Disability Benefits – Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

Lawmakers fear that individuals working and living at the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 may have been exposed to contaminated drinking water. Research and medical evidence lead experts to believe that there is a correlation between chemical exposure and the diagnosis of certain diseases years later. 

Located in southeastern North Carolina and adjacent to the New River, Marine Corps Camp Lejeune occupies over 150,000 acres and contains 14 miles of beach on the Atlantic Ocean. The camp is the most extensive Marine Corps base on the East Coast and supports commands of sections of the Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard. The New River is a critical asset to the Marine Corps base. It is utilized for aviation support, force protection, infrastructure, and community purposes, like providing water for the individuals, families, and workers living at the camp. 

Two water wells at Camp Lejeune were shut down in 1985 because they contained Trichloroethylene (TCE), Perchloroethylene (PCE), Benzene, Vinyl chloride, and other harmful compounds. Uncovered evidence displays that exposure to these chemicals in the water at Camp Lejeune has led to the development of specific diseases later on in these individuals’ lives. A new bill will give veterans and their families disability benefits under the following conditions:

• The individual lived at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. 
• The individual was exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days.
• The individual did not receive a dishonorable discharge when they separated from the military. 

Furthermore, the veterans, family members, reservists, and guardsmen impacted by this bill must have a diagnosis of one or more of these clear conditions:

• Adult Leukemia
• Aplastic Anemia and other Myelodysplastic syndromes
• Bladder cancer
• Liver cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Multiple Myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Parkinson’s disease

People who match the above qualifications are eligible for health care benefits and disability compensation if they file a claim with supporting evidence that proves they meet the above requirements.

We hope this information was helpful to you and your families. Don’t hesitate to contact the New York Social Security disability lawyers at Turley, Redmond, and Rosasco to receive more information about the necessary criteria to qualify for disability benefits. Call us at 855-208-7783 or complete an online intake form on our website to schedule a free initial consultation today. We serve Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens, and more.