In the early 1980s, the Marine Corps Base Camp in North Carolina, Lejeune, discovered that two of its water supply systems were contaminated with two industrial solvents. Scientists found both trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE), both of which can cause serious health problems for those exposed. Supplied by the Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point treatment plants, it meant that both marines and their families would have come in direct contact with this poisoned water. Despite all of the laws, though, not every family or individual was able to get the help they needed to fight these illnesses. We look at how these two chemicals affect the body, who’s broken their silence about the matter from the base, what’s occurred since this 40-year-old discovery came to light, and what it all ultimately means for you.
Health Effects
TCE and PTE are often used for cleaning metal parts of machinery. They’re both known as Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOC), meaning they emit a gas into the air that can be harmful on its own. It can also mix with other pollutants in the air to cause a number of ill health effects. TCE is best known for its link to cancer, particularly kidney cancer. There is also some research to suggest that it’s linked with liver cancer and non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. PCE can cause breathing problems, vision problems, headaches, and even issues with muscle coordination. When either PCE or TCE breaks down, it can form vinyl chloride (VC). VC can cause anything from fatigue to coma and death. The presence of any of these chemicals in the air can irritate the eyes and respiratory tract.
Camp Lejeune Testimonials
When people talk about living on the base and detail their Camp Lejeune claims, they remember how nice the housing was and how many new people there were to meet. However, it’s clear that life there took a toll on their long-term health. Antoinette Scott was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2011, a disease she managed to live through, but not without a lot of pain, stress, and aftermath of the disease.
After spending many years living at Camp Lejeune with her ex-husband drinking the water, playing in the pool, showering, etc, she was experiencing more than three decades worth of contamination. She ultimately blames the base for failing to keep its people safe. While her bills were covered by military insurance, many people’s claims were denied. Congress has had to step in to vote for more benefits. North Carolina also has a strict statute of limitations for any suit brought against the government, which has ultimately limited families from having any recourse at all.
Contact Wallace and Graham, P.A.
While North Carolina’s law made it difficult for people to file suit before, there have been recent developments to bring more justice to the table. Representative Davide Price said that Camp Lejeune was unfair in every sense of the word. It’s why he and fellow Representative Greg Murphy are co-sponsors of the Campe Lejuene Justice Act.
This law essentially gives people their day in court, and it’s already passed the US House. Nearly a million people may have come into contact with contaminated water, which could mean thousands of lawsuits. As the sponsors put it, this has nothing to do with what side of the aisle you’re on. Those who were damaged by this water deserve to have justice on their side. There is no taking back the tragedy in North Carolina, but there are ways to go about getting some relief from it. Mona Lisa Wallace and her partner Bill Graham have a staff that is passionate about working with clients until they get what they need. If you've been exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune, contact us today to learn more about how to get the ball rolling.