Camp Lejeune Lawsuit News Updates
The latest lawsuit news and updates regarding Camp Lejeune.
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: Some Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Victims Have Cases Tossed, Must Re-Start Process
January 26, 2023
Author: Daniel Gala
Some victims of toxic water at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune recently have seen their cases dismissed based on a legal technicality, requiring them to begin the process anew. With only a one-year window available in which to file a claim, such dismissals could put some victims at risk of once again being denied fair compensation for their injuries and those of their loved ones.
The dismissals also highlight the benefit of having a knowledgeable, experienced attorney guiding would-be plaintiffs through the complex, often labyrinthine process of filing a Camp Lejeune-related claim.
Despite long being heralded as one of the world’s preeminent military training grounds, the United States Marine Corps base at Camp Lejeune for decades harbored a deadly secret: at least three of Camp Lejeune’s water treatment facilities were supplying servicemembers, civilian workers, and their families with highly contaminated water laden with extremely dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This situation was allowed to persist for roughly three decades, from the mid-1950s through the mid-1980s, with the Navy concealing any knowledge it had of the contamination.
The human cost of the toxic water at Camp Lejeune is incalculable. It has been estimated that as many as one million people were exposed to the highly contaminated water over the roughly 30-year period during which the United States military continually poisoned its own servicemembers and their families. An untold number of fetuses were stillborn as a result, with numerous young children also having passed away from conditions such as leukemia, which are closely associated with the VOCs found in Camp Lejeune’s water supply.
Even after the United States government officially acknowledged what had happened at Camp Lejeune, victims still were denied justice for decades. An archaic North Carolina state law placed such severe time restrictions on environmental tort claims like those filed by the victims of the toxic water at Camp Lejeune that it made it nearly impossible for individuals who had contracted slow-growing ailments like cancer to sue. Sovereign immunity and the legal notion that servicemembers could not sue for injuries suffered in the line of duty presented additional hurdles.
Further, victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune frequently were denied benefits even to which they were entitled. A report by the Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs released in August 2022 found that a staggering 37% of 57,500 Camp Lejeune-related claims filed over a four-year period were processed incorrectly, resulting in millions of dollars in wrongly denied benefits.
Lawmakers attempted to remedy this situation once again with the PACT Act, which became law in 2022. The PACT Act gave victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune one year from the law’s enactment to file a claim in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, where Camp Lejeune is located. The Navy recently announced that—since the PACT Act became law in August—15,000 Camp Lejeune claims have been filed.
However, some who saw the passing of the PACT Act as a watershed moment are now beginning to fear that it could just be more of the same. For example, certain skeptics point to having their lawsuits tossed out of court based on a legal technicality.
“The law says you have to file an administrative claim with the Department of the Navy,” Mike Partain, a cancer survivor born at Camp Lejeune who recently had his case dismissed, told The Hill. “Our position is that we already did.”
Still, Partain is left with little choice but to refile his claim and begin the process all over again in the hopes that this time, somehow, things will be different.
Retired U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger, who has long advocated for the Camp Lejeune-related provisions contained in the PACT Act, expressed similar frustrations, saying that, despite Congress passing the bill and the President signing it into law, the United States military and Department of Justice have done “everything in their power to kill” the legislation.
“The Navy and the United States Marine Corps have lied, evaded, and obfuscated facts,” Ensminger added, according to The Hill.
With so many people impacted, the Camp Lejeune litigation is expected to be one of the largest mass torts in United States history. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the nonpartisan agency tasked with running the numbers on the federal budget, estimated in February 2022 that payouts related to Camp Lejeune claims would cost the government $6.1 billion over the next ten years and an additional $15 billion thereafter.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer after having spent at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987, contact TheLawFirm.com for a free legal consultation!
Sources:
United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General. (25 August 2022). Improved Processing Needed for Veterans’ Claims of Contaminated Water Exposure at Camp Lejeune. Report #21-03061-209.
Udasin, Sharon. (20 January 2023). Toxic exposure victims slam military, DOJ for delaying their pursuit of justice. The Hill.
Congressional Budget Office (CBO). (28 February 2022). Cost Estimate.
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: Congress Estimates $6.1b in Camp Lejeune Payouts Over Next 10 Years, $15b Thereafter; Claims Pass 15,000, Navy Says
January 3, 2023
Author: Daniel Gala
The nonpartisan congressional entity tasked with crunching the numbers on government spending has estimated a $6.1 billion increase in expenses over the next 10 years due to toxic contamination of the water supply at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina from the mid-1950s through the mid-1980s. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) further predicted a total of $15 billion in additional Camp Lejeune-related costs after 2031.
The forecasts were part of a February 2022 CBO review of the Honoring our PACT Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law on August 10. Among numerous other provisions, the PACT Act gave victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune one year to file claims in federal court seeking compensation for the injuries caused to them and their loved ones.
Since the PACT Act became law, more than 15,000 Camp Lejeune-related claims have been filed with the Department of the Navy, Bloomberg Law reported December 29.
In order to qualify under the PACT Act, an individual (including someone who was an unborn fetus at the time) must have been at Camp Lejeune for a total of 30 days between 1953 and 1987. (The 30 days need not be consecutive.) Due to a North Carolina state law that severely limited the amount of time that victims of environmental harms had to file a lawsuit, many of the estimated one-million victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune have never had their day in court.
Additionally, an investigation by the Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs revealed the agency’s staggering incompetence in processing Camp Lejeune related claims, with the IG finding that 37% of the 57,500 such claims filed over a four-year period were processed incorrectly, resulting in millions of dollars in benefits being wrongly denied.
Meanwhile, Republicans in the House of Representatives have vowed to use their party’s new majority in that chamber to continue their push to cap legal fees for attorneys representing victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune despite many of the victims themselves voicing concern that doing so may prevent them from obtaining competent legal representation.
Republicans previously had proposed an amendment that imposed a 10% cap on Camp Lejeune legal fees, far below the 33% - 45% that attorneys regularly charge to take a case on a contingency basis. Under most contingency agreements, a lawyer receives nothing unless his or her client succeeds in obtaining some form of recovery, either through trial or a settlement agreement.
“No attorney is going to touch a case with a 10% cap,”former Marine Jerry Ensminger told Roll Call for a piece published December 15. Ensminger’s daughter—conceived at Camp Lejeune in 1976—died tragically of cancer at age nine.
Lori Freshwater has filed a claim on behalf of her mother, who succumbed to two different kinds of leukemia in 2013. Freshwater’s mother also had two babies die while living at Camp Lejeune, children that would have been Lori’s siblings. Freshwater also expressed her opposition to government-imposed caps on attorneys fees.
“I personally would not want an attorney working for such a low amount,” Freshwater told Roll Call. “And it’s pretty well anticipated the court will cap fees at around 25%. A lot of quality firms would walk!”
If you or a loved one has been a victim of toxic water at Camp Lejeune, contact TheLawFirm.com today for a free legal consultation!
Sources:
Congressional Budget Office (CBO). (28 February 2022). Cost Estimate.
Basu, Kaustuv. (29 December 2022). Camp Lejeune legal fees under fire as veterans’ claims spike. Bloomberg Law. Since the PACT Act became law in August, more than 15,000 Camp Lejeune-related claims have been filed with the Department of the Navy, Bloomberg Law reported December 29.
United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General. (25 August 2022). Improved Processing Needed for Veterans’ Claims of Contaminated Water Exposure at Camp Lejeune. Report #21-03061-209.
Magner, Mike. (15 December 2022). Camp Lejeune amendment backers relent on NDAA vote. Roll Call.
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: Effort to Cap Camp Lejeune Legal Fees Fails in Congress
December 29, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
An amendment that would have placed severe limitations on the amount of compensation attorneys could receive for representing victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune briefly threatened passage of the United States’ annual military spending bill before being withdrawn by its backers, Roll Call reported December 15.
Following passage of the PACT Act in August, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina has faced a tidal wave of claims, with more than 14,000 having been filed to date.
The PACT Act contained provisions allowing victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune one year to file federal lawsuits seeking compensation for their injuries and for benefits wrongfully denied in the past. The US government has long-since conceded that, from the mid-1950s through the mid-1980s, multiple water treatment facilities at Camp Lejeune provided heavily contaminated water to servicemembers and civilians at the base, including those living at the family barracks.
However, due to arcane legal hurdles, the vast majority of the estimated one million people exposed to the toxic water have been unable seek justice through the courts. Many have even been denied veterans benefits to which they were entitled. An Inspector’s General report released August 25 found that, over a four-year period, of the 57,500 Camp Lejeune-related claims that were filed, a shocking 37% were processed incorrectly, resulting in millions of dollars in benefits wrongly denied.
While the amendment aimed at capping legal fees might on the surface have seemed like an effective way of protecting victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune from unscrupulous lawyers, the proposed caps were so low that they could have severely curtailed the ability of veterans and other victims to obtain adequate legal representation at all. The measure would have made it illegal for attorneys to collect more than 2% legal fees on claims filed after the PACT Act became law on August 10, while allowing up to 10% on claims brought prior to its passage.
(When an attorney or law firm agrees to take on a case in exchange for a percentage of what the plaintiff ultimately receives, if anything, this is sort of arrangement is called a contingency agreement. Under a typical contingency agreement, an attorney or law firm will be entitled to somewhere in the neighborhood of 33-40% of what a plaintiff receives; however, if the plaintiff receives nothing, the lawyer also does not receive any payment for his or her services. Contingency agreements allow potential plaintiffs who have strong cases but who cannot afford to pay a lawyer out of pocket to obtain competent, professional legal representation. A strict cap on contingency fees likely would have had the greatest impact on those least able to afford their own lawyers.)
In order to qualify to sue under the PACT Act, an individual must have spent at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987 and later developed one or more of the following eight conditions:
• Adult leukemia
• Aplastic amenia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
• Bladder cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Multiple myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Parkinson’s disease
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with one of these conditions after being exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune, contact TheLawFirm.com for a free consultation!
Sources:
United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General. (25 August 2022). Improved Processing Needed for Veterans’ Claims of Contaminated Water Exposure at Camp Lejeune. Report #21-03061-209.
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: 14,000 Camp LeJeune Claims Filed Since PACT Became Law, Navy Says
December 2, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
Since President Biden signed the PACT Act into law on August 10, roughly 14,000 Camp Lejeune-related claims have been filed, according to the US Navy. Filing such claims is the first step in seeking compensation under the PACT Act.
“The law provides that the Navy has up to six months from receipt to adjudicate a properly filed claim,” a spokesman for the Navy told CBS News. “Beyond that period, a claimant has the right to file suit or await final Navy adjudication of the claim. If the claim is denied, the claimant has six months from the date of the mailing of the denial letter to file suit in Federal District Court.”
Although the US government has admitted that three water treatment plants at Camp Lejeune had for decades supplied the base with water contaminated with high levels of toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), those who suffered the consequences have largely been prevented from receiving compensation from the VA or through the courts.
That all is supposed to change with the passage of the PACT Act, which, among its many provisions aimed at compensating military servicemembers for toxic poisoning they experienced while on duty, was the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA), which gives victims one year to file a federal lawsuit over the harms they have suffered.
With it being estimated that as many as one million people were exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune, the resulting litigation is expected to be among the largest—if not the largest—in US history. Under the provisions of the CLJA, those lawsuits all will be centralized in the Eastern District of North Carolina, the only court in which Camp Lejeune plaintiffs are permitted to file their claims. In order to qualify, potential plaintiffs must have lived at or near Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987.
If you or a loved one has been harmed by toxic water at Camp Lejeune, contact TheLawFirm.com for a free consultation!
Source:
Herridge, Catharine. (29 November 2022). Camp Lejeune Marine vets sue over alleged toxic water exposure. CBS News.
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: Camp Lejeune Lawsuit US Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Camp Lejeune Widow’s Case
November 16, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
The United States Supreme Court has declined to consider a case filed by the widow of a man who allegedly died due to his exposure to toxic water at Camp Lejeune. Notably, the widow, Carol Clendening, did not follow the procedures outlined in the PACT Act, which became law in August and provides a special two-year window during which victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune may file lawsuits in federal court.
Clendening’s lawsuit was originally filed prior to passage of the PACT Act. In the suit, Clendening alleged that her deceased husband, Gary Clendening, died of leukemia caused by his exposure to toxic water at Camp Lejeune.
“The government has since admitted through the Department of Veterans Affairs that Clendening’s exposure caused his cancer and other illnesses,” a lawyer for Clendening has argued, according to CNN.
However, lower courts ruled against Clendening under the so-called Feres doctrine, named for a 1950 Supreme Court decision that bars lawsuits filed against the government by US servicemembers or their families for injuries incurred during performance of the servicemembers’ duties.
While the Supreme Court did not offer any reasoning behind its denial, Justice Clarence Thomas did publish a vigorous 5-page dissent arguing that the Feres precedent should be overturned, even asserting that the appeals court below had primed the issue for the top court to take on.
“For most plaintiffs like Carol, the Federal Torts Claims Act (FTCA) waives the United States’ sovereign immunity and allows for recovery,” Justice Thomas wrote. “Nevertheless, the District Court determined that Carol’s suit was barred by Feres v. United States, 340 U.S. 135 (1950), which held that military personnel cannot sue the United States for any injury ‘incident to military service,’ id. at 144, even if the FTCA would otherwise allow the suit. Affirming, the Court of Appeals noted that ‘criticism of the Feres doctrine abounds,’ but it “le[ft] to [this] Court the prerogative of overruling its own decisions.”
Disagreeing with the rest of the court’s decision to deny the appeal, Justice Thomas urges, “We should accept this invitation” to reconsider the Feres precedent.
Regardless of the outcome of the Clendening case, the PACT Act for the first time has given victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune an avenue to have their cases heard in court. Despite being long-heralded as one of the preeminent military training grounds in the United States if not the world, from the mid-1950s through the mid-1980s, at least three of the eight water treatment facilities at Camp Lejeune were, unbeknownst to those living and/or working at the base, supplying water heavily contaminated with highly toxic chemicals.
Despite the devastating impact of this contamination on service members, civilian workers, and their families residing on base, an obscure North Carolina state law had for years prevented the victims from having their day in court. However, after decades of advocacy, the PACT Act was signed into law in August 2022. Among its many provisions, the PACT Act includes the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, which gives those exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune until August 2024 to file a claim in federal district court in North Carolina.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act applies to those who spent 30 days or more at Camp Lejeune from August 1, 1953 through December 31, 1987. (The days need not be consecutive in order to qualify.)
Prior efforts to rectify the injustice experienced by victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune have broadly failed. In March 2017, the Department of Veterans Affairs created a presumption that allowed victims to receive disability compensation benefits without having to prove that their injuries were service-related, as normally is required. The presumption applied to those who had spent 30 days or more at Camp Lejeune and later were diagnosed with one of the eight following conditions:
· Adult leukemia
· Aplastic amenia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
· Bladder cancer
· Kidney cancer
· Liver cancer
· Multiple myeloma
· Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
· Parkinson’s disease
Despite the creation of this presumption, an Inspector General report later found that, from March 2017 through March 2021, of 57,500 Camp-Lejeune-related claims filed, 71% were denied, with 37% of the total claims having been processed incorrectly, resulting in tens of thousands improperly denied claims, representing millions of dollars in lost benefits.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with one of the above conditions after living at Camp Lejeune, contact TheLawFirm.com for a free consultation!
Sources:
United States Supreme Court. (7 November 2022). Order List: 598 U.S.
United States Supreme Court. (7 November 2022). On Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Justice Thomas, dissenting from denial of certiorari. Carol V. Clendening, as personal representative of the Estate of Gary J. Clendening v.
de Vogue, Ariane. (7 November 2022). Supreme Court won’t hear case of military widow who alleges her husband died of toxins exposure at Camp Lejeune. CNN.
United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General. (25 August 2022). Improved Processing Needed for Veterans’ Claims of Contaminated Water Exposure at Camp Lejeune. Report #21-03061-209.
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Plaintiffs Must Show They Exhausted Administrative Options, Judge Rules
October 22, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
The federal judge presiding over one of the first federal Camp Lejeune lawsuits filed since the PACT Act became law in August has ordered the plaintiffs to show evidence by October 21 that they had exhausted all administrative remedies prior to filing their complaint.
The lawsuit was filed on August 10, the same day that President Joe Biden signed the PACT Act into law. Among numerous other provisions, the PACT Act included the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, which gives victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune a two-year window during which they can file federal lawsuits seeking compensation for their injuries.
The complaint includes three plaintiffs, all of whom allege that they or a family member contracted liver cancer and other serious ailments as a result of their exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Plaintiff John Belt, Jr. is a Maryland resident who "was stationed at Camp Lejeune from approximately 1960 until 1964." Plaintiff Joyce Luken of Florida represents the estate of John B. Luken, who served at Camp Lejeune from 1969 to 1970, while the third plaintiff Beverly McClain, also from Florida, is acting as representative for the estate of Rudy McClain.
"Beginning in the mid-1950s, toxic chemicals from various sources, including unlined landfills, leaking storage tanks, and a local dry-cleaning business, seeped into the soil and groundwater of Camp Lejeune and contaminated many of the wells used to supply the water-treatment plants," the lawsuit says, summarizing well-established facts. "For many years, however, the United States failed to conduct testing of the water in violation of governing orders and basic duties of care."
Presently at issue in the case is not the strength of the plaintiffs' factual allegations, but whether the plaintiffs followed the proper procedures prior to submitting their complaint. The PACT Act requires those filing federal Camp Lejeune lawsuits to first pursue every possible administrative remedy available to them, which means filing a claim with the responsible government agency.
"[T]he United States argues that plaintiffs have not complied with the administrative exhaustion requirement in the Camp Lejeune Justice Act," US District Judge James C. Dever wrote in an order dated September 29.
According to their lawsuit, all three of the plaintiffs previously filed administrative claims only to have all three claims denied. However, these claims were filed years before the PACT Act became law.
The question before the court, therefore, is whether having filed these claims prior to the PACT Act's becoming law is sufficient to satisfy the requirement to exhaust all administrative remedies.
The September 29 order gives the plaintiffs until October 21 to submit a legal brief detailing their argument as to why these earlier claims should satisfy the administrative requirement. The government then has until November 10 to submit its response, after which plaintiffs have one week to submit their reply to the government's arguments.
"The court will then be able to decide whether to dismiss this action without prejudice for failure to exhaust administrative remedies under section 804(h) of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act," Judge Dever wrote.
The judge's determination on this issue potentially could impact thousands of other Camp Lejeune cases. If claims filed prior to the PACT Act's enactment do not qualify for administrative exhaustion purposes, many prospective plaintiffs may be forced to refile old claims before they can bring a federal lawsuit.
With only two years to file Camp Lejeune-related lawsuits under the PACT Act, the clock is ticking for thousands of would-be plaintiffs. Already, more than two of the allotted 24 months have passed, accounting for nearly 10% of the total time allowed.
In September, Reuters reported that roughly 5,000 Camp Lejeune-related claims had been filed with the US Navy in the first month since the PACT Act became law.
It is unclear whether the infrastructure exists to process that volume of claims in a timely manner, particularly since Camp Lejeune claims historically have been handled notoriously poorly. In late August, the inspector general for the Department of Veterans Affairs released a report that found a stunning 37% error rate in the processing of Camp Lejeune-related claims from March 2017 through March 2021. The inspector general determined that such errors lead to veterans being underpaid at least $13.8 million in benefits.
In addition to requiring the plaintiffs to file a brief summarizing why they believe they have satisfied the administrative exhaustion requirement, Judge Dever's September 29 order also rejected outright the plaintiffs' prior request to consolidate their cases, citing the government's arguments about administrative exhaustion and the potential for the cases to be dismissed with prejudice.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of toxic water at Camp Lejeune, contact TheLawFirm.com today for a free legal consultation!
Sources:
United States District Court Eastern District of North Carolina Southern Division. (10 August 2022). Complaint. Case No. 7:22-CV-125. John Belt, Jr., Joyce Luken, a representative of the estate of John B. Luken, Beverly McClain, on her own behalf and as a representative of the estate of Rudy McClain, Plaintiffs, v. United States of America.
United States District Court Eastern District of North Carolina Southern Division. (29 September 2022). Order. Case No. 7:22-CV-125. John Belt, Jr., Joyce Luken, a representative of the estate of John B. Luken, Beverly McClain, on her own behalf and as a representative of the estate of Rudy McClain, Plaintiffs, v. United States of America.
United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General. (25 August 2022). Improved Processing Needed for Veterans’ Claims of Contaminated Water Exposure at Camp Lejeune. Report #21-03061-209.
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: IG Report Finds Shocking 37% Error Rate in Camp Lejeune Claims, Highlights Challenges Facing Victims
October 3, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
Just weeks after President Joe Biden signed into the law the PACT Act—which, among other things, gave victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune the opportunity to sue over their injuries—the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs released a damning report that found a shocking 37% error rate in Camp Lejeune-related claims processed from March 14, 2017 to March 31, 2021. Errors resulted in veterans being underpaid at least $13.8 million in benefits, the report found.
While the report refers to a time period before the PACT Act became law, it highlights the challenges that the victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune have faced for years when it comes receiving even the benefits to which they are legally entitled. It also details the failure of previous efforts to remedy this injustice.
“In March 2017, VA regulations established a presumption of service connection for illnesses related to veterans’ exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune,” the report summarizes. “The presumption allows veterans to file claims for disability compensation benefits without having to prove that their conditions were connected to active-duty service.”
Essentially, the presumption was designed to make it easier for the victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune to access the benefits to which they were entitled. The presumption covered those who had spent at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987 and later developed one or more of the following eight conditions:
• Adult leukemia
• Aplastic amenia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
• Bladder cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Multiple myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Parkinson’s disease
Despite the presumption being established in order to make it easier for victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune to receive the benefits they deserve, the IG report found that, of 57,500 Camp Lejeune-related disability compensation claims filed from March 2017 to March 2021, 71% were denied, tens of thousands of them improperly.
“The OIG estimated that VA regional office staff incorrectly processed approximately 21,000 of 57,500 Camp Lejeune-related claims (37 percent),” the report says. “Of these 21,000 incorrectly processed claims, VA regional office staff prematurely denied 17,200 claims and assigned incorrect effective dates of benefits entitlement (the date a veteran is eligible for the benefits) to 2,300 claims. Another 1,500 incorrectly processed claims involved various other technical and procedural errors.”
This means that more than one-in-three individuals who filed valid claims with the VA over Camp Lejeune-related injuries were improperly denied benefits, costing veterans and their families millions of dollars to which they are legally entitled. The report estimates that “veterans were underpaid at least $13.8 million in benefits” on claims that were granted but for which the “VA regional office did not assign the earliest effective date permitted by federal regulation.” The sum for those whose claims were wrongly denied outright undoubtedly runs much higher.
The failure of prior programs such as this one was a driving force behind the push for the provisions contained in the PACT Act, under which tens of thousands of victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune could finally have their day in court.
Under the PACT Act, those who were exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987 are provided a special two-year window during which they can file federal lawsuits seeking compensation for their injuries. It is estimated that as many as one million people were exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune during that time span, with multiple water treatment facilities at the base having been found to be spewing out highly dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in extremely high concentrations for decades.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with one of the ailments listed above after being exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune, contact TheLawFirm.com today for a free legal consultation!
Sources:
United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General. (25 August 2022). Improved Processing Needed for Veterans’ Claims of Contaminated Water Exposure at Camp Lejeune. Report #21-03061-209.
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: 5,000 Claims Already Filed over Camp Lejeune Toxic Water; Experts Say It Could Become One of Largest Mass Torts in US History
October 3, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
When the PACT Act became law in August, among many other provisions, it provided a legal avenue for victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina to bring claims for their injuries. Less than two months after taking effect, the Navy says that more than 5,000 Camp Lejeune-related claims already have been filed, Reuters reported September 12.
Experts are now predicting that the Camp Lejeune toxic water litigation could become one of the largest mass torts in United States history.
Despite long being heralded by the US armed forces as one of the world’s preeminent military training grounds, Camp Lejeune in North Carolina for more than three decades was pumping toxic water from several of its on-base water treatment facilities, providing service members, civilian staff, and their families with highly contaminated water, which they unwittingly used for drinking, cooking, and bathing. The toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to which these individuals were exposed caused a variety of devastating health effects, from kidney cancer to non-Hodgkin lymphoma to cardiac defects. Source.
Despite the clear, long-established connection between these often-fatal ailments and exposure to toxic water at Camp Lejeune, for decades, victims have been blocked from having their day in court due to an archaic North Carolina state law that rendered their claims time-barred. Finally, however, after decades of advocacy, the PACT Act has provided, for a limited time, an opportunity for those impacted to seek justice. With as many as one million individuals estimated to have been affected by toxic water at Camp Lejeune, the floodgates may just have been opened.
The early returns certainly suggest that to be the case.
The 5,000 claims already reportedly filed by US Marines and their families with the Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy’s Tort Claims Unit—located in Norfolk, Virginia—represent the initial action in those individuals’ seeking compensation for their injuries and those of their loved ones. According to Reuters, the 5,000 claims figure was provided by a Navy spokesperson via email.
While the PACT Act does allow victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune a two-year period during which to file lawsuits in the Eastern District of North Carolina, plaintiffs must first go through an administrative process in order to qualify, beginning with the filing of a claim with the Navy’s Tort Unit.
Attorneys involved in the drafting of the Camp Lejeune legislation say that ultimately as many as 500,000 claims could be filed. Presently, the largest ever mass tort in US history—over defective earplugs made for the US military by 3M—has included over 300,000 individual cases.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of toxic water at Camp Lejeune, contact TheLawFirm.com for a free legal consultation!
Sources:
Novak Jones, Diana. (12 September 2022). Camp Lejeune water contamination claims total about 5,000 so far, U.S. Navy says. Reuters.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (Accessed 27 September 2022). Health effects linked with trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride exposure. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: With PACT Act Signed into Law, Clock Starts Ticking on Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Lawsuits
September 7, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
With President Biden having signed the long-awaited PACT Act into law on August 10, the clock has begun ticking on a special two-year period during which the law allows victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune to file lawsuits over injuries to themselves and their loved ones.
Despite being heralded as one of the world’s preeminent military training grounds, Camp Lejeune in North Carolina long harbored a deadly secret: for decades, at least two of the base’s own water-treatment facilities were supplying military personnel, civilian workers, and their families with toxic water laden with highly carcinogenic compounds.
However, due to a North Carolina state law, victims of the toxic water at Camp Lejeune largely have been prevented from seeking justice through the courts. A portion of the PACT Act known as the Camp Lejeune Justice Act seeks to remedy this long-standing injustice by allowing plaintiffs a two-year window during which lawsuits over toxic water exposure at Camp Lejeune can be filed in US District Court.
In order to qualify, a plaintiff must meet the following conditions:
1 The plaintiff must be a person, including someone who was in utero at the time of the toxic exposure,
2 Who was exposed for a total of 30 days (the days need not be consecutive)
3 Between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987, AND
4 The exposure resulted in some harm, such as the development of cancer or some other serious ailment.
The two-year window for filing Camp Lejeune toxic water lawsuits commenced the moment the law took effect. With the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimating that as many as one million people could have been exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune, a flood of lawsuits numbering in the many thousands is expected.
What hazardous compounds were detected in the water at Camp Lejeune?
The toxic compounds detected in the water supply at Camp Lejeune includede trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride. All of these compounds are strongly associated with extremely serious and potentially deadly health conditions.
For example, the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has found sufficient evidence to declare that TCE causes kidney cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and cardiac defects; that PCE causes bladder cancer; that benzene causes leukemias and non-Hodgkin lymphoma; and that vinyl chloride causes liver cancer.
The Victims of Toxic Water at Camp Lejeune
The scale of preventable devastation wrought by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune is so massive that it can be difficult to fully comprehend. In a heart-felt piece published August 10 in the ir Force Times, Master Sgt. J.M. Ensminger (retired) describes how he was stationed at Camp Lejeune when his daughter Janey was conceived and while Janey was being carried in the womb. Throughout the pregnancy, Janey’s mother unwittingly consumed the toxic water being supplied to their family by Camp Lejeune.
“Janey, the only one of my four children conceived at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, died of leukemia at age 9,” Ensminger wrote. “Her suffering resulted directly from exposure to Camp Lejeune’s toxic water; we have no history of cancer in either family.”
Ensminger also spoke of what it will mean for Janey finally to have her day in court, thanks to the PACT Act.
“We finally have won our right to pursue due process in the court system. A family may file on behalf of the deceased and for past expenses, loss of quality of life and can sue for pain, suffering and illness due to a loved one’s exposure…It has been a long, arduous road to reach this point. But all those we’ve lost, and all who continue to suffer deserve this justice, wrongfully denied for so long.”
If you think you or a loved one might qualify for a Camp Lejeune toxic water lawsuit, contact TheLawFirm.com for a free consultation!
Sources:
The White House. (10 August 2022). FACT SHEET: President Biden Signs the PACT Act and Delivers on His Promise to America’s Veterans.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (Accessed 2 August 2022). Summary of water contamination situation at Camp Lejeune. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (Accessed 2 August 2022). Health effects linked with trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride exposure. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
FCongress.gov. (Accessed 2 August 2022). H.R. 3967 Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021 (PACT Act). Section 706. Federal Cause of Action Relating to Water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. United States Senate.
Falzone, Diana. (14 May 2022). Then the ‘Real Enemy’ Is at Home in the Drinking Water. DailyBeast.
Ensminger, J.M. Master Sgt. (retired). Camp Lejeune’s toxic water killed my daughter. This new law finally allows affected families to take legal action. Air Force Times.
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Lawsuits: What You Need to Know
August 3, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
After taking a circuitous route through the legislative chambers of the United States Congress, the PACT Act.—a multi-billion-dollar collection of provisions aimed at aiding military servicemembers and families who have been subjected to toxic exposure during their service—finally passed the US Senate on August 2, sending the legislation to President Biden’s desk, where he already has promised to sign it into law.
Now that the final legislative language is in place, we can take a look at exactly what the PACT Act means for victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune, who will finally have an opportunity—albeit a limited one—to sue over their injuries.
Toxic Water at Camp Lejeune
Despite being promoted as one of the top military training grounds in the world, Camp Lejeune in North Carolina was for decades poisoning its own servicemembers and their families with contaminated drinking water from the base’s own water-treatment plants, which served portions of the base that included family living quarters. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that as many as one million individuals were exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune.
The contaminants detected in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune are known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. The contamination levels of some of these VOCs exceeded current drinking water standards by multiples of several hundred. For example, the levels of trichloroethylene (TCE) detected in the water from the Hadnot Point treatment plant at Camp Lejeune in May 1982 were found to be 1,400 parts per billion (ppb). Current drinking water standards limit the presence of TCE to 5 ppb.
According to Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ASTDR), part of the CDC, there is sufficient scientific evidence to conclude that TCE plays a causal role in the development of kidney cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and cardiac defects.
Ailments closely associated with the VOCs detected in the water at Camp Lejeune include:
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Bladder cancer
• Liver cancer
• Kidney cancer
• End stage renal disease
• Cardiac defects
• Leukemia
• Multiple myeloma
• Parkinson’s disease
• Scleroderma
Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Litigation under the PACT Act
Despite the immense amount of harm done by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, those impacted have had great difficulty seeking justice through the courts. This has largely been due to a North Carolina state law that has succeeded in preventing even federal lawsuits over Camp Lejeune’s toxic water.
The PACT Act supersedes this state law and allows a special, one-time, two-year window during which the victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune can file lawsuits in federal district court. Specifically, Section 706 of the PACT Act reads:
“An individual, including a veteran…or the legal representative of such an individual, who resided, worked, or was otherwise exposed (including in utero exposure) for not less than 30 days during the period beginning on August 1, 1953, and ending on December 31, 1987, to water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, that was supplied by, or on behalf of, the United States may bring an action in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina to obtain appropriate relief for harm that was caused by exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune.”
Let’s break this down. In order to bring a claim under the PACT Act, a person (including someone who was in utero at the time of the exposure) must:
1 have been exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune
2 for a total of 30 days (the days need not be consecutive)
3 between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987; AND
4 this exposure must have resulted in some harm, such as the development of one of the conditions listed above.
If a person satisfies ALL of the above elements, they can file a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina for a period of two years from the date the law takes effect.
While the PACT Act establishes a cause of action that will allow plaintiffs to file lawsuits over the toxic water at Camp Lejeune, the act explicitly leaves it up to those plaintiffs to prove a causal connection between their exposure to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune and their alleged injury.
“The burden of proof shall be on the party filing the action to show one or more relationships between the water at Camp Lejeune and the harm,” states Section 706(b). “To meet the burden of proof…a party shall produce evidence showing that the relationship between exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune and the harm is…sufficient to conclude that a causal relationship exists; or…sufficient to conclude that a causal relationship is at least as likely as not.”
The PACT Act further specifies that “[p]unitive damages may not be awarded in any action under this section.” Unlike other kinds of damages, which are intended to compensate victims for actual losses sustained due to fault of another, punitive damages are meant as a form of punishment for an offending party and generally are only warranted in situations where a party’s conduct is found to be especially egregious.
With as many as a million individuals having been exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune and given the limited amount of time available to file a claim, it is expected that many thousands of lawsuits will flood the Eastern District of North Carolina in the months after the PACT Act takes effect. With so many cases to be handled, it is likely that Camp Lejeune lawsuits will be centralized into multidistrict litigation (MDL), which consolidates pretrial proceedings for cases featuring highly similar facts and questions of law.
A previous Camp Lejeune toxic water MDL was dismissed in 2016 but this time, aided by the PACT Act, victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune are likely to fare much better.
If you or a loved one has been exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune, contact TheLawFirm.com today for a free legal consultation!
Sources:
The White House. (2 August 2022). Statement by President Joe Biden on Senate Passage of the Bipartisan PACT Act. Briefing Room. Statements and Releases.
Falzone, Diana. (14 May 2022). Then the ‘Real Enemy’ Is at Home in the Drinking Water. DailyBeast.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (Accessed 2 August 2022). Summary of water contamination situation at Camp Lejeune. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (Accessed 2 August 2022). Health effects linked with trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride exposure. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Congress.gov. (Accessed 2 August 2022). H.R. 3967 Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021 (PACT Act). Section 706. Federal Cause of Action Relating to Water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. United States Senate.
Parker, Stan. (6 December 2016). Ga. Judge Ends Camp Lejeune Drinking Water MDL. Law360.
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Lawsuits: What You Need to Know
August 3, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
After taking a circuitous route through the legislative chambers of the United States Congress, the PACT Act.—a multi-billion-dollar collection of provisions aimed at aiding military servicemembers and families who have been subjected to toxic exposure during their service—finally passed the US Senate on August 2, sending the legislation to President Biden’s desk, where he already has promised to sign it into law.
Now that the final legislative language is in place, we can take a look at exactly what the PACT Act means for victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune, who will finally have an opportunity—albeit a limited one—to sue over their injuries.
Toxic Water at Camp Lejeune
Despite being promoted as one of the top military training grounds in the world, Camp Lejeune in North Carolina was for decades poisoning its own servicemembers and their families with contaminated drinking water from the base’s own water-treatment plants, which served portions of the base that included family living quarters. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that as many as one million individuals were exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune.
The contaminants detected in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune are known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. The contamination levels of some of these VOCs exceeded current drinking water standards by multiples of several hundred. For example, the levels of trichloroethylene (TCE) detected in the water from the Hadnot Point treatment plant at Camp Lejeune in May 1982 were found to be 1,400 parts per billion (ppb). Current drinking water standards limit the presence of TCE to 5 ppb.
According to Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ASTDR), part of the CDC, there is sufficient scientific evidence to conclude that TCE plays a causal role in the development of kidney cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and cardiac defects.
Ailments closely associated with the VOCs detected in the water at Camp Lejeune include:
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Bladder cancer
• Liver cancer
• Kidney cancer
• End stage renal disease
• Cardiac defects
• Leukemia
• Multiple myeloma
• Parkinson’s disease
• Scleroderma
Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Litigation under the PACT Act
Despite the immense amount of harm done by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, those impacted have had great difficulty seeking justice through the courts. This has largely been due to a North Carolina state law that has succeeded in preventing even federal lawsuits over Camp Lejeune’s toxic water.
The PACT Act supersedes this state law and allows a special, one-time, two-year window during which the victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune can file lawsuits in federal district court. Specifically, Section 706 of the PACT Act reads:
“An individual, including a veteran…or the legal representative of such an individual, who resided, worked, or was otherwise exposed (including in utero exposure) for not less than 30 days during the period beginning on August 1, 1953, and ending on December 31, 1987, to water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, that was supplied by, or on behalf of, the United States may bring an action in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina to obtain appropriate relief for harm that was caused by exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune.”
Let’s break this down. In order to bring a claim under the PACT Act, a person (including someone who was in utero at the time of the exposure) must:
1 have been exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune
2 for a total of 30 days (the days need not be consecutive)
3 between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987; AND
4 this exposure must have resulted in some harm, such as the development of one of the conditions listed above.
If a person satisfies ALL of the above elements, they can file a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina for a period of two years from the date the law takes effect.
While the PACT Act establishes a cause of action that will allow plaintiffs to file lawsuits over the toxic water at Camp Lejeune, the act explicitly leaves it up to those plaintiffs to prove a causal connection between their exposure to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune and their alleged injury.
“The burden of proof shall be on the party filing the action to show one or more relationships between the water at Camp Lejeune and the harm,” states Section 706(b). “To meet the burden of proof…a party shall produce evidence showing that the relationship between exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune and the harm is…sufficient to conclude that a causal relationship exists; or…sufficient to conclude that a causal relationship is at least as likely as not.”
The PACT Act further specifies that “[p]unitive damages may not be awarded in any action under this section.” Unlike other kinds of damages, which are intended to compensate victims for actual losses sustained due to fault of another, punitive damages are meant as a form of punishment for an offending party and generally are only warranted in situations where a party’s conduct is found to be especially egregious.
With as many as a million individuals having been exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune and given the limited amount of time available to file a claim, it is expected that many thousands of lawsuits will flood the Eastern District of North Carolina in the months after the PACT Act takes effect. With so many cases to be handled, it is likely that Camp Lejeune lawsuits will be centralized into multidistrict litigation (MDL), which consolidates pretrial proceedings for cases featuring highly similar facts and questions of law.
A previous Camp Lejeune toxic water MDL was dismissed in 2016 but this time, aided by the PACT Act, victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune are likely to fare much better.
If you or a loved one has been exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune, contact TheLawFirm.com today for a free legal consultation!
Sources:
The White House. (2 August 2022). Statement by President Joe Biden on Senate Passage of the Bipartisan PACT Act. Briefing Room. Statements and Releases.
Falzone, Diana. (14 May 2022). Then the ‘Real Enemy’ Is at Home in the Drinking Water. DailyBeast.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (Accessed 2 August 2022). Summary of water contamination situation at Camp Lejeune. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (Accessed 2 August 2022). Health effects linked with trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride exposure. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Congress.gov. (Accessed 2 August 2022). H.R. 3967 Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021 (PACT Act). Section 706. Federal Cause of Action Relating to Water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. United States Senate.
Parker, Stan. (6 December 2016). Ga. Judge Ends Camp Lejeune Drinking Water MDL. Law360.
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: Senate Passes Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Bill
August 3, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
Just days after an abrupt about-face by 25 Senate Republicans blocked a final vote on legislation aimed at providing assistance to military servicemembers and families who have experienced toxic exposure, an equally sudden change of heart saw the legislation sailing through the Senate by a vote of 86-11 on Tuesday, August 2. Among the multi-billion-dollar bill’s many provisions is one that allows victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune to file lawsuits in federal district court seeking compensation for their injuries.
The vote will finally send the PACT Act—which includes the Camp Lejeune Justice Act—to the White House for President Biden’s signature. Biden, whose son Beau passed away from brain cancer that may have been caused by exposure to toxic fumes from burn pits during military service in Iraq, has indicated for months that he will sign the legislation if and when it reaches his desk.
Despite widespread bipartisan support, the PACT Act has followed a long, winding path through the bicameral legislative chambers. First introduced in the House of Representatives in June 2021, the bill passed on March 3, 2022 by a vote of 256 to 174. Then, on June 16, it passed the Senate 84 to 14.
Though the two versions of the PACT Act passed by the House and the Senate were slightly different, this is not an uncommon occurrence, and those differences typically are resolved in a process known as reconciliation. However, due to a constitutional technicality that requires all taxing and spending provisions to originate in the House of Representatives rather than the Senate, it was determined that the Senate-passed version of the bill would have to return to the House for a new vote.
At the time, lawmakers portrayed this situation as mere technical glitch that would quickly be resolved, and, as expected, the revised bill once again sailed through the House. But on July 28, a total of 25 Senate Republicans who had voted in favor of passing the PACT Act on June 16 flipped their positions, preventing the legislation from reaching the 60 senator threshold needed to proceed to a final vote.
Facing immense outcry from veterans, their advocates, and the public at large, those Senate Republicans once again switched their positions, and the PACT finally passed the US Senate on August 2 by a vote of 86 to 11, even more support than it had received previously.
What the PACT Act Means for Victims of Toxic Water at Camp Lejeune
However roundabout the legislative process, the PACT Act now appears poised to become law, which means that many victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune will finally have their day in court.
Despite being long-heralded by the US military as one of the world’s preeminent military training facilities, it is estimated that as many as one million individuals were exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune from the 1950s to the 1980s. At least two of the base’s eight water-treatment facilities were discovered to have been dispensing water heavily contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are closely associated with a broad range of serious, often fatal, ailments. Worse yet, both of the contaminated facilities served the base’s living quarters, where the water poisoned spouses, children, and even fetuses in utero.
Due to a North Carolina state law, almost all litigation brought by victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune to date has been blocked from reaching the courts. However, the PACT Act allows for a one-time, two-year window during which plaintiffs can file a lawsuit in North Carolina federal court. The two-year window begins the moment the PACT Act becomes law.
In order to qualify, plaintiffs must have been exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune for a total of 30 days (the days need not be consecutive) between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987. Ailments associated with the VOCs detected in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune include:
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Bladder cancer
• Liver cancer
• Kidney cancer
• End stage renal disease
• Cardiac defects
• Leukemia
• Multiple myeloma
• Parkinson’s disease
• Scleroderma
Source
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with one of the above conditions after being exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune, contact TheLawFirm.com today for a free legal consultation!
Sources:
Congress.gov. (Accessed 2 August 2022). Actions Overview H.R. 3967 – 117th Congress (2021-2022).
NBC News. (28 July 2022). Blindsided veterans erupt in fury after Senate Republicans suddenly tank PACT Act. NBC News.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (Accessed 3 June 2022). Health effects linked with trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride exposure. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: After Republicans Block Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Bill, Democrats Confidently Call for Another Vote
July 29, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
One day after 25 Senate Republicans shocked observers by abandoning their previous stances in support of a bipartisan bill that would provide billions in aid for military servicemembers exposed to toxic substances, the Senate’s top Democrat is now calling for a new vote as early as Monday, August 1, 2022 The Hill reported.
At issue is the Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act, which has garnered widespread bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress as well as from outside veterans advocacy groups. Among numerous other provisions, the PACT Act would allow victims of toxic water at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune to file lawsuits in US District Court against those they believe to be responsible for their injuries.
Long heralded as one of the world’s preeminent military training facilities, Camp Lejeune for decades was providing drinking water heavily contaminated with toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to servicemembers, civilian workers, and families living at the base. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as one million individuals might have been impacted over the nearly three-and-a-half decades during which at least two of Camp Lejeune’s eight water treatment facilities were churning out toxic water.
Due to a North Carolina state law, the vast majority of victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune have been unable to sue for their injuries. The PACT Act aimed to change that by providing a special two-year window during which they can bring claims in federal district court.
The legislation initially had breezed through the House and Senate on previous votes—the vote in the Senate was 84-14—but due to a technicality contained in the Senate-passed version, the bill had to return to the House for slight modifications and a new vote. After sailing through the House for a second time, the Senate on July 27 voted on whether the PACT Act would proceed to a final vote, which requires 60 votes.
While the Senate vote was viewed by many as a mere formality after the overwhelming support the bill had received its first time through the chamber, the PACT Act stunningly failed to attain the necessary support after 25 Republican senators who previously had voted in support of the bill switched their vote to block the legislation.
However, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the following day that he planned to hold a new vote on Monday, August 1, expressing optimism that he would be able to corral the necessary number of Republican votes prior to that date.
“I don’t know where they came up with this,” Schumer said regarding Republicans’ objections to a bill they previously had voted to pass, according to CNN.
Still, Schumer expressed optimism that a deal ultimately would be struck. More importantly, he was joined in his optimism by Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD), CNN reported.
Additional Republicans echoed the notion that their “no” votes were protest votes that ultimately could be changed when it came to making sure the PACT Act ultimately becomes law.
“At least we would have it on the record making clear that we told them this does not work in its current form,” said Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD). “You need to be able to hold them accountable later on as this thing blows up.”
For veterans and the advocates who have been fighting for decades to achieve justice for the victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune and other forms of toxic exposure, the delay reeks of putting politics ahead of the lives of those who have served our country. Among the most outspoken advocates was comedian and commentator Jon Stewart, former host of the satirical news program The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
“I’m used to the lies. I’m used to the hypocrisy,” Stewart told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “I’m used to their cowardice. I’m not used to the cruelty, the casual cruelty.”
Despite the numerous setbacks, it does appear once again that the PACT Act will become law…at some point. However, with bipartisanship a rare occurrence in Washington these days and a highly contentious midterm election fast approaching, until the bill passes both chambers and is signed into law by the President, victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune—and other victims of toxic exposure—must continue to wait.
Stay tuned to TheLawFirm.com for all the latest developments in Camp Lejeune toxic water legislation.
Sources:
Gans, Jared. (28 July 2022). Democrats tee up another vote on burn pits bill for Monday. The Hill
Dean, Jessica and Ted Barrett. (28 July 2022). Schumer plans burn pits vote on Monday as Republicans continue to express frustration. CNN.
Wilson, Kristin and Jessica Dean. (28 July 2022). Jon Stewart and Democrats rail against stalled burn pits legislation: ‘This is bullshit’. CNN.
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Lawsuits in Question after Senate Republicans Block PACT Act
July 29, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
On Wednesday, July 27, 41 Senate Republicans joined forces to block wide-ranging litigation aimed at addressing numerous instances of toxic exposure to military service members and their families, including toxic water at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune. The move came as a shock to many observers after the bill had received broad bipartisan support in recent months, including a Senate vote held just a month prior in which a previous version of the act passed 84 to 14.
Of the 41 Republican senators who opposed the bill in the most recent vote, 25 had voted in favor of the legislation on June 16.
Despite having passed both the House and the Senate, constitutional rules required that the PACT Act be sent back to the House after the Senate-passed version added new tax provisions. The Constitution says any such provisions may only originate in the House of Representatives.
At the time, lawmakers characterized the issue as a mere formality and expressed high levels of confidence that a revised version of the PACT Act would pass both chambers of congress as a matter of course, at which point it would be sent to the president’s desk for signature. President Biden has repeatedly stated his willingness to sign the legislation.
However, all of that came to a crushing halt July 27 with the 41 Republican senators blocking a final vote on the legislation. Senate cloture rules—often referred to commonly as the filibuster—require a minimum of 60 votes out of 100 senators in order for a bill to proceed to a final vote.
Among many other provisions, the PACT Act would have, for the first time, granted victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune to sue for their injuries in US District Court. Despite having been lauded for more than half-a-century as one of the preeminent military training grounds in the world, Camp Lejeune for decades harbored a deadly secret: two of the base’s eight water treatment facilities had for decades been distributing water contaminated with extremely high levels of very dangerous toxins. Because the affected treatment facilities served Camp Lejeune’s living quarters, the families of those serving on base also were exposed to the toxic drinking water.
Despite the military itself finally acknowledging the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the water at Camp Lejeune, by and large, victims have been unable to sue those responsible in court due to a North Carolina law that blocks such suits. A provision of the PACT Act would have created a temporary cause of action for victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune, giving them a two-year window in which to file their claims.
With the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimating that as many as one million individuals may have been exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune, a flood of litigation was expected upon passage of the PACT Act. Now, it remains unclear whether or not victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune and their advocates are back to square one, or if there is some hope that the PACT Act—or at least the Camp Lejeune provisions—might yet make it through in some other form. Precious few legislative days remain before the midterm elections in November, and as those elections approach, lawmakers’ focus—particularly in the House—will shift increasingly to their respective races back home, and away from Washington.
Veterans groups expressed shock and outrage over the sudden turn of events.
“We really expected [July 27] to be a procedural vote that would go with easy passage,” Jeremy Butler, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, told NBC News. “That was the absolute expectation.”
It was not immediately apparent what had prompted the 25 Republican senators to flip their votes on the PACT Act between June and July.
“We’ve seen partisanship and games within Congress for years,” said Butler, the veterans advocate. “But what is shocking is that so many senators would be willing to play with veterans’ lives so openly like this. They’re manufacturing reasons to vote against the legislation that they literally voted for just last month. And so it’s really a new level of low.”
One Republican who changed his vote on the PACT Act from “yes” to “no” was Wisconsin senator Ron Johnson. In explaining his no vote, Johnson issued a statement saying, “I support providing coverage to service members affected by burn pit exposure. Unfortunately, the bill as written includes an unnecessary provision that opens the door for more reckless government spending, unrelated to the VA. I voted no on cloture tonight to insist on having the ability to amend the bill to correct this.”
As the two versions of the bill voted on by the senate were highly similar, it is unclear what prompted Senator Johnson’s change of heart or if he is sincere in his willingness to work toward the passage of a version of the bill he deems acceptable. It would only take one of the 41 Republican senators who voted to block the PACT Act changing his or her mind for the bill to get through to a final vote.
Stay tuned to TheLawFirm.com for the latest developments in Camp Lejeune toxic water litigation!
Sources:
NBC News. (28 July 2022). Blindsided veterans erupt in fury after Senate Republicans suddenly tank PACT Act. NBC News.
Office of US Senator Jack Reed. (16 June 2022). US Senate Passes PACT Act to Support Veterans. Press Release.
Falzone, Diana. (14 May 2022). Then the ‘Real Enemy’ Is at Home in the Drinking Water. Daily Beast.
Office of US Senator Ron Johnson. (27 July 2022). Sen. Johnson Releases Statement on PACT Act.
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Bill Delayed in Congress Due to Blue Slip Objection
July 19, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
Having already passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and with President Biden having promised to sign the legislation once it reached his desk, a multi-billion dollar veterans bill aimed at addressing US servicemembers who have been harmed by toxic exposure related to their service looked poised to become law sometime in mid-June. Among other provisions, the bill would allow victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune to sue for their injuries, which, to date, they largely have been barred from doing.
However, due to a constitutional technicality, the bill has been further delayed, and lawmakers were unable to push through a modified version before leaving Washington for the July 4 recess, which in the Senate was scheduled to run from June 27 to July 8 with an additional summer recess scheduled for August 8 through September 5. This leaves increasingly few legislative days left before the increasingly contentious midterm elections, in which the balance of power in both chambers is up for grabs.
Despite passing the Senate on June 16 after already having passed the House, the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins—or PACT—Act has yet to be signed into law after lawmakers in the House of Representatives raised a so-called “blue slip” issue with the legislation. Namely, house lawmakers objected that the Senate-passed bill contains a tax provision that, under the origination cause of the US Constitution, may only originate in the House.
“This is the constitutional responsibility of the House to initiate these,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) explained, per Roll Call.” “So we’re trying to fix that. And as soon as we get it fixed, we want to pass it.”
While there is little indication that these procedural hurdles place the PACT Act at risk of not being passed, every day that the bill goes without becoming law means further delay for the potentially millions of individuals suffering from the effects of toxic exposure resulting from their military service or that of a family member. Each day that passes also means that Congress is one day closer to the high-stakes midterms, making bipartisan cooperation on even widely popular legislation increasingly difficult.
Toxic Water at Camp Lejeune
One key provision of the PACT Act—and a major reason why it has been so closely watched in some quarters—involves the long-standing issue of toxic water at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune. Heralded by the US military as one of the premier armed-forces training facilities in the world, Camp Lejeune for half-a-century harbored a deadly secret: multiple water treatment facilities at the base were heavily contaminated with highly toxic compounds. Not only were these contaminated facilities the source of drinking water for servicemembers and civilian workers at Camp Lejeune, they also served family housing, where the toxic water was consumed by unwitting children and military spouses, including pregnant people, whose offspring were poisoned in utero.
The contaminants detected in Camp Lejeune drinking water include several volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with numerous forms of cancer as well as Parkinson’s disease, heart problems, and kidney disease. In some instances, the concentrations of these VOCs detected in Camp Lejeune water exceeded present-day standards by multiples of several hundred.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that as many as one million service members, civilian workers, and family members were exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune. However, due to a North Carolina state law, the vast majority of those affected have been unable to seek justice through the courts.
The PACT Act, if enacted, would temporarily rectify this situation by giving victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune a two-year window in which to bring lawsuits in US federal court. To be eligible, an individual would have to have been exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune for a total of 30 days (they need not be consecutive) between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987. Those who were exposed in utero prior to being born also would be eligible under the terms of the bill.
Due to the tragically large number of people exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune over the nearly 35-year span and the limited time period in which to file a claim, a flurry of lawsuits are expected should the bill pass.
Ailments closely associated with the VOCs contaminants found in the water at Camp Lejeune include:
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomar
• Bladder cancer
• Liver cancer
• Kidney cancer
• End stage renal disease
• Cardiac defects
• Leukemia
• Multiple myeloma
• Parkinson’s disease
• Scleroderma
Sources:
United States Senate. (Updated 14 December 2021). Tentative 2022 Legislative Schedule.
McPherson, Lindsey. ‘Blue slip’ problem hangs up veterans toxic exposure bill. Roll Call.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (Accessed 3 June 2022). Health effects linked with trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride exposure. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: US Senate Passes Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Bill
June 29, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
In a rare show of bipartisan support, on June 16, the United States Senate voted to approve the Honoring Our PACT Act by a margin of 84-14, sending the bill to President Biden’s desk for his signature. Biden already has voiced his support for the legislation, which aims to address some of the harms toxic exposure has caused to military servicemembers, civilian workers, and their families.
The passing of the bill marks a landmark achievement for advocates, who have for decades argued that the US government owes an obligation to those it has injured through various forms of toxic exposure, from notorious burn pits to nuclear cleanups to contaminated water.
For those impacted by decades of toxic drinking water at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune, the legislation will offer many their first real opportunity to have their day in court. Among the bill’s numerous provisions, the PACT Act explicitly carves out a two-year window during which victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune can file federal lawsuits in North Carolina district court. Such lawsuits previously had been barred by a state law provision that gave only ten years from the date of any toxic exposure (rather than from the date of the injury suffered, as is the case in most jurisdictions) for victims to file a claim. Because the impacts of toxic exposure—including diseases such as cancer—can take decades to develop, the state law effectively has acted as a barrier against any Camp Lejeune toxic water claims.
Long-heralded by the US military as one of its preeminent training facilities, Camp Lejeune was for decades hiding a deadly secret: the drinking water coming from at least two of the base’s eight water-treatment facilities had been contaminated with highly dangerous volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. With as many as several million individuals exposed over a roughly 35-year span, countless birth defects, cancers, and other injuries have resulted.
Despite having originally introduced the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, the provisions of which are contained in the PACT Act, both of North Carolina’s senators voted against the legislation in its final form. In a written statement, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) cited skepticism about the Department of Veterans’ Affairs ability to effectively implement the act as the reason behind his opposition.
“Congress has an obligation to ensure the VA can effectively and efficiently implement any comprehensive toxic exposure legislation and, unfortunately, I continue to have reservations about the Department’s ability to do so,” Senator Tillis’ statement read.
In order to be eligible to sue under the PACT Act, an individual must have been exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune for a total of at least 30 days from August 1, 1953 through December 31, 1987. The 30 days need not be consecutive, and prenatal exposure in the womb qualifies.
The two-year window for filing a claim will begin on the date the legislation takes effect.
Stay tuned to TheLawFirm.com for the latest updates on Camp Lejeune legislation and litigation!
Sources:
Battaglia, Danielle. (17 June 2022). NC’s senators vote no on bill that helps Camp Lejeune vets exposed to toxic water. The News & Observer.
The Office of US Senator Thom Thillis. (16 June 2022). Tillis Statement on the PACT Act
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: Sen. Schumer Says Passage of Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Bill Is Imminent
June 15, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
On Tuesday, June 14, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) urged his colleagues to pass the PACT Act as soon as possible, saying they could do so by as early as June 15. In addition to other provisions aimed at furthering aid to veterans exposed to toxic conditions such as burn pits, the PACT Act also would allow victims of toxic water at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune to, for the first time, file federal lawsuits in US district court.
“We need to pass the PACT Act ASAP because our veterans have waited long enough for their healthcare benefits to treat complications from toxic exposure,” Senator Schumer said, according to PBS.
The PACT Act would give two years for those exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune to file their lawsuits. To qualify, individuals must have been exposed for a total of 30 days between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987. Individuals previously had been barred from suing over their injuries by a North Carolina state law, which the PACT Act would supersede. The 30 days need not be consecutive, and the two-year window will begin at the moment the act takes effect. Individuals who were exposed to the toxic water while still in their mother’s womb also qualify.
Camp Lejeune on the North Carolina coast has long been promoted by the United States military as one of the preeminent armed forces training grounds in the world. However, in 1982, the US Marines detected levels of highly dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the drinking water coming from two of the base’s eight water treatment plants. Some of these VOCs were present in concentrations that exceeded current drinking water standards by multiples of several hundred. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that as many as one million service members, civilian workers, and their family members had been exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune.
Overall, the PACT Act would provide an estimated $278 billion in additional funding over the next decade for victims of toxic water, toxic burn pits, and other toxic exposures resulting from military service, or the military service of a loved one. The extra money would be used to cover those suffering from 23 different cancers and respiratory illnesses closely tied to toxic exposure.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough on June 14 affirmed that his often-criticized department would be capable of handling the influx of cash and the additional responsibilities that would come with passage of the PACT Act, while still fulfilling its other duties.
“I think we’re ready for it,” McDonough said, according to 13 News Now. “We’ve been preparing for this. You’re giving us additional authorities and additional funding. And, taking care of one generation of veterans…needn’t come at the expense of veterans who have sacrificed so heroically for us in World II, Korea, Vietnam, or other wars. So, I think we can do this, and we can do this well.”
While the PACT Act creates a cause of action for Camp Lejeune plaintiffs, allowing them to sue in federal court, its language explicitly leaves it to future plaintiffs to prove in court that their illnesses and injuries have been caused by the toxic water at Camp Lejeune. The following ailments have been closely linked to the toxic VOCs detected there:
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Bladder cancer
• Liver cancer
• Kidney cancer
• End stage renal disease
• Cardiac defects
• Leukemia
• Multiple myeloma
• Parkinson’s disease
• Scleroderma
The PACT Act already has passed the US House of Representatives, and President Joe Biden—whose son Beau Biden died from brain cancer potentially linked to his exposure to toxic burn pits while serving in Iraq—has already said he will sign the bill into law as soon as it passes the Senate.
Stay tuned to TheLawFirm.com for the latest legal developments regarding toxic water at Camp Lejeune!
Sources:
PBS. (14 June 2022). WATCH: Senate considers legislation on health care for veterans exposed to toxic substances
Falzone, Diana. (14 May 2022). Then the ‘Real Enemy’ Is at Home in the Drinking Water. Daily Beast
Gooding, Mike. (14 June 2022). VA Sec. McDonough vows department can implement ‘PACT’ Act. 13 News Now
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (Accessed 3 June 2022). Health effects linked with trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride exposure. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update: US Senate Votes to Advance Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Legislation
June 8, 2022
Author: Daniel Gala
At a time when little if anything seems to be accomplished on a bipartisan basis, on June 7, the US Senate voted 86-12 to advance legislation that would give victims of Toxic water at Camp Lejeune the ability to sue the parties responsible for their injuries, including the United States military.
The measure required a 3/5 majority to invoke cloture and proceed to a final vote. Based on the tally, the bill is likely to sail through its final vote en route to the President’s desk, where President Biden already has said he will sign the legislation. The House of Representatives passed its version of the bill in March.
In addition to providing a period of two years during which victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune can file lawsuits in US district court, the PACT Act also addresses numerous other instances of toxic poisoning of US military personnel, civilian workers, and families living on our near military installations.
The White House applauded the vote in a statement released shortly thereafter.
“Today’s bipartisan Senate vote to advance the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 is a critical step towards delivering health care and benefits to veterans and survivors impacted by toxic exposures,” the statement read. “Veterans and advocates across the country have spoken out about the importance of this legislation, which represents one of the most significant and substantive expansions of benefits and services in the Department of Veterans Affairs history.”
While some may hail the allegedly historic nature of the bill, the fact remains that legislation of this nature is long overdue and cannot reverse the horrific and easily preventable wrongs of the past. Although Camp Lejeune in North Carolina long has been and remains one of the nation’s and the world’s preeminent military training installations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have estimated that up to one million military personnel, civilian workers, and family members may have been exposed to highly toxic drinking water over the course of more than three decades.
In 1982, the United States Marines Corp. detected toxic contaminants in the water from two of Camp Lejeune’s eight water treatment facilities. The concentration of these contaminants exceeded the US Environmental Protection Agency’s present limits by multiples of several hundred. As a result, soldiers, civilians, spouses, children, and even unborn fetuses have suffered an untold number of life-altering and even fatal ailments, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, kidney cancer, liver cancer, and Parkinson’s disease.
The victims of Camp Lejeune’s toxic water and their survivors have been unable to seek justice in a court of law due to a North Carolina state law that has resulted in having every lawsuit filed to date tossed out before reaching a trial. However, the new legislation will, for the first time, create a federal cause of action that will supersede the North Carolina law and allow individuals to sue in the US District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
However, the bill does place limitations on who can sue. In order to qualify, one must have resided or worked at Camp Lejeune for a total of 30 days between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987. Plaintiffs will have only two years from the date on which the law takes effect in order to file their claims.
With the passage and signing of the bill now looking imminent, the race will soon be on to file lawsuits. With up to one million individuals having been exposed and a limited time available in which to bring claims, the number of cases could quickly grow into the many thousands.
Stay tuned to TheLawFirm.com for the latest developments in Camp Lejeune Toxic Water litigation!
Sources:
United States Senate. (7 June 2022). Roll Call Vote 117th Congress – 2nd Session. H.R. 3967
The White House. (7 June 2022). Statement by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Bipartisan Senate Vote to Advance Toxic Exposure Legislation. Statements and Releases
Falzone, Diana. (14 May 2022). Then the ‘Real Enemy’ Is at Home in the Drinking Water. Daily Beast
United States House of Representatives. (Accessed 3 June 2022). Sec. 706. Federal Cause of Action Relating to Water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. H.R. 3967 – Honoring our PACT Act of 2021
Legal Disclaimer: The information in this article is not intended to be used as medical information or diagnosis. The sources of the information presented in the article have been researched and are linked within the article. Please seek out medical advice from a licensed medical professional if you are experiencing a problem with any of the drugs or devices mentioned in this article.
Related Articles
About TLF
About TheLawFirm.com (TLF)
TheLawFirm.com is a group of award winning attorneys, paralegals and associates from the legal profession who’s main goal is to educate and represent their clients with the utmost expertise, respect and trust.
We also work closely with a large group of experts from the medical profession so we can draw upon their expertise, in order to present as much accurate information relating to various mass tort and personal injury lawsuits as we can.
