What Are the Symptoms of Contaminated Water at Camp Lejeune?

We now know that for nearly thirty-five years, the water at Camp Lejeune, a United States Marine Corps base near Jacksonville, North Carolina, was contaminated with highly toxic chemicals. Exposure to these chemicals—including trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), vinyl chloride (VC), and benzene—occurred between August 1953 and December 1987.

Given the base’s size and the lengthy period involved, over one million people are estimated to suffer from medical problems due to the harmful chemicals in the camp’s water. On August 10, 2022, President Biden signed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA). This legislation applies specifically to anyone stationed at Camp Lejeune to receive justice for the illnesses and injuries resulting from the contaminated water.

Under CLJA, Camp Lejeune victims have until August 10, 2024, to file a claim. If you are a New York resident, please call our Camp Lejeune Hotline at 888-6-LEJEUNE for a free no-obligation consultation with one of our expert attorneys at Silberstein, and Miklos.

Presumptive Illnesses Caused by Contaminated Water at Camp Lejeune

Eight specific illnesses are considered “presumptive” conditions for anyone who meets the criteria to file a claim under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. If you have one or more of these eight conditions, it is presumed that your illness was caused by exposure to the toxic chemicals in the Camp Lejeune water. The law says you do not need to provide any proof that the water specifically caused your condition at Camp Lejeune, which could otherwise make legal action much more difficult.

The Veteran’s Administration has identified the following eight presumptive illnesses covered by the Camp Lejeune Justice Act:

#1 Adult leukemia

Leukemia is a form of cancer that affects your body’s blood-forming tissues, including bone marrow and the lymphatic system, causing your bone marrow to produce too many abnormal white blood cells that don’t function properly. For purposes of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, your leukemia must have developed after your exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune. If your leukemia diagnosis came beforehand, it is not considered a presumptive illness. Common symptoms of leukemia include:

• Fever or chills
• Persistent fatigue/weakness
• Frequent or severe infections
• Unexplained weight loss
• Swollen lymph nodes, enlarged liver or spleen
• Easy bleeding or bruising
• Recurrent nosebleeds
• Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae)
• Excessive sweating (especially at night)
• Bone pain or tenderness

#2 Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of disorders caused by poorly formed blood cells that die within the bone marrow or just after entering the bloodstream. Over time, the defective cells outnumber the healthy cells. Symptoms of MDS include:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Unusual paleness
• Easy or unusual bleeding or bruising
• Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae)
• Frequent infections

#3 Bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cells of the bladder. Though this type of cancer is treatable, it has a high recurrence rate, so you will typically need follow-up tests for many years after treatment to ensure it has not returned. Symptoms of bladder cancer include:

• Blood in urine, causing it to appear bright red or cola-colored
• Frequent urination
• Painful urination
• Back pain

#4 Kidney cancer

Kidney cancer is caused when cells within the kidneys mutate. Symptoms of kidney cancer include:

• Blood in urine, causing it to appear bright red or cola-colored
• Pain in your back or side that doesn’t go away
• Loss of appetite
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fatigue
• Fever

#5 Liver cancer

Many types of cancer, unfortunately, spread to the liver after starting in another organ, but it is only considered liver cancer if the cell mutation begins within the liver. Symptoms of liver cancer include:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Upper abdominal pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• General weakness and fatigue
• Abdominal swelling
• Jaundice (yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes)
• White, chalky stools

#6 Multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that forms in your plasma cells- the white blood cells that help you fight infections. These cancerous plasma cells produce quickly and overwhelm healthy cells, causing fatigue and an inability to fight infections. Symptoms of multiple myeloma may include the following:

• Bone pain, especially in the spine or chest
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Mental fogginess or confusion
• Fatigue
• Frequent infections
• Unexplained weight loss
• Weakness or numbness in the legs
• Excessive thirst

#7 Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer that begins in your body’s germ-fighting immune system— known as the lymphatic system—when your body overproduces lymphocytes, a specific type of white blood cell. Cancerous lymphocytes often begin in your lymph nodes but can quickly spread through your lymphatic system, including your tonsils, adenoids, spleen, thymus, and bone marrow. Symptoms may include:

• Swollen lymph nodes in your neck, armpits, and groin
• Abdominal pain or swelling
• Chest pain, coughing, or trouble breathing
• Persistent fatigue
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Unexplained weight loss

#8 Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nerve disorder in which neurons, a type of nerve cell in the brain, slowly break down over time. This loss of nerve cells results in a lack of dopamine, a chemical your brain needs to function correctly. With this decreased functional capability, you will lose motor control, which will worsen with time. Symptoms may include:

• Tremors
• Slowed movement
• Rigid muscles
• Impaired posture and balance
• Loss of automatic movements
• Speech changes
• Writing changes

Call 888-6-LEJEUNE for Immediate Help

The toxic water at the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is a black eye on our dedicated military personnel, and the exposure to these dangerous chemicals baffles the mind to comprehend. If you or a loved one was stationed at Camp Lejeune and you were exposed to the toxic chemicals in the water, you deserve justice now. If you are a New York resident, please call our Camp Lejeune Hotline at 888-6-LEJEUNE for a free no-obligation consultation with one of our expert attorneys at Silberstein, and Miklos.