If you have served in Camp Lejeune anytime for 3o cumulative days between the period 1953 to 1987, then you may be liable for compensation. Many veterans who have served during that time have got compensation. So if you think that you have a disability claim, then understanding the compensation amount is a good first step.
In 2017, the US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) got an amount of more than $2 billion to distribute among veterans who have been affected by the Camp Lejeune water contamination. Veterans as well as family members who can provide evidence that they have been affected by the water contamination can get a portion of the funds as a way of compensation.
It is important to note here that the Camp Lejeune compensation is not a guaranteed one, meaning that you will not get a guaranteed amount of money. However, it is possible to get up to $3000 monthly for medical expenses.
Background Information about the Camp Lejeune Case
The people living at Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Base in North Carolina between the years 1953 and 1987 were those who were exposed to contaminated water. This contamination was caused by several environmental factors including the hazardous material brought out by a local dry cleaning business and leaking fuel tanks. This caused the service people as well as their family members who lived on the base during that time to have come in contact with several carcinogenic materials in the way of drinking water. This caused them and their progeny to be afflicted by several diseases such as bladder cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, esophageal cancer, leukemia, female infertility, miscarriages, renal toxicity, and more.
Filing a Disability Claim
If you are wondering about how you can get started on your disability claim, you need to find out your disability rating first. This will decide the compensation amount. Depending on your disability rating, you may be able to claim a higher compensation amount. If you have evidence to prove that you are 100% disabled, then you will be able to get probably $3000 monthly as compensation. Of course, a lot depends on the kind of attorney you get to process your claim.
Here are a few pointers to help:
- Get the help of a VA attorney to file your claim. It starts with filing an application online on the VA official website. The attorney is going to do it all for you.
- Get medical records in order. You need to have medical evidence to prove that you have been affected health-wise due to the Camp Lejeune water contamination. This can be anything from the mentioned diseases and ailments or disabilities. Maintain and submit all reports you think will prove your case in court.
- Prove that you are eligible for the compensation.
As you can see, it all starts with getting the right attorney to back you. The compensation can improve your quality of life by a lot.