Residents of Ohio and across the country expect to be safe no matter where they live. Sadly, that’s not always the case as people living on a Marine base have suffered illnesses due to water contamination.
What happened to the people on the Marine base?
Camp Lejeune was home to members of the Marines and their families. However, many years later, they fell ill. One woman stated that multiple members of her family developed different types of cancer and died.
It’s believed that water contamination occurred as a result of an underground fuel tank leaking into the water and soil.
Can the victims get justice?
After many victims and their families suffered serious illnesses and some passed away, federal lawmakers took action. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 is part of a bill that’s making rounds through Congress. The bill has bipartisan support and aims to provide improved health care for former marines and other veterans who have suffered exposure to toxins. The bill has already passed in the House and should be voted on by the Senate soon.
If the bill passes into law, it would give people who lived or worked at the marine base for at least one month between Aug. 1, 1953 and Dec. 31, 1987 the right to file a lawsuit against the government if they later became sick.
Survivors such as the woman who witnessed her siblings and parents dying from cancer have been waiting for someone to be held accountable for the pain and loss.
A study from 2013 determined that there were a number of toxic chemicals in the well water at Camp Lejeune, which contributed to the illnesses and deaths. The water at the base was also reported as being the most contaminated in the country’s history. Various types of cancer were also detected as being common among people stationed at the base.
If the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 passes, it might bring some relief to survivors.
