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Three people accept settlements for injuries from toxic water at Camp Lejeune, two payouts already made

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published November 14, 2023 at 6:16 AM EST
Military Bases

More than a year after a federal law that provides for compensation to people affected by contaminated water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune was put in place, the government has made its first settlement offers and payments.

A tearful Erin Brockovich apologized for being emotional while speaking at a town hall meeting regarding the toxic water aboard Camp Lejeune. It’s something that, and if you’ve seen the film you’ll know, is out of character for her.
(Photo: Annette Weston-Riggs, Public Radio East
A tearful Erin Brockovich apologized for being emotional while speaking at a town hall meeting regarding the toxic water aboard Camp Lejeune. It’s something that, and if you’ve seen the film you’ll know, is out of character for her.

At a hearing late last month, U.S. Department of Justice attorney Adam Bain, who is representing the government, said three people have accepted settlements for their injuries from the toxic water, totaling $850,000. He said two of the three people have been paid.

Court documents from the hearing show the government said it has made 23 settlement offers to people who have filed claims over health impacts from the contaminated drinking water.

Perhaps the man who has fought the longest to get help for people impacted by the toxic drinking water – which was polluted by industrial solvents, benzene, and other chemicals in wells aboard parts of Camp Lejeune over a 30-year-span -- is retired Marine Corps Master Sergeant Jerry Ensminger.
(Photo: Annette Weston-Riggs, Public Radio East)
Perhaps the man who has fought the longest to get help for people impacted by the toxic drinking water – which was polluted by industrial solvents, benzene, and other chemicals in wells aboard parts of Camp Lejeune over a 30-year-span -- is retired Marine Corps Master Sergeant Jerry Ensminger.

More than 117,000 administrative claims are pending with the U.S. Navy, and more than 1,300 lawsuits are in federal court in North Carolina.

The government estimated that the claims could cost $3.3 trillion.

Mike Partain was born aboard Camp Lejeune in 1967 but grew up in Florida and says he wasn’t aware there was a problem with the water until shortly after he was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, at the age of 39.
(Photo: Annette Weston-Riggs, Public Radio East)
Mike Partain was born aboard Camp Lejeune in 1967 but grew up in Florida and says he wasn’t aware there was a problem with the water until shortly after he was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, at the age of 39.

Claims can be filed through August 2024.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston