matters.
Unfortunately, the victims did not learn of the water contamination until well after the state’s statute of limitations had expired. The PACT Act reopens the window for qualifying victims of water contamination to seek relief. The victims might be active or retired military, their families, or civilians who worked on the base.
Anyone who spent at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune and was diagnosed with one of the dozens of qualifying cancers and illnesses can file claims against the federal government. The 30 days do not have to be consecutive but must have occurred during the time period of water contamination at the military base.
U.S. Navy Reviews and Approves or Denies Claims
The U.S. Navy owns and controls Camp Lejeune and reviews all claims for injuries or damages. Any claims that are denied could be argued in the U.S. District Court for Eastern North Carolina.
The Navy created Camp Lejeune in 1941 and since then has used the base as a dedicated advanced training facility for the U.S. Marine Corps. The base is home to the Marine Corps’ rapid response unit and enables it to train Corpsmen in amphibious operations and specialized operations.
