When Camp Lejeune was first built in North Carolina back in 1941, nobody could have predicted that the environmental disasters would impact the lives of millions of people. Camp Lejeune is considered an excellent training facility for amphibious warfare. However, the soldiers and their families living there were exposed to dangerous toxins present in the drinking water.
If you were a part of the Camp, you might be worried about your and your family’s health. It is important to educate yourself about the Camp Lejeune Marines Accident as much as you can to protect your rights. Additionally, an attorney can help you recover the health benefits and various other damages.
Camp Lejeune water contamination: FAQ
- Is the water at Camp Lejeune safe right now?
Yes. The water at Camp Lejeune used to be contaminated with disease-causing toxins between the years 1953 to 1987. The people who served at the base during those years were severely affected. However, since the situation came to light, thanks to scientific research, it has been brought under control. The water there currently meets all the safety standards.
- What are the symptoms of Camp Lejeune’s health conditions?
There are various health conditions linked with the toxins found in Camp Lejeune drinking water. Each condition has its own set of symptoms. However, knowing the names of the illnesses can help you stay alert. Here is a list of the eight presumptive Camp Lejeune diseases.
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Adult leukemia
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple myeloma
- Which toxins were present in the drinking water?
Tests conducted showed the presence of tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), vinyl chloride (VC), and benzene in some of the drinking water sources at Camp Lejeune. Since these are all colorless chemicals, it was not apparent to the people living there initially.
All these chemicals are used for cleaning metal parts, dry cleaning, and metal degreasing, and used to make other chemicals that make plastics, resins, and synthetic fibers.
- What about the effects on future generations?
It is only normal to worry about the effect of consuming these chemicals on your future generations. For now, there has been no research proving that it will affect the victims’ offspring. Therefore, human studies are not enough to answer this question currently. However, animal studies show that future generations won’t be affected.
- How did the water at Camp Lejeune get contaminated?
The U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, was contaminated due to exposure to industrial solvents, benzene, and other chemicals.
