According to a recent study, veterans and their families who drank water from the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune are 70% more likely to get Parkinson’s disease. This information could support ongoing legal claims against the government for hazardous conditions.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that veterans and their families exposed to contaminated water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune have a 70% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared to other service members. The study highlights the long-lasting and severe effects of the toxic water at the base from the 1950s to the 1980s, potentially supporting numerous civil lawsuits filed against the government by over 1 million individuals stationed there. The research discovered that approximately one in 370 troops studied showed signs of Parkinson’s disease, a neurological disorder causing involuntary movements. Although the study did not focus on spouses and children living at the base, researchers inferred that the risk of Parkinson’s disease is elevated among those exposed to trichloroethylene and other volatile organic compounds in the water. The contamination resulted from chemicals leaching into the water supply from a nearby dry-cleaning firm, as well as leaks from storage tanks and industrial pollution. While the Department of Veterans Affairs acknowledges Parkinson’s disease as a presumptive condition related to service at Camp Lejeune, these benefits do not extend to family members. However, recent legislation allows affected individuals and veterans seeking additional compensation to sue the government for harm caused by exposure to the contaminated water, with pending lawsuits in federal courts.
