Parkinson’s Disease: A Chronic Health Condition Linked to Camp Lejeune’s Toxic Water

 Posted on November 21, 2022 in Personal Injury

The Veterans Administration only recently added Parkinson’s disease to the list of serious health problems linked to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune. Parkinson's disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease. Nearly one million people are living with Parkinson's in this country. Unfortunately, this number is only expected to rise and there is no cure. As the illness progresses, people experience everything from tremors to psychosis. If you or a loved one worked or served at the base, you deserve compensation for this chronic health condition.

What is Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes uncontrollable movements that worsen over time. These include shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance. Parkinson’s disease will eventually affect a person’s ability to swallow, walk, and talk. They may experience memory problems, sleep issues, depression, and fatigue.

The Connections Between Toxins and Parkinson’s disease

Nerve cells produce dopamine but when they are impaired they cause movement issues. Although more research is needed to understand what causes the neurons to die there are studies to indicate that exposure to toxins is a key factor along with genetics.

The chemicals in the water at Camp Lejeune were thousands of times higher than what is deemed safe by the Environmental Protection Agency. The water contained harmful solvents and cleaning solutions including perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene. It is estimated that more than one million people were exposed to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune.

Health Conditions that Qualify for a Claim 

For more than 30 years, veterans and their families tried to seek justice and thousands were denied a claim. In March 2017, Parkinson’s disease was finally included in the list of serious health conditions. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act signed this year creates an opportunity for you to seek restitution from the federal government.

If you or a loved one served, worked, or lived at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days from August 1953 to December 1987 you could have been exposed to contaminants in the water. To file a claim to seek compensation you must have a diagnosis of one or more of the following presumptive conditions:

• Parkinson’s disease

• Liver Cancer

• Kidney Cancer

• Bladder Cancer

• Leukemia

• Multiple Myeloma

• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

• Aplastic anemia or Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Contact a Cook County Camp Lejeune Injury Lawyer

If you developed Parkinson’s disease after serving your country while at Camp Lejeune you could be entitled to compensation. At Schwartz Injury Law we are helping those who worked or lived at Camp Lejeune seek monetary justice for the life-altering injuries they sustained. Call 708-226-9000 for a free consultation and a Joliet Camp Lejeune attorney will review your case.

Sources:

https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/camp-lejeune-water-contamination/

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/13/2017-00499/diseases-associated-with-exposure-to-contaminants-in-the-water-supply-at-camp-lejeune

https://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/statistics

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/parkinsons-disease