PHOTO: Marine Corps
We presently know that from the 1950s to the 1980s, the water supply at Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps facility in North Carolina, was contaminated with toxins. Nobody was aware at the time, and even after the harmful exposure became public, it took several years for a proper investigation to get underway and further longer to compensate the veterans who had been exposed.
This info is still breaking news for many service members at Camp Lejeune, so both the VA and veteran society are continuing to work to inform anyone who was exposed. Some service members could already be sick and be oblivious that their disease or other illness may be connected to the years they spent at the Camp from 1953 to 1987.
Recent investigations have revealed unmistakable proof that in those years, the water stored poisonous chemicals and organic compounds. People have been bathing in and cooking with water that has been contaminated with parched solvents, cleaning agents, and chemicals like benzene for years.
At Camp Lejeune, service personnel and their families may have dealt with one of the worst water contaminants our nation has ever seen, and they were not informed of it until decades later. We now know that many veterans struggle with various ailments, most likely brought on by their exposure. Many of the Camp Lejeune water contamination illnesses are underlying, so they frequently take years or even decades to manifest.
As a result of using the water for drinking, cooking, and bathing, Camp Lejeune residents developed many medical issues. Some, though, are more usual than others. Findings, for instance, revealed a connection between tainted water and various cancer types.
The likelihood of kidney cancer, lung cancer, leukemia, bladder cancer, and breast cancer for the servicemen and their family members were increased due to groundwater pollution. Multiple myeloma has been diagnosed in several people who had carcinogenic plasma cells. Multiple myelodysplastic syndromes also became problems.
Water contamination has caused non-cancerous illnesses to affect people. For instance, liver cirrhosis may require treatment for a service member. Hepatic steatosis is how some medical professionals describe swelling and fat accumulation.
Parkinson's disease was another probable illness. The disease makes it difficult for the person to function normally and enjoy life. In the meantime, other victims experienced the ASL form of Lou Gehrig's ailment. To stop the condition from getting worse, most infected veterans spent a fortune on treatment.
Renal toxicity and aplastic anemia are other types of illnesses. Someone who has had their water contaminated may associate Camp Lejeune with other long-term effects they've experienced
VA recognizes 15 conditions related to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune; VA provides free health coverage for these illnesses to servicemembers. Some of these conditions are still on the presumptive list for disability compensation. Importantly, VA will not provide healthcare for every ailment for which it provides disability benefits.
To determine if you qualify for anything, you must look at each list. The following cases are on the list of those who are eligible for healthcare benefits like payment for out-of-pocket medical expenses:
Veterans and members of the family must submit the VA Form 10-10068: Camp Lejeune Family Member Program Application and supporting documentation to be eligible for healthcare benefits for any of the cases mentioned above.
