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Lawsuit Against VA Over Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

by | May 2, 2016 | Veterans Disability Benefits |

Lawsuit Against VA Over Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

It is well-established that there is extensive concern over the connection between exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and later diagnoses of certain cancers and other enumerate illnesses. For more information on this topic, please see our earlier blogs, here, here, and here.

General eligibility requirements for service connection based on exposure to Camp Lejeune water contamination generally requires: (1) discharge under condition other than dishonorable, (2) service at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or more from August 1953 through 1987, and (3) have a current disease and a medical opinion that states the disease is the result of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The VA has stated that they will initial a VA medical examination and request an opinion regarding the relationship of the disease to Camp Lejeune service.

The subject of the current lawsuit, filed by the Veterans Legal Services Clinic at Yale Law School, seeks to compel the VA to provide more information about these “subject matter experts” who are rendering medical opinions on the veterans exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. Since the program’s inception, approved claims have purportedly dropped from 25 percent to 8 percent. According to the Veterans Legal Services Clinic, for years advocates and individual veterans have attempted to find out more information about these “subject matter experts,” but the VA has failed to provide any information. It is unclear, therefore, what type of education, background, training, or experience these “subject matter experts” have. Hopefully this lawsuit will bring to light more information about this program and shed some much needed transparency on the VA’s approach to denying veterans’ claims for compensation.

If you or a relative were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and have any questions about service-connected disability, please contact our experienced VA-accredited lawyers today.

(h/t Fox News)

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