Camp Lejeune Renal Toxicity Lawsuit

People exposed to the toxic water at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune have filed claims with the DON to gain compensation for their injuries. Some individuals have also filed lawsuits after the DON denied their claim or failed to issue a decision within 6 months of the original filing date.

Many health effects have been linked to the Camp Lejeune water contamination, including several cancers and serious conditions like renal toxicity.

Renal toxicity, also known as nephrotoxicity, is a rapid decline of kidney function. It is caused by exposure to medications and chemicals that damage the kidneys. Several chemicals were discovered in the water supply at Camp Lejeune, affecting residents and workers from August 1, 1953, to December 31, 1987.

These toxic chemicals are called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and have a wide array of observed negative effects on human health. The VOCs discovered in Camp Lejeune’s water are:

• 1,2-dichloroethylene (DCE)
• Benzene
• Perchloroethylene/tetrachloroethylene (PCE)
• Trichloroethylene (TCE)
• Vinyl chloride

These chemicals have been linked to Camp Lejeune kidney disease, renal toxicity, and other health conditions such as:

• Aplastic anemia
• Bladder cancer
• Cardiac birth defects
• Kidney cancer
• Leukemia
• Liver cancer
• Multiple myeloma
• Myelodysplastic syndromes
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Parkinson's disease
• Systemic scleroderma
• Systemic sclerosis

People who develop these conditions should seek medical help as soon as possible.

Veterans, their family members and other on-base personnel and workers were exposed to Camp Lejeune’s toxic water. For many years, affected veterans were consistently denied compensation by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In August 2022, the Honoring Our PACT Act was passed, allowing veterans, their family members and others diagnosed with renal toxicity to file a new kind of claim for a range of toxic military exposures. 

The PACT Act included the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 (CLJA). The CLJA opened a window for people impacted by the base’s contaminated water to file a claim with the Department of the Navy.

However, the deadline has passed to file a claim for injuries caused by toxic water at Camp Lejeune. New claims are no longer being accepted.

Renal toxicity is a serious condition that can lead to kidney damage and failure. It can develop when a person is exposed to chemicals like VOCs. Some of the VOCs found in Camp Lejeune’s water have been linked to renal toxicity.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) published an assessment of the evidence linking these toxins to various Camp Lejeune illnesses. The assessment links two of the VOCs specifically to renal toxicity. 

Perchloroethylene (PCE) and renal toxicity

The ATSDR collected evidence from animal studies that showed PCE causes renal toxicity. It specifically affects the kidney’s tubules, which remove waste from the body when functioning properly.

PCE has also been linked to kidney damage and cancer.

Trichloroethylene (TCE) and renal toxicity

The ATSDR collected evidence from animal studies that showed TCE causes renal toxicity.

TCE has also been linked to kidney damage and cancer.

Doctors can search for signs of renal toxicity in a patient’s blood work. There are two main indicators of renal toxicity: 

• An increase in blood creatinine levels, which a properly functioning kidney would typically filter out
• An increase in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, as a healthy kidney would filter nitrogen wastes from the bloodstream

Patients experiencing renal toxicity may also exhibit symptoms common with kidney issues, such as decreased urination, swelling in extremities and fatigue.

Lawyers at Motley Rice have represented veterans and their loved ones in numerous lawsuits, including: 

• 3M earplugs and hearing loss
• EFP roadside bombs manufactured by terrorists
• Exposure to asbestos and other toxic materials
• Exposure to toxins released from burn pits at military facilities
• Veterans harmed or killed in military helicopter or plane crashes

We are committed to helping service members and their family members receive the justice they deserve in pursuing compensation.

Read more on our work in support of veterans.