The PACT act is a new law that was signed by President Joe Biden on August 8, 2022. This new act allows military members, civilian contractors, and even family members that lived on Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 to file for disability benefits. There are certain requirements in order for people to file for disability and compensation.
If you believe you might be owed compensation or VA disability benefits, read on below to find out more about settlement amounts from Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuits, and if you qualify for benefits.
What is the Camp Lejeune Contamination Lawsuit?
Between the years of 1953 and 1987, groundwater at Camp Lejeune, a Marine training base in North Carolina, was contaminated with a number of lethal toxins and chemical compounds.
These toxins were used as solvents, and were meant to dissolve other compounds in a variety of different industries. Sadly, these toxins have caused a variety of illnesses and long-lasting effects on people exposed to the water at Camp Lejeune. These effects include the following:
- Adult leukemia
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
How Does the PACT Act Help?
The PACT act was signed into effect on August 8, 2022. It is also known as The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
The PACT act extends benefits to military members, civilian servants, and their families. In particular, civilian servants and families were once not able to obtain VA disability benefits, since this was on reserved for active duty, reserve military members, and National guardsmen.
Fortunately, you are now able to file for disability benefits even if you are a civilian member. The PACT act includes within its law the Camp Lejeune Act of 2022. Although the PACT act focuses on veterans exposed to toxins, they also includes the Camp Lejeune Act of 2022, which allows people to file a civil lawsuit against the federal government for additional settlement.
How Much Compensation Am I Eligible For?
The settlement amounts from Camp Lejeune water contamination will differ for everyone. The VA disability you are entitled to will depend on several factors, such as:
- Ongoing medical care due to your illness
- Ongoing mental health care, for instance, this water contamination also leads to miscarriages and infertility, which can be extremely traumatic
- Expenses due to past medical care that you paid out of pocket, such as chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer
The VA wants to see that you were in fact exposed to water at Camp Lejeune between the years of 1953 and 1987 for more than 30 days. They also want to know if you developed one of 15 illnesses due to water toxicity, including those listed above.
They also want to know that you were not dishonorably discharged from the military. While the PACT act makes it easier to file your VA disability and prove you qualify for benefits, this does not mean it’s an easy process.
You still need to start your claim online, and submit relevant information pertaining to your medical disease, proof of your pain and suffering, and proof you served or lived on base. VA disability benefits work on a tiered system. 100% compensation allows people to earn around $3,500 a month or more, depending on whether or not they have dependents.
Get your Disability Benefits Today With Dolman Law Group
Dolman Law Group is here to help fight on your behalf, so you can get the disability and settlement you deserve. Call us today for a consultation.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
