Camp LeJeune Water Contamination Lawyers in Metro St. Louis, Missouri

You may be eligible for VA healthcare and/or sizeable compensation from the US government if you, your spouse, or your parent were stationed, lived, or worked at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987 (for at least 30 days).  

To provide you with the best outcome for your Camp Lejeune injury claim, learn more below and contact our veterans' law experts here at Dreesen Law Group.  Do not entrust a general personal injury law firm with handling your Camp Lejeune injury claim in the St. Louis area. Navigating the claims and benefits systems for veterans can be challenging.  Make sure your legal team includes a veteran like Matt Dreesen. who was a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve JAG Corps.

Camp Lejeune Water Contamination – What You Need to Know ​

The drinking water contamination at Camp Lejeune is thought to be the worst in US history, according to scientists. Between 1953 and 1987, potentially harmful concentrations of trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were found in the water used by military troops, civilians, and their families stationed at Camp Lejeune. The Navy put millions of lives at risk by being aware of these risks but doing little to assure the drinking water was safe for human use.  

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) was sponsored by Congress in 2021. It forbade the government from claiming certain immunities and allowed people to file lawsuits and obtain payments for injuries brought on by exposure to the tainted drinking water at Camp Lejeune. The Honoring Our Pact Act (PACT), which offers solutions for veterans who have been exposed to harmful substances while serving in the military, replaced the CLJA in 2022. In August 2022, this bill was passed into law, opening the door for victims to sue the government for their injuries in polluted water litigation. 

To qualify, you don't need to be a veteran. If a child who resided at Camp Lejeune with a military parent did so for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987 and had one of the qualifying medical conditions, they may be eligible.

Qualifying Medical Conditions ​

  • Adult Leukemias 
  • Bladder cancer 
  • Brain cancer 
  • Breast cancer  
  • Cervical cancer 
  • Esophageal cancer 
  • Hodgkin’s Disease 
  • Kidney cancer 
  • Lung cancer (pending) 
  • Multiple Myeloma 
  • Aplastic Anemia 
  • Birth defects 
  • Cardiac defects 
  • Choanal Atresia 
  • Eye defects 
  • Female infertility 
  • Fetal death 
  • Hepatic Steatosis  
  • Low birth weight 
  • Miscarriages 
  • Impaired immune system function 
  • Multiple Myeloma 
  • Myelodysplastic Syndrome 
  • Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma 
  • Ovarian cancer 
  • Prostate cancer 
  • Soft tissue cancer 
  • Neurobehavioral effect 
  • Neural tube defects 
  • Cleft defects 
  • Kidney disease/toxicity

Who Can File a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit? ​

Anyone who lived on Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, and has: Lost a family member; or  Has been diagnosed with an illness related to VOC exposure, may be entitled to significant compensation.   

What is My Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claim Worth? ​

The value of your claim is dependent on your level of exposure and resulting medical conditions. Important considerations include: 
  1. Related Illness/Disease
  2. Prognosis
  3. Past medical expenses 
  4. Estimated future medical expenses
  5. Lost wages 
  6. Out-of-pocket expenses
  7. Pain and suffering and 
  8. Age
​The seriousness of your exposure and resulting medical conditions are directly related to your potential recovery amount.  

How Can a Metro St. Louis Area Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyer Help Me?  

You have a certain amount of time to make your Camp Lejeune contaminated water claim following the passage of the PACT ACT. The procedure might be challenging, and the government will contest your claim's legitimacy. An expert Camp Lejeune water pollution lawyer in the St. Louis area will handle your claim from beginning to end, compile the necessary paperwork, and make sure you have the best chance of maximizing your recovery.  

Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Veteran and Family Health & Disability Benefits ​

Under the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012, qualifying veterans and veterans’ families are entitled to health care for 15 conditions and veterans are entitled to disability and health care benefits for eight presumptive conditions associated with contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune. These veterans qualify for Priority Group 6 and access to VA health care. To qualify, veterans and veteran family members must have lived on the base for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987.   
  • Qualifying conditions include the following: 
  • Bladder cancer 
  • Breast cancer 
  • Esophageal cancer 
  • Female infertility 
  • Hepatic steatosis 
  • Kidney cancer 
  • Leukemia 
  • Lung cancer 
  • Miscarriage  
  • Multiple Myeloma 
  • Myelodysplastic Syndrome 
  • Neurobehavioral effects 
  • Renal toxicity 
  • Scleroderma.  
If you need to apply for VA health care, you can apply at www.va.gov/healthbenefits/apply/ or call 1-877-222-8387.   
Veteran dependents and family members of veterans are eligible for reimbursement of out-of-pocket medical expenses related to the above-listed qualifying conditions. Reimbursement can be paid up to two years before the VA benefits application date. These individuals can apply for benefits by visiting www.clfamilymember.fsc.va.gove/ or by calling 1-866-372-1144. With your application you will need the following:  
  1. Documentation of your dependent status as a Camp Lejeune veteran (such as a marriage or birth certificate).  
  2. Documentation that you lived at Camp Lejeune during the qualifying period (such as copies of orders or base housing records); and 
  3. Documentation of medical expenses paid.  

Veteran Disability Compensation ​

Qualifying Camp Lejeune veterans with one of the following eight conditions qualify for presumptive service-connected disability:  
  • Adult leukemia 
  • Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes 
  • Bladder cancer 
  • Kidney cancer 
  • Liver cancer 
  • Multiple myeloma 
  • Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma 
  • Parkinson’s Disease  
To qualify for disability benefits, veterans must submit proof of service at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, on active duty, or a reserve or National Guard capacity and medical documentation of a qualifying condition. To locate a VA facility near you, visit https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/offices.asp.

What Will it Cost to Hire a St. Louis Area Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyer? 

Our St. Louis Camp Lejeune water pollution lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, so you won't be charged anything up front and will only be reimbursed for required litigation costs (filing fees, fees for medical documents, etc.) as well as a part of your recovery. 

Hire a Skilled St. Louis Area Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyer 

Do not entrust your claim to a general personal injury lawyer if you or your parent or spouse died as a result of the government's carelessness at Camp Lejeune. Navigating these claims can be exceedingly challenging. As a veteran lawyer and a US Veteran, Matt Dreesen has a unique compassion for those suffering in extended ways for their service. He will listen, he will help.  For a free case evaluation, contact us at 636-888-5878 today, or fill out the contact for below.