Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Causes Parkinson’s Disease and Abortion: Legal Solutions
Many veterans and their relatives are suffering from serious illnesses today because of the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. For more than three decades, civilian employees, veterans, and their family members at Marine Corps bases bathed, drank, and used polluted water to cook food. People who have been exposed to this poisonous water for 30 days or more and have developed diseases have started filing legal complaints against the government.
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and various other chemicals found in water wells at Camp Lejeune were linked to birth defects, several types of cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and other extreme health effects. Evidence of abortion has also been found, due to which many women have had to suffer.
In this article, we will shed light on how toxic water caused Parkinson’s disease and miscarriage and how victims can use legal options to get their compensation.
Toxic Water and Parkinson’s Disease
In May 2023, Military.com reported that sailors and Marines at Camp Lejeune unknowingly bathed and drank contaminated water and were adversely affected. New research says this results in a 70% higher risk of Parkinson’s disease.
The study was recently published in the “Journal of the American Medical Association Neurology.” It says the chemicals that have contaminated the base water supply for more than 40 years have resulted in chronic diseases. Fatal diseases often affect a person’s nervous system and can cause tremors, slurred speech and challenges with movement.
Going further, the research compared the health records of approximately 172,000 personnel who lived at Camp Lejeune between 1975 and 1985 with 170,000 people who lived at Camp Pendleton who were not exposed to the toxic water.
As a result, the data showed that approximately 279 service members living at Camp Lejeune were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease or displayed similar symptoms, compared to 151 members at Pendleton.
Summarizing the findings, the researchers concluded that Parkinson’s disease was much more prevalent among Camp Lejeune veterans. Therefore, since 2017, the disease has been counted as a presumptive condition for those who were on a Marine Corps base for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987. This means that disability claims filed by veterans and others are moved through the processing system faster.
Veterans suffering from Parkinson’s disease due to exposure to toxic water can file a lawsuit and seek compensation for their losses. Today, it is ideal to contact any of the best lawyers for Camp Lejeune lawsuit and file a claim, as an expert lawyer will guide you through the legal process, which might otherwise be challenging to navigate.
Camp Lejeune water causes miscarriage and infertility
In addition to Parkinson’s, contaminated Camp Lejeune water has also been linked to miscarriage, infertility and birth defects. It is possible that toxic chemicals may adversely affect the normal functioning of a woman’s reproductive system.
Toxic water risks were discovered at Camp Lejeune in the 1980s. Since then, ATSDR (Agency of Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) has been investigating possible health risks.
These investigations and studies have highlighted the link between toxic chemicals and serious medical conditions such as cancer, infant birth defects and infertility in women.
According to a study in 2015, exposure to chemicals such as TCE (trichlorethylene) and PCE (perchloroethylene) caused health problems that harmed a woman’s fertility and menstrual cycle. The water at Camp Lejeune contained both TCE and PCE. Some abortions are caused by birth defects that begin in the uterus. On the other hand, some others had causes that were not associated with birth defects.
Evidence that links toxic Camp Lejeune water to miscarriage and infertility
Miscarriage occurs when there is spontaneous loss of a fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy. On the other hand, female infertility occurs because a woman is unable to conceive despite having unprotected intercourse.
Both conditions in women can be influenced by many factors, such as genetic factors, structural anomalies, and environmental toxins.
Exposure to certain chemicals, particularly those found in Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water, can affect the reproductive system and disrupt hormonal balance. As a result, this may increase the risk of infertility and miscarriage.
The CDC’s Toxin Fact Pages talk about chemicals present in Camp Lejeune’s water at unsafe levels that lead to many health problems. Let’s take a closer look at the chemicals mentioned earlier and how they affect a woman’s body.
TCE
Scientists have discovered that even minimal exposure to this chemical can affect reproductive hormone levels. It also damages the immune system, liver and heart. It can cause miscarriage, female infertility, cancer and congenital disabilities.
PCE
It damages the liver and kidneys, making it challenging for the body to eliminate this and other toxins. It can also affect emotions, mood, and memory. There are studies that have shown that it can also result in congenital disabilities.
vinyl chloride
This chemical affects the liver, nervous system and immune system. Prolonged exposure may affect male fertility. It may also result in developmental delays in children. Any developmental delay in the mother’s womb can lead to miscarriage.
Therefore, it is important for women who have stayed at Camp Lejeune to be alert for these health symptoms, especially when contamination has occurred. If they notice any abnormality, they should seek immediate medical attention.
finding legal solutions
Today, help is available for women who suffer from infertility and miscarriages due to exposure to Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 (CLJA) enables women to seek financial assistance and justice by filing their claims with the US government.
According to Torhorman law, this can be done with the help of a lawyer who can help women file lawsuits for miscarriage and other infertility issues due to exposure to toxic water. Ideally, women need to have their suffering addressed medically to establish that polluted water is the cause of their illness. Once this is proven, they can use the medical documents as evidence and share it with their lawyer to build a compelling case.
conclusion
News about veterans filing Camp Lejeune lawsuits to seek compensation for their suffering is everywhere. Toxic water has caused many diseases, including several types of cancer, leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Women who suffer miscarriages and victims who develop Parkinson’s disease should seek medical help and then legal help to get the compensation they deserve.