Maison Law is representing residents of California who experienced serious health issues such as Parkinson’s disease after exposure to toxic water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
Contact us today for a free legal consultation if you or a loved one developed a brain disorder or any other ailment after exposure to Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water between 1953 and 1987.
Permission Granted to Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Victims
It’s estimated that somewhere around a million people were exposed to hazardous toxins in the water supply on Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base. Harmful chemicals used at a nearby dry-cleaning facility and on base were detected in two water treatment systems serving Camp Lejeune.
The toxins were pouring out of faucets across Camp Lejeune for decades and those who drank or came in contact with the water could have developed many health issues. Health hazards linked to these chemicals include brain disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) was signed into law on August 10, 2022. It grants permission for contaminated water victims and their families to sue the U.S. Government for damages. Victims and their families now have up to two years from the date of the signing to file an injury claim.
To proceed with a CLJA lawsuit, victims must have been in contact with the water at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. The 30 days of exposure do not have to have been continuous.
Parkinson’s Disease Caused by Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Exposure
Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the central nervous system. Michaeljfox.org explains that with Parkinson’s disease the brain cells that make dopamine stop working or die. Dopamine is a chemical that coordinates movement throughout the body.
The effects of Parkinson’s disease slowly get worse over the victim’s life. Men develop the disease more often than women. Older people are the most common victims. Patients are usually 60 or older when they develop Parkinson’s disease.
You may recall that the actor Michael J. Fox has suffered from Parkinson’s disease for decades. The Michael J. Fox Foundation reports that somewhere around a million people are affected by Parkinson’s disease in the United States.
The Cleveland Clinic lists some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease:
Motor-Related Symptoms
- Tremors.
- Slowed movements.
- Stiffness.
- Instability when walking.
- Trouble swallowing.
- Blinking less often.
Non-Motor-Related Symptoms
- Lack of facial expressions.
- Loss of sense of smell.
- Drooling.
- Gastrointestinal problems.
- Sleep issues such as restless leg syndrome.
Patients also commonly suffer from depression, anxiety, and apathy as their lives change dramatically. There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but drug therapy can help patients manage their symptoms. Surgery can implant a device in the brain to deliver a mild electrical shock to the affected area of the brain. This is called deep-brain stimulation and it has been shown to help some patients.
Parkinson’s Disease Linked to Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water
At least one chemical detected in the wells at Camp Lejeune has been associated with the development of Parkinson’s disease in those exposed. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), some medical research has linked exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE) to Parkinson’s cases.
Wells at the Hadnot water plant on Camp Lejeune were found to contain TCE levels 275 times over the safe limit. The water was likely tainted by several on-base sources through spills and leaks in underground tanks.
A California Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyer would use your medical charts and CDC research to show how your Parkinson’s Disease is tied to your time at Camp Lejeune. By securing documents showing the hardships you and your family have faced and will face during Parkinson’s treatment, a skilled lawyer works to maximize any settlement secured in a Camp Lejeune cancer injury claim.
What Kind of Camp Lejeune Justice Act Compensation Can My Family Earn?
Many people will be eligible to receive benefits from the U.S. Department of Defense for their Parkinson’s disease hardships. The potential claimants will include Marine veterans who served on Camp Lejeune. Other military personnel serving on Camp Lejeune for 30 days or more also qualify. The families of veterans who lived on Camp Lejeune would also be eligible.
Children born to mothers that were previously exposed to contaminated water are potential claimants. Family members of victims who have already passed on could file a claim.
It’s not just those in the military and in military families that can file under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. Civilian employees who worked on the Marine Corps Base can take legal action.
These and other parties can seek a Parkinson’s disease Camp Lejeune Settlement for these and other damages:
- Past, current, and future medical bills.
- Wrongful death benefits. Families of Camp Lejeune toxic water victims should demand help with funeral costs and reimbursement for a loved one’s past medical costs no matter how far back they go. Support should also protect a family’s financial future when they’ll be without the care and weekly income the deceased can no longer provide.
- Support for the emotional trauma Camp Lejeune Parkinson’s disease patients endure. Anxiety and depression will often follow major changes in home life and work life. The costs of mental health care for patients should be covered.
- A loss of consortium (loss of intimacy with a partner).
- A loss of enjoyment of life.
- Loss of earnings while unable to work while receiving treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Lifetime support when victims are forced to give up their careers or military service.
- Travel costs for doctor’s appointments and appointments with specialists. These expenses can be enormous when a patient is unable to drive.
Contact a Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Parkinson’s Disease Lawyer
Thousands of people may have developed Parkinson’s disease after serving, working, or living on Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Many of those victims and their families likely now reside in California. They may live or have retired in places like Oceanside around Camp Pendleton, or in Los Angeles, The Bay Area, Fresno, or San Diego.
Maison Law has made itself available to represent and provide focused legal assistance to California’s Camp Lejeune victims of Parkinson’s disease and other serious illnesses. Maison Law is also able to compassionately represent families who have been forced to grieve the loss of loved ones who were exposed to harm at Camp Lejeune.
Contact attorney Martin Gasparian for a free and confidential case consultation for you and/or your family.
