Based in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is the location of a public health disaster that may have impacted one million people. Between 1953 and 1987, military service members, their families, and civilian workers at Camp Lejeune were exposed to contaminated drinking water. While these brave men and women prepared to serve our nation, they were drinking and bathing in water linked to serious, life-threatening diseases.
Guy Smith and the legal team at Greene Wilson Crow & Smith are aggressively advocating for Camp Lejeune victims. If you lived at Camp Lejeune between August 1953 and December 1987, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Greene Wilson Crow & Smith today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation and learn whether you are eligible for compensation.
Why Choose Guy Smith and Greene, Wilson, Crow & Smith?
This fight is personal. Guy is a proud Marine Judge Advocate who served at Camp Lejeune on Active Duty from 2010-2011. He currently serves at Camp Lejeune as a Reservist. As a civilian, Guy is a trial lawyer in Eastern North Carolina where he practices in Craven, Carteret, and Pamlico Counties. He and his law partners have a track record of success in State and Federal Court but dating back to his time in the Marines, Guy’s passion is representing Marines and Sailors.
Our New Bern office is located 45 miles from the main gate at Camp Lejeune. A parking lot separates Greene, Wilson, Crow & Smith from one of the Federal Courthouses in the Eastern District of North Carolina which is the Federal District Court with exclusive jurisdiction for Camp Lejeune water cases. Greene, Wilson, Crow & Smith has partnered with a nationally renowned law firm that has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for victims of groundwater contamination. Our team is uniquely qualified to represent you and your family.
What Contaminated the Water?
The two treatment facilities that supplied water to Camp Lejeune were contaminated with a poisonous chemical called perchloroethylene (PCE). Commercial dry cleaners commonly use this chemical. Victims were also exposed to trichloroethylene (TCE). Research has shown that the water plant for Camp Lejeune had 280 times the maximum safety level of PCE as stated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Serious Diseases Linked to Contaminated Camp Lejeune Water
Over the years, multiple studies have linked the toxic chemicals found in Camp Lejeune water to a number of serious health conditions, including multiple types of cancers. Studies have shown that service members and their families who worked at Camp Lejeune are at an increased risk of these diseases.
Some of the diseases below have been suspected of being linked to toxic chemicals. If you have one or more of these medical conditions, or you suspect you may have them, it’s important that you receive a thorough medical evaluation and discuss your case with an attorney. Diseases associated with toxic water include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Scleroderma
- Birth defects
- Bladder cancer
- Brain cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Miscarriage and Female Infertility
- Multiple myeloma
- Leukemia
- Lung cancer
- Liver cancer
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Kidney cancer
- Fatty liver disease (hepatic steatosis)
- Renal Toxicity
- Colorectal cancer
- Aplastic anemia
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Neurological Disorders Linked to Contaminated Water
Multiple neurobehavioral effects have also been linked to contaminated Camp Lejeune water. For example, a person may experience neurobehavioral performance defects, such as delayed recall, deficits, and visual perception. They may experience a decreased blink reflex. In other cases, victims experience mood effects such as depression, attention, and confusion. They may experience delayed reaction times and problems with visual perception, color vision, attention, and short-term memory.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act
On August 10, 2022, the PACT Act was passed. This new law includes the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. As a result of this new law, many victims who were made ill after being exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune will have a right to make a claim for compensation against the federal government. This new law allows individuals living and working at Camp Lejeune while the water was contaminated to file a personal injury lawsuit for compensation in US District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Each person will need to file his or her own lawsuit in North Carolina to pursue compensation for the economic and non-economic damages they have suffered. At Greene Wilson Crow & Smith, we are a North Carolina-based law firm practicing in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Am I Eligible to File a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claim?
Not everyone who is stationed at Camp Lejeune is eligible for compensation. To obtain compensation, you must prove that you are your loved one who lived at or worked at Camp Lejeune between August 1953 and December 1987. You will also need to show that you have been diagnosed with—or lost a loved one because of—cancer or another related illness linked to the toxic water.
What Is My Claim for Compensation Worth?
The value of your compensation claim depends on multiple factors. Generally, the more serious your illness, the more compensation you may be able to obtain. The attorneys at Greene Wilson Crow & Smith will work with financial experts to determine your claim’s full and fair value. Victims of toxic water exposure can pursue the following types of damages by filing a claim against the government:
- Medical expenses you’ve already incurred
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Loss of society and companionship
- Financial support related to the death of your family member if you pursue a wrongful death claim
Contact a Camp Lejeune Attorney in North Carolina to Discuss Your Case
If you were stationed at Camp Lejeune and were exposed to toxic water, and you’ve developed a medical condition or symptoms of a medical condition, we are here to help. The skilled Attorneys at Greene Wilson Crow & Smith can help you evaluate your legal options. We can also help you pursue a diagnosis if you have multiple health symptoms but haven’t yet been diagnosed.
Our North Carolina attorneys know how to effectively advocate for service members injured because of the federal government’s negligence. We will advocate for you every step of the way and pursue the most compensation possible. Contact Greene Wilson Crow & Smith today to schedule your free case evaluation and learn more about your rights.