When a community’s water source is fouled, the results can be devastating. Just look at the situation many of the U.S. Marines and their families who have been stationed at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune have faced. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted an investigation of toxic exposure due to contaminated water at the base and linked the pollutants they found in several samples to numerous diseases, including:
Despite these discoveries, attorneys for the federal government are calling for North Carolina toxic exposure lawsuits filed by the victims to be thrown out of court based on the state’s “statute of repose” more commonly known as a statute of limitations. WRAL News explains the lawyers are arguing the claims are being made after a 10-year time limit.
Law states such claims must be made within 10-years of the last act of contamination taking place. Federal lawyers say the last incident of toxins being found in the water took place in 1987. Furthermore, they believe a law passed to cover the cost of damages the victims of the Camp Lejeune water contamination face should suffice.
Attorneys for the victims have recanted with arguments stating the courts have never decided when the pollution at the Marine base ended and that there may be an exception to the statutes due to the length of time it takes certain diseases linked to the exposure to manifest themselves in patients.
At HensonFuerst, our North Carolina personal injury lawyers understand the devastating effects contaminated water can have on an individual’s health, which is why we are hopeful a decision in this case will bring closure to the incident for the families of the victims.