Contaminated water affects your health in dangerous ways. And whenever someone asks you to share evidence to this statement, the Camp Lejeune water contamination incident pops up instantly. This episode has caused havoc in the lives of veterans and their relatives who resided here from 1953 to 1987 and have been deeply affected by the tainted waters of this region.
The civilian and military personnel residing here during the contamination phase have been diagnosed with many kinds of cancers. It didn’t just cause untimely deaths, but also affected people’s quality of life, making them dependent on medicines. As a result, most of them have filed a lawsuit in the hope of receiving legal compensation for the damages and sufferings they have endured.
According to the April 2024 Camp Lejeune lawsuit update, the lawyers on both sides of the litigation are interviewing probable candidates to function as a special Settlement Master. It will prove to be an important role in negotiating an international settlement deal.
However, the U.S. government called a third series of lawsuits to get chosen for the initial bellwether trials. It will include the claims that Camp Lejeune water contamination leads to the development of dental side effects, esophageal cancer, and other illnesses that require medical monitoring.
In this article, we will focus on this aspect and also share how to seek help from a lawyer to receive your legal compensation.
Third Track Bellwether Trials for Camp Lejeune
To date, under the CLJA (Camp Lejeune Justice Act) signed by President Joe Biden, more than 190,000 individuals have submitted their claims. It allowed individuals diagnosed with cancer and other life-threatening health conditions owing to toxic water exposure to file a Camp Lejeune lawsuit.
In April 2024, AboutLawsuits.com reported that it is essential to evaluate the shortcomings and merits of claims connected to multiple injuries caused by the dirty waters in this area. For this, the presiding judges are setting up two clear ‘tracks’ for organizing small teams of representative claims for initial trial proceedings.
Back in October 2023, the Court created its first track of bellwether lawsuits. Here, the lawyers had chosen 100 cases that are counted in the early stages of discovery, comprising claims that include:
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Bladder Cancer
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Leukemia
- Kidney Cancer
In February 2024, a team of four judges confirmed that Track 2 illness lawsuits for Camp Lejeune water contamination will be prepared for the initial trials. It will include people who’ve been diagnosed with:
- Kidney Disease
- Prostate Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Breast Cancer
Based on a current status report that was filed on April 19th, 2024, the government had proposed a third track of Camp Lejeune ailments to be prepared for the bellwether trials. It comprises claims including:
- Dental effects
- Esophageal cancer
- Hypersensitivity Skin Disorder
- Miscarriage
- Medical monitoring not related to a certain ailment
Keeping in mind the number of claims concerning these injuries, U.S. lawyers often argue that integrating these into Track 3 might add movement to the litigation process. Other than that, the U.S. government also argued that medical monitoring unrelated to any chosen ailment doesn’t come under the purview of any recoverable damages within the statute.
On the other hand, the PLG (Plaintiff Leadership Group) argued that ailments chosen by the government wouldn’t contribute to resolving the litigation process. It will present a proposal for the injury claims that need to be added to Track 3 before the next status conference, which was held on April 26th, 2024.
Even though the result of these initial bellwether trials won’t have a lasting effect on other litigation claims. However, the average amount of Camp Lejeune lawsuit payouts might enable people in global settlement negotiations. It can take place in the way judges respond to cases concerning multiple injuries.
Taking Legal Action
The situation seems to be favorable for people affected by the contaminated waters at Camp Lejeune to seek legal recourse. TorHoerman Law suggests that it is necessary to consult a lawyer and share your case history with them. After studying it, they will determine if you can file a lawsuit and provide you with the guidelines about it. Make sure you submit your medical and healthcare data, residential proof, medical bills, and travel records with the lawyer.
They will choose the ones that they can use to build a strong claim and be present at the court on your behalf. Furthermore, your settlement payout money can vary between $10,000 and $1,000,000, and your lawyer will update you on this. It is necessary to know that the settlement amount is not fixed, as it depends on individual suffering, the duration of the stay, and the severity of the disease.
In conclusion, individuals who resided in Camp Lejeune between the mid-1970s and ’80s have suffered from various types of cancer and other fatal health conditions. Even though there have been delays in settlement, the government has been trying to provide useful solutions. If the health condition you’ve developed because of the toxic water exposure matches the Track 3 ailments, you can file a lawsuit and seek fair compensation.
