In January 2011, the Department of Veterans Affairs issued a statement affirming that servicemen and women who were stationed or worked at the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune near Jacksonville, North Carolina between the years of 1957 and 1987 were potentially exposed to contamination within the drinking water. Recently within the past few months, our offices have been receiving many phone calls from Veterans who believe they were exposed to this contaminated water, and you, too, might also have questions on the issue.
One of the first questions that Camp Lejeune Veterans ask is “Can I file a claim on being exposed and are my current medical conditions a result of the contaminated water?” At this time, the most important thing to understand is that the VA does not currently have a law set in place for these cases. The VA currently is sending all claims involving Camp Lejeune water contamination to VARO, Louisville. They are conducting VA examinations and obtaining opinions for disabilities based on an exposure to contaminated water. These claims are being considered on a case-by-case basis. Some claims have been granted. This also means that once the VA is done conducting their research, a list of presumptive conditions may be issued. This list will help you and other Camp Lejeune Veterans better understand what specific conditions you can file on and how much compensation you could possibly receive, if granted.
Another question that our representatives frequently get asked is “Can I still file a claim on just being potentially exposed to the water?” The answer is no. In order to file a claim, you must have a current medical condition that you believe is most likely a result of the contamination. You cannot simply file a claim on being exposed. We understand that you are struggling for answers right now. We wish we had more information to provide to our clients and Veterans. However, if you do have questions on the Camp Lejeune water contamination or are interested in filing a claim, then please contact our office. We would be more than happy to help you in your case and will continually update our Veterans on the status of this issue.
