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What Diseases Or Illnesses Are Covered Under The Camp Lejeune Act?

PremLiab

The government has finalized its list of diseases that qualify for relief under the new Camp Lejeune Act. However, you should certainly not just read the list and move on if you do not have one of the listed illnesses and diseases—the list covers far more diseases or illnesses than you may think.

What is the Camp Lejeune Act?

The Camp Lejeune Act finally allows those who served in Camp Lejeune from 1953-1987 to sue the government and potentially win damages for injuries and illnesses that were caused by contaminated water at the base.

The law is not limited to service members either—employees or contractors, and in some cases, even service members’ families who may have had a loved one sickened by the water after exposure at the Camp can get relief under the act.

Presumptive Qualifying Diseases

The qualifying diseases to get disability benefits include leukemia, aplastic anemia, bladder, lung, breast, kidney, and liver cancers, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s myeloma, and Parkinson’s disease.

Esophageal cancers, renal disease, infertility scleroderma, and neurological problems (such as headaches, forgetfulness, dementia, sensory problems, or mental health problems) are also presumptively covered.

You Can Still Make a Claim

But before you look at that list of illnesses and diseases and realize you don’t have any of those, if you do know you are very ill and you spent time at Camp Lejeune during the qualifying time period,  don’t fret.

First, these are just the list of diseases that automatically qualify you to get benefits from the veterans administration. Additionally, these are just the list of “presumptive diseases”—that is, diseases that, if you have them, are automatically assumed to have been caused by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

You can still have any number of other ailments, illnesses or diseases—even problems with pregnancy or birth defects—and sue for damages under the Act.

If you have a disease or illness that is not specifically listed, you will just have to show more proof to prove your case—you won’t get an automatic assumption that your illness was caused by the water at the base. You will have to prove that your illness was caused by the exposure and that your illnesses have seriously impacted your life.

Because there are so many Camp Lejeune claims, there are a host of experts that are at the ready to assist you in proving your case with the help of your Camp Lejeune attorneys, of course.

Too Late? No It Isn’t

And before you start to wonder if you are “too late” to make a claim, don’t worry about that either. The Act was specifically passed by congress to allow Camp Lejeune staff and service members to make their claims, many years after exposure.

You are also not alone. It is estimated that one million people may have been sickened throughout the years at Camp Lejeune (which is no longer dangerous; most of the wells that had the contaminated water were shut down in the mid to late eighties).

Call the Knoxville premises liability lawyers at Fox Farley Willis & Burnette, PLLC, today if you spent time at Camp Lejeune and contracted an illness or disease.

Sources:

federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/13/2017-00499/diseases-associated-with-exposure-to-contaminants-in-the-water-supply-at-camp-lejeune

va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/camp-lejeune-water-contamination/

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