The bill allows those harmed by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune to seek financial compensation for their injuries.
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- H.R. 3967, the Honoring our PACT Act, passed the United States Senate with a vote of 86-11 on August 2. The bill seeks to improve benefits and healthcare for veterans who have suffered toxic exposure, and now awaits President Joe Biden's signature.
The bill incorporates the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, which, once signed by President Biden, will allow anyone harmed by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune from August 1, 1953, to December 31, 1987, to seek financial compensation in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Those eligible to seek compensation include any service members, family members of service members, and civilians who were exposed to the water. Children of those exposed to the water born with birth defects are also eligible.
"Veterans fought for a long time to get this bill passed, and its passage is long overdue," said Jeffrey Nadrich, managing partner of Nadrich & Cohen, LLP. "We know how hard America's service members have fought for our country and now it's our turn to fight for them."
It was discovered in the early 1980s that two water supply systems at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, the Tarawa Terrace, and Hadnot Point systems, had been contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE), according to a 2009 National Research Council report. The Tarawa Terrace system was primarily contaminated with PCE, which was used by an off-base dry cleaner, ABC One-Hour Cleaners, and the report states that improper disposal, as well as spills, led to the contamination. The Hadnot Point system, according to the report, was primarily contaminated with TCE, with multiple sources likely contributing to the contamination.
The 2009 report found that both toxicologic and epidemiologic studies suggested a link between exposure to TCE or PCE and kidney toxicity, kidney cancer, neurobehavioral effects, immunologic effects, and liver toxicity.
A 2015 review published by the National Academies Press found that exposure to TCE or PCE was associated with:
- Renal effects like cytomegaly, tubular epithelium necrosis, tubular necrosis, or karyomegaly
- Increased risk of death from end-stage renal disease
- Parkinson's disease
- Infant neural tube defects
- Vision deficits, such as contrast sensitivity and color discrimination deficits
- Scleroderma
- Infertility
- Miscarriage
- Hepatic steatosis, also known as fatty liver
Studies done by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry have linked exposure to TCE or PCE with:
- Leukemia
- Kidney cancer
- Male breast cancer
- Parkinson's disease
- Prostate cancer
- Rectal cancer
- Liver cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Small for gestational age infants
- Preterm birth
- Kidney disease
- Child hematopoietic cancers such as leukemia
- Neural tube defects
- Reduced mean birth weight
- Term low birth weight
In order to be compensated for harm caused by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, claimants will have to provide evidence that is:
- Sufficient to demonstrate that exposure to Camp Lejeune's water caused harm to them; or
- Sufficient to demonstrate that it is at least as likely as it is not that exposure to the water caused harm to them.
Any claim filed under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 must be filed before the latter of:
- Two years after the date the act is enabled; or
- 180 after the claim has been denied by section 2675 of title 28, United States Code.
About Nadrich & Cohen, LLP
Nadrich & Cohen, LLP are veteran advocates who, for over a decade, have been successfully resolving claims on behalf of veterans and civilian defense contractors who have been injured or been exposed to toxic substances. The firm has handled claims involving benzene exposure on ships, as well as defense base act claims. The firm's staff has family members who were stationed at Camp Lejeune, as well as family members who fought in World War II, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf.
Nadrich & Cohen is actively representing those who were exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, as well as children of those exposed to the water at Camp Lejeune who were born with birth defects, malformations, or neurological issues. If you or someone you know was harmed by the contaminated water at Camp LeJeune, call 1-800-718-4658 for a free consultation or visit the law firm's website at https://personalinjurylawcal.com/camp-lejeune/
H.R. 6482, the Honoring our PACT Act, passed the United States Senate with a vote of 86-11 on August 2. The bill seeks to improve benefits and healthcare for veterans who have suffered toxic exposure, and now awaits President Joe Biden's signature. The bill incorporates the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, which, once signed by President Biden, will allow anyone harmed by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune from August 1, 1953, to December 31, 1987, to seek financial compensation in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Those eligible to seek compensation include any service members, family members of service members, and civilians who were exposed to the water. Children of those exposed to the water born with birth defects are also eligible. "Veterans fought for a long time to get this bill passed, and its passage is long overdue," said Jeffrey Nadrich, managing partner of Nadrich & Cohen, LLP. "We know how hard America's service members have fought for our country and now it's our turn to fight for them."
It was discovered in the early 1980s that two water supply systems at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, the Tarawa Terrace, and Hadnot Point systems, had been contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE), according to a 2009 National Research Council report. The Tarawa Terrace system was primarily contaminated with PCE, which was used by an off-base dry cleaner, ABC One-Hour Cleaners, and the report states that improper disposal, as well as spills, led to the contamination. The Hadnot Point system, according to the report, was primarily contaminated with TCE, with multiple sources likely contributing to the contamination. The 2009 report found that both toxicologic and epidemiologic studies suggested a link between exposure to TCE or PCE and kidney toxicity, kidney cancer, neurobehavioral effects, immunologic effects, and liver toxicity.
A 2015 review published by the National Academies Press found that exposure to TCE or PCE was associated with: • Renal effects like cytomegaly, tubular epithelium necrosis, tubular necrosis or karyomegaly • Increased risk of death from end-stage renal disease • Parkinson's disease • Infant neural tube defects • Vision deficits, such as contrast sensitivity and color discrimination deficits • Scleroderma • Infertility • Miscarriage • Hepatic steatosis, also known as fatty liver Studies done by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry have linked exposure to TCE or PCE with: • Leukemia • Kidney cancer • Male breast cancer • Parkinson's disease • Prostate cancer • Rectal cancer • Liver cancer • Esophageal cancer • Cervical cancer • Bladder cancer • Multiple myeloma • Hodgkin's lymphoma • Small for gestational age infants • Preterm birth • Kidney disease • Child hematopoietic cancers such as leukemia • Neural tube defects • Reduced mean birth weight • Term low birth weight In order to be compensated for harm caused by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, claimants will have to provide evidence that is: • Sufficient to demonstrate that exposure to Camp Lejeune's water caused harm to them; or • Sufficient to demonstrate that it is at least as likely as it is not that exposure to the water caused harm to them.
Any claim filed under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 must be filed before the latter of • Two years after the date the act is enabled; or • 180 after the claim has been denied by section 2675 of title 28, United States Code.
About Nadrich & Cohen, LLP Nadrich & Cohen, LLP are veteran advocates who, for over a decade, have been successfully resolving claims on behalf of veterans and civilian defense contractors who have been injured or been exposed to toxic substances. The firm has handled claims involving benzene exposure on ships, as well as defense base act claims.
The firm's staff has family members who were stationed at Camp Lejeune, as well as family members who fought in World War II, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf. Nadrich & Cohen is actively representing those who were exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, as well as children of those exposed to the water at Camp Lejeune who were born with birth defects, malformations, or neurological issues. If you or someone you know was harmed by the contaminated water at Camp LeJeune, call 1-800-718-4658 for a free consultation or visit the law firm's website at https://personalinjurylawcal.com/camp-lejeune/.
Media Contact
Jeffrey Nadrich, Nadrich & Cohen, LLP, 1 8007184658, [email protected]
SOURCE Nadrich & Cohen, LLP
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