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Update:
- President Joe Biden has signed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act into law, the Federalist Society reports.
- The law enables military veterans who were exposed to tainted water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina to file a civil lawsuit against the federal government.
- Military veterans must have been exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune between Aug. 1, 1953, and Dec. 31, 1987, to be able to file a civil lawsuit.
- The act also prevents the government from asserting the immunity it normally would have been able to in the face of litigation.
- The law passed the Senate earlier this month as part of the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
Camp Lejeune toxic water legislation overview:
- Who: The U.S. Senate passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act as part of the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act last week.
- Why: The Camp Lejeune Justice Act will allow individuals who were exposed to tainted water at Camp Lejeune from between 1953 and 1987 to seek compensation from the federal government.
- Where: The U.S. Senate passed the PACT Act and The Camp Lejeune Justice Act.
(Aug. 8, 2022)
Individuals who were exposed to tainted water at Camp Lejeune will now be able to seek compensation from the federal government following the passage of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act by the U.S. Senate.
Camp Lejeune is a Marine Corps base in Jacksonville, North Carolina, where the Navy and Marine Corps say as many as a million individuals may have been exposed to tainted water between 1953 and 1987, Roll Call reports.
Camp Lejeune’s drinking water was found to be tainted by a number of different contaminants, including benzene from fuel, military waste, lead and acid from batteries and the cleaning solvents TCE and PCE, among other things.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act was passed, meanwhile, as part of the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which was made to enhance the disability and health care benefits for veterans who developed certain cancers and respiratory illnesses after being exposed to toxic burn pits, Roll Call reports.
Individuals exposed to Camp Lejeune toxic water not previously allowed to seek compensation from government
Prior to the passing of the act last month, individuals who suffered from exposure to the Camp Lejeune toxic water were not allowed to file complaints against the federal government to receive compensation.
Senate Republicans initially blocked the bill then ultimately allowed it to be put to a vote. Following the 86-11 vote from the Senate, the bill is now sent to President Joe Biden, Roll Call reports.
Biden has said he will sign the bill as soon as it hits his desk, declaring it “will offer critical support to survivors who were harmed by exposures, including from water contamination at Camp Lejeune.”
“Importantly, the bill includes the tools and resources to ensure that the VA can effectively implement it,” Biden added.
In similar toxic water news, the 3M Co., Georgia-Pacific LLC and Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP agreed to pay $11.9 million last year to resolve claims they exposed individuals whose properties had been serviced by the Parchment, Michigan, Water System to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their water.
If you or a loved one suffered from health issues after exposure to Camp Lejeune toxic water, you may be able to learn about your legal rights with the help of lawyers working with Top Class Actions.
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