Over a million people were affected because of the Camp Lejeune water contamination. Between 1953 and 1987, the waters in this region were contaminated with solvents like perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE). It made the veterans suffer from ailments like liver cancer, adult leukemia, birth defects, renal toxicity, and many more.
However, the CLJA (Camp Lejeune Justice Act) of 2022 came as a boon for several families harmed by the polluted waters. The act gave them hope to file a legal complaint and expect fair compensation to cover all the damages they have suffered. It is necessary to file the claims by August 2024.
According to the January 2024 lawsuit update, there have been close to 1,500 cases filed at the federal court in North Carolina. Additionally, there are another 152,377 administrative claims submitted. To date, the federal government has made payments that are equal to $2.05 million.
Therefore, if you or anyone you know has been affected by the toxic waters of Camp Lejeune and wants to get compensated, it is essential to file a lawsuit. For that, it is essential to join hands with a lawyer so that you get guided correctly through the legal process and get the compensation, at the earliest.
In this article, we will discuss how you can choose a suitable lawyer for your Camp Lejeune legal case and increase your chances of getting the justice you deserve.
Finding the Correct Lawyer: The Essential Guidelines
A lawyer doesn’t just help you navigate the legal landscape, they also provide you with useful suggestions on approaching your legal case so that the verdict is in your favor. The best lawyers for a Camp Lejeune lawsuit need to fulfill the following criteria:
Awareness of the Conditions at Camp Lejeune
If you want to get the justice and compensation you deserve, it is essential to get representation from someone who has a clear understanding of the history of the Marine Corps base. Since there are certain rules on when and why to file the lawsuit, the lawyers should stay updated with every turn of events, ranging from water contamination to CLJA enforcement.
The lawyers should be aware of the following:
- The list of chemicals that made the water supply at the base polluted
- The water contamination duration
- The ailments linked to toxic water exposure
- The federal initiatives for addressing and resolving the issue
- The rules and regulations for filing a lawsuit
When a lawyer knows all these points, they will be in a position to develop a strong case and fight for a victim’s rights in court.
Free Consultation
Today, the majority of personal injury lawyers provide free consultation. Hence, no one willing to file a legal case should pay to get an initial review by a lawyer. You must leverage the free consultation and assess whether you would want to team up with this lawyer.
It is necessary to have your queries addressed in the free consultation session so that you are aware of your rights. Also, the way a lawyer answers your questions will determine whether you can trust them with your case or not.
If, through the consultation process, you feel that the lawyer needs a little more research or experience to manage your case, chances are you must trust it. In such a situation, you should always move on to another lawyer who you feel confident about and can trust that they will give you what you are aiming for.
Experience in Estimating Damage Amounts
An expert lawyer will have the know-how to calculate the compensation and damages to which a victim is entitled. A lawyer with the correct expertise and relevant experience should consider various factors, like immediate financial factors for covering medical bills and any other long-term health impacts on a client’s wellness and health while deciding on compensation.
Typically, a Camp Lejeune legal claim is not just about medical costs. It is also about holding the government accountable for the neglect that veterans and their family members have undergone for decades for multiple psychological and physical damages. It can encompass anything from emotional turmoil, pain, and suffering to lost wages. The lawyer needs to identify various kinds of damages that you have encountered and ensure that you get fair compensation.
TorHoerman Law states that lawyers use the evidence that victims submit to build a strong case, which helps establish the compensation amount. Since every case differs based on the exposure duration and the degree of damages, there isn’t any standard payout amount that fits every legal case. The lawyers update the clients about this so that they can have practical expectations about the settlement payouts.
A Positive Business Reputation
Any professional gets the respect they deserve based on the customer goodwill they generate out of the service they provide. And one of the best ways to check that is to read through the online testimonials and reviews. Clients today are vocal about their opinions and don’t shy away from sharing them online.
It means if they have been benefited by a specific lawyer or law firm, they will write about it online, either in the website’s review columns or on public review sites. The opposite is also true. It’s a utopian concept to think that a lawyer or law firm will have all positive reviews. But you need to compare the reviews and arrive at an informed decision.
Hence, if a lawyer or law firm has more unfavorable reviews, chances are you should be aware and look for another option.
Finally, it is necessary to realize that a lawyer will function as your legal guide to move through the legal procedures as you file your Camp Lejeune lawsuit. Therefore, selecting someone capable can help you get the compensation and justice you need is necessary. The guidelines shared in this article will ensure that you can choose a lawyer who has both the skill and experience to cater to your requirements and prove beneficial to you.
