Blogs from July, 2022

PRESS RELEASE – JULY 28, 2022

Liberty-Life Media, a pro-military media outlet, reports that MJA will represent Marine veterans and their families harmed by Camp Lejeune Water Contamination.

After years of denying justice to those harmed by the toxic water, Congress recently passed the “Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022” which, once signed into law, will allow those who have been injured to file lawsuits for compensation.

If you or a loved one lived or worked at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least thirty (30) days between 1 August 1953 and 31 December 1987 and have been diagnosed with or experienced a qualifying medical condition, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation.

The attorneys at MJA all served on active-duty in the United States Marine Corps who will work tirelessly to give you the best possible representation.

Contact MJA today to determine your eligibility for the lawsuit.

The post PRESS RELEASE – MJA to Represent Camp Lejeune Families in Water Contamination Claims appeared first on Military Justice Attorneys.

MARINES DEFENDING MARINES

For over 30 years, Marines, their loved ones, and civilian contractors stationed and/or working at MCB Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River were exposed to drinking water systems contaminated with industrial chemicals. Numerous types of cancer, Parkinson’s disease, birth defects, female infertility, and other health conditions have been linked to these contaminants.

After years of denying justice to those harmed by the contaminated water, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 recently became law, creating a federal cause of action to allow those who suffered from water contamination to file lawsuits for compensation.

If you or a loved one lived or worked at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least thirty (30) days between 1 August 1953 and 31 December 1987 and have been diagnosed with or experienced a qualifying medical condition, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. The attorneys at MJA are ALL former active-duty Marines who will work tirelessly to give you the best possible representation.

Contact MJA today to determine your eligibility for the lawsuit.

CAMP LEJEUNE JUSTICE ACT

The “Camp Lejeune Justice Act”, contained within the larger PACT Act (Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act), creates a federal cause of action for those injured by contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act allows any individual, veteran, or their legal representative to file a claim and bring an action against the United States for damages. The bill prohibits the Government from asserting immunity and requires the claimant to prove that contaminated water caused their injuries.

All claims for damages due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune must be filed within 2 years after the bill becomes law.

ELIGIBILITY FOR LAWSUIT

To be eligible for a claim you must have:

1. Lived or worked at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River between August 1953 and December 1987 (The areas affected cover all of Camp Lejeune including Camp Geiger, Camp Johnson/Montford Point, Tarawa Terrace, Holcomb Boulevard, Paradise Point, Hadnot Point, Onslow Beach, MCAS New River, Stone Bay Rifle Range, and Camp Lejeune Greater Sandy Run – See Benefit Coverage Area chart below).
2. Lived or worked there at least thirty (30) cumulative days during that period. (This includes but is not limited to Marines permanently stationed at Camp Lejeune. For example, Marines who attended Marine Combat Training (MCT) at Camp Lejeune for more than 30 days may also qualify. Those who were “exposed” during contaminated water (including in utero exposure) may also qualify);
3. Have been diagnosed with or experienced a qualifying medical condition (listed below).
4. Are NOT currently represented by an attorney.

QUALIFYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS

The VA had identified a number of presumptive conditions known to be related to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune. These are:

• Adult leukemia
• Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
• Bladder cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Multiple myeloma (cancer in the white blood cells / plasma cells)
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Parkinson’s disease

The VA also identified a larger list of conditions which may receive coverage. This list includes, but is not limited to:

• Bladder cancer
• Breast cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Female infertility
• Hepatic steatosis (fatty liver disease)
• Kidney cancer
• Leukemia
• Lung cancer
• Miscarriage
• Multiple myeloma (cancer in the white blood cells / plasma cells)
• Myelodysplastic syndromes
• Neurobehavioral effects
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Renal toxicity
• Scleroderma (systemic sclerosis)

HISTORY OF CONTAMINATED DRINKING WATER AT CAMP LEJEUNE

In the 1980s, dangerous contaminants were found in several wells that provided drinking water to the residents of MCB Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River, North Carolina. These contaminants, listed below, leaked into the water from on-base storage tanks and industrial activities, and an off-base dry cleaner. The primary contaminants identified include:

• Benzene,
• Tetrachloroethylene (PCE),
• Trichloroethylene (TCE),
• Trans-1,2-dichloroethylene (DCE), and
• Vinyl chloride. 

Benzene found in groundwater often indicates contamination from refined petroleum products (e.g., gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuel). PCE, another common groundwater contaminant, is a chemical widely used for dry cleaning fabrics and for metal degreasing operations. According to a Public Health Assessment conducted in 2017, “TCE and vinyl chloride were the chemicals that contributed most to the increased risk of cancer.”

Researchers identified the contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune in 1980 at the Hadnot Point and Tarawa Terrace water treatment plants. In February 1985, the base shut down the Tarawa Terrace’s two most contaminated wells and closed the Tarawa Terrace water treatment plant altogether in March 1987.

It is estimated that nearly 1 million people were exposed to the toxic drinking water at Camp Lejeune from 1953-1987. This includes children living on-base, civilian employees who worked on-base, Marines permanently stationed there or in training, and dependent spouses. The contaminated drinking water could have adversely affected pregnant women and their babies, in particular, as “women in the first trimester of pregnancy are one of the most sensitive populations for exposure to TCE.”

MARINES DEFENDING MARINES

This is not simply ANOTHER CASE for MJA. As with any mass tort litigation, if you have spent even a few minutes on Facebook or Google you have already been bombarded with advertisements from big name plaintiffs’ firms who specialize in mass tort litigation. Most of these attorneys never served in the military and certainly don’t know what it means to be a Marine. To them, this is just another case. No different than a hip implant litigation or hernia mesh lawsuit.

But to us, it’s different.

At MJA, ALL our attorneys were active-duty Marines. And so were our brothers, fathers, uncles, grandfathers, and closest friends. We understand what service and sacrifice mean and live by the motto: Semper Fidelis. It is for that reason that our entire law practice centers on representing active-duty service members and veterans. This is at the heart of who we are and what we do. We have served military service members before this litigation and will serve them after. As Marines ourselves, MJA will work tirelessly on your behalf.

CONTACT US TODAY

If you or a loved one lived or worked at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River between 1 August 1953 and 31 December 1987 and have been diagnosed with or experienced a qualifying medical condition, contact us today to determine if you are for a lawsuit.

The post Marines Defending Marines – Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit appeared first on Military Justice Attorneys.

July 1, 2022 – Press Release

MJA is pleased to announce that Clare C. (Chip) Hodge, III has joined our military criminal defense team. Chip is an experienced trial attorney who retired from active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2022 as a Lieutenant Colonel, having served as a judge advocate in numerous key billets. He last served as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces South, an organization of approximately 100,000 Marines serving in an active or reserve status.

“We are thrilled that Chip, an accomplished and seasoned litigator, has chosen to join us,” said Gerald Healy, founder and managing partner of MJA. “Chip will be an enormous asset to the firm, our worldwide criminal defense practice, and to the service members he represents.”  

Before joining MJA, Chip was recognized for his exemplary service in trial advocacy and hand-selected to serve as Deputy, Military Justice Branch, Judge Advocate Division at Headquarters Marine Corps, Pentagon. Chip also served as Senior Trial Counsel and Deputy Officer-in-Charge at the Legal Services Support Section-National Capital Region and Marine Forces Reserve.

Throughout his career, Chip has litigated both felony and misdemeanor-level matters involving alleged sex offenses, aggravated assault and battery crimes, domestic violence, theft, frauds against the United States, false official statements, drunken and reckless driving, dereliction of duty, adultery, fraternization, sexual harassment, and hazing, among others.

Chip also has extensive experience in civilian criminal defense and family law. He understands how military criminal matters and adverse administrative cases and even civilian criminal proceedings can negatively impact a service member’s career and post-service life. Chip knows how the military justice system operates and wholeheartedly embraces the MJA ethos of defending those who defend us, including their families.

Chip received his Juris Doctor from Georgia State University College of Law, his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Memphis Fogelman College of Business and Economics, and his Bachelor of Arts in International Business from Rhodes College (TN). He is a member of the Georgia and South Carolina bar.

The post Retired Marine Officer and Judge Advocate, Chip Hodge, Joins MJA appeared first on Military Justice Attorneys.