Exposure to these chemicals can result in a wide range of devastating health effects, including various forms of cancer, birth defects, miscarriages, infertility, and Parkinson’s disease. Although Marines harmed by these chemicals could receive disability benefits through the Veterans Benefits Administration, they faced an uphill battle to demonstrate that exposure to toxic water caused their disease or disability. Dependents of those Marines had no means of recovery.
In 2015, the VA announced that Marines and their dependents who were exposed to toxic water could seek medical care, or reimbursement for medical care, for 15 different conditions, but had no means of recovery otherwise. Then, in 2017, eight conditions were designated as presumptive conditions for Marines who had been stationed at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days.
Currently, conditions that are considered presumptive for exposure to the toxic water for veterans include:
Family members who were at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days can get health care or reimbursement for health care for the following conditions:
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