If you were injured by a defective product or suffered an illness because of someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. At Camp Lejeune, many people were affected by the disaster at the Marine Corps Base for over 30 years.
The effects of contaminated drinking water can include critical illnesses like cancer and birth defects in children born after their mothers consumed it during pregnancy. If you are one of these people, then having professional legal assistance is essential because there is no way that you can navigate these complex waters alone.
Be Proactive in Seeking Medical Attention
If you have symptoms, do not wait to seek medical attention. Instead, be proactive in scheduling appointments with your doctor and getting test results back as soon as possible. The sooner you know what’s going on with your health, the better equipped you’ll be to take action that could help improve or prevent further complications.
- Document all symptoms: Camp Lejeune water contamination victims should keep a detailed log of all symptoms they experience throughout their lives, even if they seem minor at first glance. They may be indicators of more serious conditions later.
- Don’t rely on VA benefits: While it’s true that veterans stationed at Camp Lejeune during its toxic era are eligible for medical care through the Department of Veteran Affairs, it doesn’t mean every veteran qualifies for equal compensation.
Gather Supporting Evidence
You may have a lot of paperwork to show that you’ve been sick for years, but it’s not enough to have the documents. You’ll need them organized and sorted into categories so that it’s easy for the other side to understand what’s going on with your case. Maintain a file containing all these records and ensure they’re easily accessible when necessary.
If necessary, you must get help from doctors specialized in toxic exposure cases or victims’ rights law. However, don’t rely solely on medical experts unfamiliar with how Camp Lejeune illnesses present themselves over time.
Instead, seek specialists who can provide context around how long-term exposure might affect an individual’s health status today versus ten years ago when they first started experiencing symptoms.
TorHoerman Law LLC, a law firm in the US, mentions that evidence for the Camp Lejeune lawsuit may include health care information, travel records, medical bills, diagnoses records, residential proof at Camp Lejeune during the toxic era, etc.
Work with Experienced Lawyers
If you find yourself facing a lawsuit and want to get the best possible outcome, it’s crucial to work with experienced lawyers. However, with approximately 1.33 million lawyers in the US, according to Statista, it becomes a challenging task to choose the right one.
However, from recommendations from friends and family members and online reviews and ratings, you can find someone experienced in fetching fair compensation for your injury.
Experienced attorneys know the law. They have a good track record of success in similar cases and understand how your state’s legal system works. They also have experience with medical issues related to a Camp Lejeune lawsuit. It is especially critical because these cases can involve long periods in which victims develop illnesses that require specialized care or treatment.
Finally, experienced attorneys know what kind of compensation victims should expect from their injury claims. They also know how much money it will take to settle out-of-court versus going through the trial.
Understand Your Rights and Options
You have rights. You have options. And you deserve to be compensated for the harm that was done to you and your family by Camp Lejeune’s water contamination. The first step in fighting for fair compensation is understanding those rights and how they can help protect you during this difficult time and beyond it.
You may be wondering what exactly to know about legal rights. What are the options when it comes down to filing a claim against the government? And how to ensure to get the best possible representation in court?
Communicate with Your Legal Team
If you and your legal team are not communicating, you’re likely missing out on important information. For example, if a new medical study is released showing that the water contamination at Camp Lejeune caused a specific type of cancer, this could be invaluable information to have in your case.
In addition, according to the University of Southern California, effective communication help achieve the common goals of the parties involved.
If there are any changes in your health or circumstances since starting treatment for Camp Lejeune-related illnesses, let your legal team know immediately. It will help them to track down any additional records and evidence needed to prove what happened to them and how their exposure to toxic chemicals caused their illness.
Negotiate Skillfully
If you are seeking fair compensation for your injuries, it is necessary to be prepared with a strong negotiating strategy. Your attorney should have the experience and knowledge to help you make the best possible deal. According to Forbes, more than 90% of personal injury cases are settled through negotiation.
Therefore for a personal injury lawyer, the skill to negotiate with insurance companies and other parties involved is extremely necessary. Negotiating skillfully can be challenging, but it is also one of the most crucial aspects of securing a good settlement.
Your lawyers may recommend that you consider walking away from negotiations if they feel their client will not receive adequate compensation under any proposed settlement agreement or verdict. In addition, they may advise against accepting any offer made by an insurance company until all other options have been exhausted and only then make a decision that is best for their client’s interests.
Water Contamination Victims Deserve Fair Compensation
The water contamination at Camp Lejeune is a tragedy that has affected numerous lives. The government should be held accountable for the harm it caused, and those who were harmed deserve fair compensation.
Compensation comes in many forms, like monetary awards, medical care, burial services and other related expenses, loss of income, and earning capacity. There are also non-economic damages available, such as pain and suffering for those diagnosed with cancer or other critical illnesses due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
Ultimately, the best way to get fair compensation is to hire an experienced attorney to help you navigate this difficult process. They’ve helped thousands of people recover from their injuries and losses related to Camp Lejeune water contamination, so they know what works and what doesn’t when fighting for what you deserve.
