Boston Chron - Console & Associates: The Passing of the Camp Lejeune Act Puts Justice Within Reach

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The Act Is on the Verge of Becoming Law, and This Will Finally Clear the Legal Barriers That Have Prevented Victims of Water Contamination From Being Compensated

MARLTON, N.J. - BostonChron -- On Thursday, June 16, 2022, the United States Senate voted in favor of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, advancing the piece of legislation that would open the doors for new claims on behalf of Veterans and military families injured by exposure to contaminated water at the military base. Contamination of water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina occurred over a span of 35 years, exposing an estimated one million people to chemicals that have been linked to diseases like Parkinson's disease, kidney disease, fertility problems, and several types of cancer.

Between 1953 and 1987, water treated and distributed by the Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point systems on Camp Lejeune Marine Base was determined to have contained unsafe levels of toxic chemicals like trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (also known as perchloroethylene, or PCE), vinyl chloride, and benzene. The government has established programs intended to pay disability benefits to Veterans and health care benefits to Veterans and their families, provided that the claimants meet eligibility requirements for exposure to contaminated water and qualifying medical conditions. However, many military families have been unable to move forward with claims because of North Carolina's 10-year statute of repose.

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Once it has been officially signed into law, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 will open the door for these claimants to finally move forward with their claims for compensation. Under the new law, claimants will have two years from the date the law is officially enacted to bring Camp Lejeune claims, even if those claims had previously been barred under the 10-year statute of limitations that had applied to these legal matters prior to the passage of the law.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 isn't the first bill introduced in recent years in an attempt to address the legal technicalities that have historically barred Camp Lejeune lawsuit claims. For example, Pennsylvania Representative Matt Cartwright, sponsor of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, also introduced the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2021 in the House of Representatives on March 26, 2021. However, this time, the Camp Lejeune bill has advanced far enough to give military families new hope. The bill has now passed through Congress and is expected to be signed into law by President Joe Biden as early as this week as part of the larger Honoring Our PACT Act.

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"The Camp Lejeune Justice Act being poised to become law is huge news for our Veterans and military families who have waited years, suffering physically as well as financially, to finally get the compensation they deserve," said Console & Associates, P.C. founder and managing attorney Richard P. Console, Jr. "All toxic exposure victims deserve justice, but the fact that Camp Lejeune's water contamination issues went on for decades and that those affected were overwhelmingly the service members and military families already making so many sacrifices to serve our country make this new legislative development all the more important."

Interested parties can learn more at https://www.myinjuryattorney.com/national-claims/camp-lejeune-toxic-water-contamination-lawsuit/.

At Console & Associates, our toxic exposure attorneys are seeking to interview anyone who may have been a victim of water contamination while serving, living, or working on Camp Lejeune Marine Base. We can help you understand the complex eligibility requirements for seeking compensation and advise you of your legal options at no cost. Sign up for a free, confidential case evaluation at: https://www.myinjuryadvocate.com/camplejeune54635920.