Maison Law is representing residents of California who suffered soft tissue sarcoma and other cancers after contact with toxic water present at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
Contact us today if you or a loved one suffered soft tissue sarcoma after exposure to Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water between 1953 and 1987.
Camp Lejeune Justice Act Relief for Soft Tissue Sarcoma Victims
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) was signed into law on August 10, 2022. From that date, victims exposed to Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water have up to two years to file an injury claim against the U.S. Department of Defense.
Those eligible for Camp Lejeune settlement money will include victims who developed soft tissue sarcoma and other cancers linked to the chemicals found in water wells on the Marine Corps Base. Victims’ families may also file claims and secure financial support on behalf of deceased patients.
To receive compensation, documentation must show that victims served, lived, or worked at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days at any point between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. The 30 days of exposure do not have to have been on consecutive days.
Soft Tissue Sarcoma Caused by Camp Lejeune Toxic Water
The UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center reports that soft tissue sarcoma (soft tissue cancer) develops when cancer cells form in tissues, like muscles, tendons, fat, and blood vessels. Sarcomas can develop in almost any part of the body, but most start in the arms and legs.
In the early stages of soft tissue sarcoma, the tumors are usually removed surgically and the spots are monitored for any recurrence. Chemo and radiation therapy may be used to shrink tumors or to treat areas where tumors have been removed to prevent cancer from forming again. In rare cases, an entire limb may have to be removed. With Stage IV sarcoma, cancer has spread to other parts of the body and it is usually incurable.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) documents that at least one study shows a link between exposure to vinyl chloride and the development of soft tissue cancer. Vinyl Chloride is used to make a variety of plastic products, including pipes, and wire and cable coatings.
Vinyl Chloride is known to have been in Camp Lejeune well water over a span of years between the 1950s and the 1980s. It’s also a byproduct of two other harmful chemicals found in the water supply on the Marine Corps Base.
Documentation Needed to File a Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claim
Victims and the families of those harmed by Camp Lejeune’s toxic water and exposure to chemicals like vinyl chloride can seek full compensation for their damages. Soft tissue cancer victims would seek reimbursement for all past medical bills and support to pay for future care expected to be required.
The income and benefits lost when a patient had to miss work or end a career or time in the military due to cancer should be replaced. The physical pain and emotional trauma endured by all cancer patients should earn additional support in a Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claim.
First, Camp Lejeune toxic water sarcoma patients will need to prove their eligibility for benefits provided by the U.S. Government.
They’ll need to locate as many helpful documents as possible to turn over in their injury claims. Their California Camp Lejeune Sarcoma Lawyers would be helping clients secure this proof and other paperwork:
- Medical documentation of their diagnosis, birth records, and invoices showing treatment costs. Estimates on the costs of their care that might be needed in the years ahead or over a lifetime would also help determine the size of a Camp Lejeune toxic water soft tissue sarcoma settlement.
- Veterans of the Marines and other branches of the U.S. Military would also need to provide service records showing they were at Camp Lejeune over the qualifying years. Family members could use these records to show how long they lived on base. Civilian workers would need work records to demonstrate eligibility.
- Paystubs that show a loss of wages and benefits while victims could not go to work during treatment for cancer would also be vital. A permanent disability would leave the federal government responsible for lifelong support for cancer victims and their immediate family members.
Many soft tissue sarcoma victims have passed on after dealing with a lifetime of hardships they may not even have known were connected to their time at Camp Lejeune. They didn’t get to see justice served through the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, but their family members can still file a claim on their behalf and secure a settlement. Families would need to locate important records left behind by a loved one with the help of a Camp Lejeune wrongful death lawyer.
To begin investigating your eligibility, please visit our Camp Lejeune injury claim intake page. It’s an easy way to get a better idea if you qualify and it also helps streamline the process when you discuss your case in a free consultation with a California Camp Lejeune Justice Act Lawyer.
Contact a California Camp Lejeune Justice Act Lawyer
Many victims of toxic water at Camp Lejeune still live in North Carolina, but some military families were reassigned to Camp Pendleton in California. Many soft tissue sarcoma victims may have retired in and around Oceanside or anywhere else in the state.
Maison Law has made itself available to represent and provide focused legal assistance to California’s victims of cancers experienced after time at Camp Lejeune. Maison Law is also able to compassionately represent families forced to grieve the loss of loved ones who served, lived, or worked at Camp Lejeune.
If you or a loved one developed soft tissue cancer after contact with contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, you might be eligible for substantial compensation.
Contact attorney Martin Gasparian for a free and confidential case consultation for you and your family.
