Marine Base Camp LeJeune- Toxic Water and cancer

Marines and anybody who served at Camp Lejeune from 1953-87:

The VA has ruled with regard to benefits ($2 Billion+) for eight diseases covered due to contact with water at Camp Lejeune. The diseases are: adult leukemia, aplastic anemia, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Parkinson's disease.

Prostate cancer is not listed but was considered. How can we get this changed? The ruling states: "VA will continue to review relevant information as it becomes available and will consider future additions to the list of covered conditions as appropriate."


www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/camp-lejeune/
/www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/13/2017-00499/diseases-associated-with-exposure-to-contaminants-in-the-water-supply-at-camp-lejeune
shorter version:
www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-agrees-to-pay-billions-to-marines-affected-by-toxic-water/ar-AAlOrhF?ocid=sf

From what I have found after doing some checking, the VA itself seems to be sending out a mixed message about this issue, as to whether an individual who was stationed at Camp Lejeune during the cited time period, and who later developed PCa, will qualify for disability benefits.

See:

www.publichealth.va.gov/PUBLICHEALTH/exposures/camp-lejeune/index.asp

and page down to the last paragraph under "Disability Compensation." It reads:

"Veterans who are experiencing other health conditions that they think may be related to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune are encouraged to contact their primary care provider and to file a claim. VA reviews and decides disability compensation claims on a case-by-case basis."

I find that statement puzzling. PCa is currently not on the list of presumptive conditions, but the VA is saying go ahead and file anyway, as one's situation may qualify on a "case-by-case basis?" Hmmm…

The other reading I did about the PCa/Camp Lejeune issue on the VA site essentially said that they are "evaluating new evidence as it comes in," and the possibility remains that PCa may "eventually make the list."

For some encouragement, I did find a VA appellate decision from 2014 that suggests there is hope that this could happen:

/www.va.gov/vetapp14/Files5/1441955.txt

It's an appeal filed by a Marine who was at Camp Lejeune during the time period and who later developed PCa, and was filing for disability benefits. It's legalese, but what it did was it didn't deny the appeal, but "remanded the issue for further study." This is only one case, of course, but perhaps it shows that the VA is serious about possibly adding PCa to the list at some point in the future.

So I guess "stay tuned" is the appropriate phrase right now, and keep checking to see what the VA is doing about this

Just to be clear DC...what you are saying is that it is possible with a fight to get the benefits based on your knowledge...but it is not definitive as is the case with the cancers on the list!!??


BTW are you a Pca survivor...veteran...a member of DisabilityForVeterans.com or a Lawyer....all of the preceding...where do you fit in the options preceding thanks

Michael - did you file a claim with the VA for prostate cancer because you were stationed at LeJeune?

Looks like some of us on this forum have been contacted recently regarding the possibility of PCa becoming one of the covered diseases for toxic water exposure at Camp LeJeune.

Peter, there's maybe some truth to that. We lost a fellow warrior last year, Richard Ward , a successful wine maker who was born there on base in 1950.
/napavalleyregister.com/wine/richard-ward-co-founder-of-saintsbury-winery-dies-at-age/article_8708753d-8bc0-5719-9a39-413d79e0106a.html

I see DC is gone ...pity...I will delete my other post...oh me...of little faith