Neurobehavioral Effects of Toxic Water at Camp Lejeune

Among the recorded neurobehavioral effects of toxic water at Camp Lejeune are:

  • Memory problems
  • Mental illness, such as depression
  • Insomnia
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Mood problems, such as anxiety or irritability

What Are Neurobehavioral Effects?

A neurobehavioral disorder or problem is any condition that affects the connection 

between your nervous system and other parts of your body. For example, nerves play a key role in allowing you to:

  • Control body movements
  • Regulate your mood 
  • Express yourself in appropriate ways
  • Maintain healthy habits, like a proper sleep schedule

Neurobehavioral issues can therefore make it very difficult for you to keep a job, socialize with others, concentrate on important tasks, and live independently. Symptoms may worsen over time, making a bigger and bigger impact on your life.

What Caused the Camp Lejeune Neurobehavioral Effects?

The groundwater at Camp Lejeune contained dangerous chemicals for over thirty years, from 1953 to 1987. These chemicals, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), included numerous industrial solvents that were never meant for human consumption.

Exposure to these chemicals can impact adults, children, and children in utero. This is especially true if, as happened at Camp Lejeune, people were exposed repeatedly over an extended period. 

Other Consequences of Toxic Water Exposure

Industrial solvents and other chemicals found in Camp Lejeune’s water supply have been tied to a variety of health issues. This includes neurobehavioral effects as well as:

  • Many forms of cancer
  • Fertility issues and pregnancy loss
  • Myelodysplastic syndromes
  • Hepatic steatosis
  • Renal toxicity

How Toxic Exposure Occurred at Camp Lejeune

People stationed or living at Camp Lejeune used the contaminated water for many of their daily activities, including:

  • Drinking
  • Cooking
  • Bathing
  • Washing clothes, dishes, and other items

Marines and their families were exposed to a variety of dangerous chemicals multiple times a day for as long as they were at Camp Lejeune. This greatly increased their risk of suffering neurobehavioral effects and other health issues.

After Toxic Water Exposure at Camp Lejeune

If you experience troublesome neurobehavioral symptoms, and you were at Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987, it is important that you see a doctor right away. This can:

  • Prevent symptoms from getting worse
  • Make it easier for a doctor to treat the condition
  • Make it easier for a lawyer to establish a connection between your neurobehavioral effects and the toxic water exposure at Camp Lejeune

Once you seek a diagnosis from a healthcare professional, you can turn your attention to seeking just compensation for the hardships you endured. 

The neurobehavioral effects of toxic water at Camp Lejeune have negatively affected thousands of veterans and their families. You have the right to consult a lawyer who can seek compensation for your injuries and losses.

Filing for Benefits Versus Filing a Lawsuit

Those affected by the Camp Lejeune water contamination have two main options for seeking compensation: filing for medical benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs and filing a lawsuit for general compensation. Each option has its pros and cons. Here’s what to know: 

Pros of Seeking VA Benefits

Per VA, some ailments (such as Parkinson’s disease) are “presumptive” conditions. In other words, if you were at Camp Lejeune and now have Parkinson’s, VA will assume the two events are related and grant you benefits without requiring you to prove a connection. 

If you have another type of neurobehavioral problem, however, you must show VA a connection between your diagnosis and your time at Camp Lejeune. A personal injury attorney can help you locate and present this evidence.

In addition, VA benefits will only cover your medical expenses. To receive other types of compensation (like pain and suffering), you could seek a settlement from the U.S. government, which passed the Camp Lejeune Act of 2022. This allows veterans and their families to seek such compensation.

Pros of Filing a Lawsuit

A pretrial settlement or jury award grants compensation for all types of losses, including:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Physical or intellectual disability
  • Reduced quality of life
  • Loss of consortium
  • Loss of wages or future earning capacity
  • Loss of employment
  • Various illness-related expenditures

Pursuing a settlement, like VA benefits, requires evidence to support your case. However, in the end, you could be reimbursed for all the ways your condition has impacted your life, not just for medical costs.

Can I Get Wrongful Death Compensation?

Yes. If you do not expect to live long enough to complete a legal action, or if your loved one has already passed away, you still have the right to pursue compensation. Both VA and the federal government pay wrongful death compensation to deserving applicants.

Getting Legal Help for Your Camp Lejeune Case

How can a personal injury lawsuit lawyer get compensation for you? Depending on the specifics of your case, they may:

  • Provide a free case review so you have a better understanding of your rights and how to exercise them
  • Collect evidence to establish your presence at Camp Lejeune and the connection between your service and your neurobehavioral problems
  • Calculate how much compensation you deserve based on the length of your service, the severity of your health issues, and so on
  • Help you apply for benefits from VA, which offers monetary benefits to those harmed by Camp Lejeune’s toxic water
  • Negotiate with the liable party (in this case, the U.S. government) for a fair settlement that accurately reflects everything you have lost

Your lawyer can also make your life easier by serving as an invaluable source of support as your case proceeds. They can:

  • Stay in touch with you throughout the case and let you know how things are progressing
  • Go through the pros and cons of each method for pursuing compensation
  • Represent you at all phone calls, teleconferences, and in-person meetings with the other parties
  • Provide new perspectives on your case that you may not have considered

The sooner you start your case, the more your attorney can start advocating for you. 

File a Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Today

If you or a loved one are suffering from the neurobehavioral effects of toxic water at Camp Lejeune, the mass torts lawyers in our network want to know about it. Fill out the contact form so we can evaluate your case today. We want to help you fight for the monetary damages you need to afford medical care, support your dependents, and more.