My Mother was Exposed to Toxic Water at Camp Lejeune While Pregnant – Toxic Water Attorneys
For more than three decades, the water supply at Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base camp in Jacksonville, North Carolina, was contaminated with multiple toxic chemicals, coming from different sources. Although leadership was aware of the contamination, they failed to do anything to address the situation. This resulted in millions of innocent people, who were both living at or working at the base camp, were exposed to the contaminated water. Exposure to the toxic water often led to health complications. Unfortunately, many of those affected were pregnant women, and their unborn children were also affected.
Was your mother exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune during her pregnancy with you? Were you born with defects? Did you develop a disease that has been associated with the exposure to toxic chemicals in utero? If so, you could have grounds to file a lawsuit. If you are interested in exploring your legal options and learning more about your right to file a lawsuit, contact our lawyers today.
The Kenmore Law Group is a personal injury law firm with many years of experience handling all sorts of claims, including injury claims stemming from exposure to dangerous chemicals. Our toxic water injury lawyers are more than ready to evaluate your lawsuit and fight for your rights. You can trust that our lawyers can take care of your claim and get you the settlement that you are owed. If you would like to speak with our lawyers, contact us today.
A Summary of the Water Contamination at Camp Lejeune
As previously mentioned, the water supply at Camp Lejeune was toxic for over three decades. More specifically, the water at the base camp was highly contaminated between 1953 and 1987. The contaminants included the following:
- Tetrachloroethylene (PCE or PERC)
- Trichloroethylene (TCE)
- Vinyl chloride
- Benzene
Again, the leadership on the base was aware of the water contamination; still no action was taken. Because of this, millions of innocent people, which included Marines, other military members, contractors, non-military staff, families, civilians, etc., were exposed to the toxic water. Exposure to the toxic water had dangerous consequences. Unfortunately, the toxic water affected even unborn children when their pregnant mothers were exposed.
The Effect that Toxic Chemicals Have In-Utero
When a woman is exposed to contaminated water during her pregnancy, her unborn child is, of course, also exposed and at risk of also being harmed. All of the chemicals that contaminated the water at Camp Lejeune have been associated with risks when exposure occurs in-utero. Consider the list below:
- PCE or PERC: increased risk of neural tube defects, oral clefts, and other defects
- TCE: increased risk of cardiac defects and immune disorders
- Vinyl chloride: increased risk of birth defects, in general
- Benzene: increased risk of spina bifida and other defects as well as an increased risk of childhood leukemia
Was your mother exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune? If your mother was exposed to the toxic water and you were born with defects or developed a dangerous health condition that has been associated with the exposure to the contaminated water, it is important that you seek legal help immediately. You could have the right to sue under a recent law.
Understanding the PACT Act and Your Right to Sue
Our law firm has been approached with some of the following questions:
- What are my rights if my mother was pregnant at the time of the Camp Lejeune water contamination, and I was harmed?
- Do I have the right to sue if I developed cancer?
- Do I have the right to sue if I was born with a birth defect because of the toxic water?
- Do I have the right to sue if I developed a serious health condition because of the exposure to the contaminated water?
Yes – you have rights, and you could have the right to sue if you were born with a defect or developed a serious health condition after being exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in-utero. Your right to sue is based on a new law – the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
The PACT Act includes the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. It was signed into law on August 10, 2022, by President Biden. This new law gives all those affected by the exposure to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune the right to file a lawsuit against the U.S. government and recover damages. The PACT Act creates a two-year window from the date that it was signed into law for claimants to file their lawsuits. Lawsuits must be filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
What does this mean for those who were exposed to the contaminated water in-utero? If you were born with a defect or developed a medical condition directly caused by the exposure to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune, you could certainly have the right to sue under the PACT Act.
Your Right to Compensation
Under the PACT Act, you could be entitled to compensation. If your lawsuit is successful, you could be eligible to recover compensation for some of the following:
- Medical costs
- Mental health costs and counseling costs
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages
- Legal expenses
For more information about the compensation that you could be eligible to recover, contact the experts here at our law firm immediately. Our lawyers are ready to handle your claim and help you recover the settlement that you are owed. You can trust that our lawyers will do everything possible to get you the highest settlement available.
The Statute of Limitations
Many people might mistakenly believe that they do not have the right to sue since the exposure to the toxic water occurred so long ago. However, the PAC Act created a two-year window for claimants to file their lawsuits. This means that claimants have until August 2024 to file their lawsuits against the government. Unfortunately, if you fail to file your Camp Lejeune toxic water injury lawsuit within this time, you can lose your right to file your lawsuit.
Prepare to File Your Claim
If your mother was exposed to the contaminated water during her pregnancy and you were harmed, you could sue under the PACT Act. It is important that you prepare to file your claim. Consider some of the following recommendations:
- Gather medical records relevant to your birth defect or medical condition
- Gather documents that prove that your mother lived at or worked at the camp during her pregnancy, like military records, work contracts, etc. (NOTE: you must be able to prove that your mother lived at or worked at the base camp for at least 30 days during 1953 and 1987)
- Seek legal help as soon as possible
Kenmore Law Group – Contact Us Today
If your pregnant mother was exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune resulting in your birth defects or in other medical conditions, you could have the right to sue under the PACT Act. For more information about the PACT Act and the legal options available to you, contact us as soon as possible. Our lawyers here at the Kenmore Law Group are ready to help you every step of the way. You can trust that our lawyers are prepared to handle your claim effectively and get you the settlement that you are owed. We offer free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these legal services, our toxic water birth defect lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns – providing you with the guidance that you need regardless of whether you are looking to begin or continue your claim.
We offer a Zero-fee guarantee, so that you will never have to worry about upfront legal costs. Also, we work on contingency; this means that you will not have to pay anything until after winning your claim. If you do not win, you will simply not pay anything.
To discuss your legal options with our toxic water lawyers here at Kenmore, contact us today.