Author: MichaelEhline

CAMP LEJEUNE Health & Disability Benefits for the Veteran and Family – What to Know

Written by MichaelEhline on January 10, 2025. Posted in Government Tort Blog, Premises Liability Blog.

Deadly Base Water Storage Claims – What You Must Know!

Ultimate Guide to Compensation for Toxic Base Water

The primary source of contamination was because of on-base storage tank leaks and other industrial activities completed on the base. There was also an off-base dry cleaner spewing chemicals. It’s estimated that these contaminants have been in the water supply from the 1950s through February 1985, as the wells were shut down.

However, contamination could have occurred through 1999, when the military base was closed. People with disabilities may wish to see if they qualify for various programs and resources based on their required treatment.

Choose Ehline Law Firm

After receiving detailed information about the effects of drinking contaminated water, most people require support and training about any illness they get. Families are often broken, and some conditions people face flow down to them.

Ehline Law Firm works with sensitive information and understands why it’s essential to keep that data private. We don’t disclose anything about people with disabilities who work with us. The following topics can help you understand what contamination can do and how it affects military service members and caregivers.

If you were denied benefits and are concerned that your condition or illness comes from the contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune, please call us at (833) LETS-SUE to see if you have a case. Our services are here to help!

Information You Should Know

The benefits for veterans and family members stationed at Camp Lejeune include health care for about 15 conditions listed in the Camp Lejeune Families Act in 2012. Veterans may receive health care and disability for eight presumptive conditions, also available to people with disabilities.

Health Care Benefits

Veterans and other family members of those who served at Camp Lejeune for 30 days (non-consecutive or consecutive) between 1953 and 1987 are likely eligible for Priority Group 6 and can access VA healthcare.

Eligibility Timeframe

National Guard veterans, family members, and reserve members who lived on the Camp Lejeune base for 30 days or more between 1953 and 1987 are eligible.

Areas Included

The areas included in this benefit consist of the Marine Corps Air Station New River and Camp Lejeune boundaries. We can help you determine if you were at the location during that time and get compensation in the form of money to help you deal with your current conditions.

The Historic Drinking Water Database for Camp Lejeune

The Marine Corps must maintain a database of information for anyone who could have been exposed to drinking water contaminants at Camp Lejeune between the dates of August 1, 1953, through December 31, 1987.

How to Get Added to the Notification Database

You may visit this website to get added to the notification database or to learn more information. We want to provide as many resources as possible to service members and their families.

Likewise, the Marine Corps works diligently to identify registrants and communicate with them by email updates and mailing information. Consider sharing this information with other Marine Corps who might have been located here between those dates and ask them to participate.

Should You Get Notified of Changes to the Historic Drinking Water Database?

Those in the Marine Corps and other branches need to seek appropriate resources and health services. Veterans have rights to disability benefits and treatment through different programs. In this situation, many families suffer, and some conditions might move to the children. Therefore, multiple people could qualify for this program and others.

You can stay updated about changes to this database through the VA department. It’s your only hope of getting resources about services available in your area.

Health Care for the Veterans and Their Family Members

The Camp Lejeune Act in 2012 provided health care assistance to veterans and their family members who were Marine Corps or other personnel and lived on the base. However, they must meet the service date requirement, time-on-station, and have a covered condition. These include:

Qualifying Health Conditions

Scleroderma
Renal Toxicity
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Neurobehavioral Effects
Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Multiple Myeloma
Miscarriage
Lung Cancer
Leukemia
Kidney Cancer
Hepatic Steatosis
Female Infertility
Esophageal Cancer
Breast Cancer
Bladder Cancer.

People with disabilities unrelated to Camp Lejeune can still be part of the Camp Lejeune Act and are eligible for health care, whether in the Marine Corps or other branches. They’re not required to pay anything if they’ve got the 15 covered conditions or eight disability conditions.

Reimbursement for Family Member Health Care

A dependent family member of a veteran who lived at Camp Lejeune during the period is eligible for out-of-pocket medical reimbursement if they have any of the covered conditions. Refunds for such claims could be paid for care at least one year or up to two years before the application date of benefits.

Applying for Reimbursement

Veterans, family members, or caregivers of a person at the Camp can apply online for reimbursement and might have to submit claim evidence. This includes:

Legal dependent relationship to the veteran, such as a birth certificate or marriage license
Documentation indicating you lived on that base for 30+ days during the time period
Documentation of medical records showing that you had to pay healthcare expenses for the covered illness or condition.

Veterans’ Disability Compensation

Unlike Medicare, or Medicaid, along with everything else, the Department of Veterans Affairs has set up a presumption connection for eight conditions associated with exposure to contaminants found in Camp Lejeune’s water supply. They were determined after much review of medical and scientific literature.

Overall, the presumption applies to reserve, active duty, Marine Corps, and National Guard members who were exposed to the contaminants within the water supply between 1953 and 1987 and included these conditions:

Parkinson’s Disease
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Bladder Cancer
Liver Cancer
Aplastic Anemia (or Other Myelodysplastic Syndromes)
Kidney Cancer
Adult Leukemia
Multiple Myeloma.

The VA offers local resources for these newly discovered conditions because medical evidence supports the connection between Camp Lejeune and your service-related, created the injury.

If you’re diagnosed with one of those conditions, the VA automatically assumes that your services at the Camp were responsible, so you can receive disability benefits without proving your case. If you have problems, we may be able to offer more tips during your free consultation.

Evidence Requirements

Veterans must still submit documentation that they served at the MCAS New River or Camp Lejeune between those dates and spent 30 days or more in reserve, active duty, or a National Guard capacity.

Medical evidence should show that you’ve got a current disease from the presumptive conditions list because you served your country.

How to Apply for Your Disability Benefits

Marine Corps and other service members may apply online and include on the application that they’re filing for a presumed Camp Lejeune illness. Though people can do it alone, it’s often best to work with an attorney who understands the laws regarding military personnel. Ehline Law Firm can assist!

Is Social Security Disability Insurance the Same As Veteran’s Disability Benefits?

The United States government provides Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income for those with disabilities. They could be veterans, but that’s not a requirement.

Veteran’s disability benefits are not the same and are only offered to those who served their country. They might be entitled to VA, Social Security, and Supplemental Security Income.

Should You Call the Local Social Security Office?

Those who want to see if they’re eligible for Social Security in one or more forms should contact the Social Security Administration for more resources. There are various programs available.

Is Health Coverage Included for Reimbursement?

Those with health insurance through private companies can be reimbursed for their medical expenses if they meet the criteria listed above. However, Social Security works differently.

A veteran might have trouble dealing with the government to claim their benefits, and Ehline Law Firm can assist during this crisis. We explore the many programs and services available, help you appeal denials you feel are incorrect, and much more.

How Can Ehline Law Firm Help?

No one wants to feel like they were tricked, and that’s what military service members believe after being stationed at Camp Lejeune. The government has set up different program options to help you or your family member make claims to money set aside for you, whether you were in the Marine Corps or another branch.

Often, this is on top of your regular VA benefits, but things get highly complicated for a single person moving through the system. Therefore, it’s best to call Ehline Law Firm for assistance and support.

I’m Michael Ehline, and I’m an inactive U.S. Marine. My father joined the service before me and had health issues because he was stationed. Now, I focus on helping other Marines understand the programs and services available through the government. As a veteran myself, it angers me when people are negligent. They should pay restitution, and I make sure that happens. My firm will advance costs and fight hard to final victory, Semper Fi, do or die.

VA Finalizes Presumptive Diseases Rule for Camp Lejeune – Toxic Water and What You Should Know

Written by MichaelEhline on January 10, 2025. Posted in Premises Liability Blog, Service Related Cancer Blog.

Camp Lejeune was a Marine Corps base camp in North Carolina and the site of significant water contamination at housing facilities, the base hospital, and even recreational facilities for more than three decades. From January 1, 1953, to December 31, 1987, the water at Camp Lejeune was contaminated through various industrial activities and off-base dry-cleaning facilities.

Are You One of the Approximately One Million Exposed?

How Can You Recover Compensation for Toxic Base Water?

Sadly, roughly one million veterans and families living on the base were exposed to toxic substances and chemicals like vinyl chloride, benzene, perchloroethylene (PCE), and trichloroethylene (TCE). Service at Camp Lejeune meant using the contaminated drinking water for cooking, bathing, and more. These toxic chemicals caused veterans to develop severe medical conditions. So victims inhaled it, made skin contact with it, or ingested it at some point whiled cased there. The Department of Veterans Affairs has been working to finalize the Presumptive Diseases Rule based on what the Agency of Toxic Substance and Disease Registry says and did so in 2017. Now, these service members can receive appropriate disability compensation.

Military veterans with health problems might determine that these conditions were caused by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. Such volatile organic compounds are dangerous and lead to certain diseases. If you were a National Guard member or in the Air Force, you might be entitled to compensation, and Ehline Law Firm can help. Please call (833) LETS-SUE today!

What’re the Presumptive Diseases Rule for Camp Lejeune?

The VA released a document called the Presumptive Diseases Rule based on the facts about the Camp Lejeune water contamination. It states that eight presumptive conditions are primarily service-connected and explains the scientific evidence and who might be eligible for any disability compensation. The effective date for the rule was March 14, 2017.

What’s the Presumptive Service Connection Mean?

The phrase “presumption of service connection” indicates that the VA can automatically assume that any listed illnesses were caused by a direct service connection in the military service. If the eligible member can prove that they have one of those eight diseases, they’re entitled to appropriate disability compensation.

Who Does the Rule Apply To?

You could be eligible for compensation if you provided service at Camp Lejeune and these requirements apply:

You’re a veteran, former National Guard member, or former reservist who has been honorably discharged.
You had been stationed within the borders of the MCAS New River, North Carolina base, or Camp Lejeune.
You served anywhere from August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, with at least 30 days (could be non-consecutive).

This rule doesn’t apply to the family members who might have lived on the base and even suffered radiation exposure, Agent Orange, Asbestos, and even Mustard Gas! However, we can help children and spouses of Marines who served here during that time period, as well as former reservists. So if you have symptoms of adult Leukemia, including fatigue, difficulty swallowing, easy bruising, pale skin, or Aplastic Anemia, you may have a claim for damages, even if you have a family history of certain or other forms of cancers, and health issues, other health problems, etc.

Of Note

Eligibility of the presumptive service connection for exposure at Camp Lejeune isn’t established for those who served on vessels docked at the camp or were in satellite camps unless their military orders reflect another service at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, including base housing at the military base. It’s a bit convoluted, so call us better to understand your rights, duties, and obligations.

Claims Impacted

Disability compensation claims filed with the VA after March 14, 2017, or claims pending before these time periods are impacted. There’s no retroactive provision. If you had a claim that was previously denied, you should start a new one because of this rule.

Are Former National Guard Members Included?

Yes, these members are eligible for VA benefits, and the rule could apply to them.

What Illnesses Are Covered by the Presumptive Diseases Rule for Camp Lejeune?

VA health care benefits can be provided to Camp Lejeune veterans and others if they have any of these diseases associated with service-connected disabilities:

Aplastic anemia/similar other myelodysplastic syndromes
Bladder cancer
Parkinson’s Disease
Multiple myeloma
Adult leukemia
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Liver cancer
Kidney cancer.

There’s no known complete date for when these presumptive conditions must come about or develops before being included.

How Can You Get Disability Compensation?

If you believe you’re eligible for compensation because of the Camp Lejeune Presumptive Disease Rule, you should file a claim through the VA.

You may do so:

Online
At a VA regional office
Through an accredited representative
By hiring an attorney.

When filing the claim, the VA should ask you to submit medical evidence and other proof, such as:

Military records of serving or official documentation of service department records that prove you had active duty at MCAS New River or Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 for 30 days or more
Medical records showing that you’ve got one of the eight listed presumptive illnesses

Can You Receive Compensation for Other Illnesses Related to Military Service at that Time?

Countless other diseases aren’t listed in the service connection rule that victims of contaminated water exposure might suffer from, including:

Scleroderma
Renal toxicity
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Neurobehavioral effects
Myelodysplastic syndromes
Multiple myeloma
Miscarriage
Lung cancer
Leukemia
Kidney cancer
Hepatic steatosis
Bladder cancer
Esophageal cancer
Breast cancer
Female infertility.

The VA determined that there wasn’t enough evidence to add those things to the presumptive connection rule. However, veterans with those illnesses are still entitled to receive paid health care expenses.

Do You Need an Attorney if You Were Stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station?

The Camp Lejeune Families Act focuses on the people who lived and worked at the Marine Corps base. Overall, the Department of Veteran Affairs researched the claims of contaminated water and has come up with a list of eight conditions primarily caused by drinking or bathing in the water in the period beginning in 1953 and ending in 1987.

It would help if you had a current diagnosis of one of those illnesses and had been stationed at Camp Lejeune during the time period.

While you could file for benefits, it’s often difficult to do so. Therefore, many people turn to an attorney with knowledge of military laws. I’m Michael Ehline, and I served my country, so I know the issues you face and can help you through this challenging journey.

Why Should You Hire a Chemical Exposure Lawyer?

Yes! The VA only offers disability benefits for small groups of people who might have suffered because they were exposed to contaminated water. However, thousands of people have come forward with claims of the Camp Lejeune water contamination scandal because of the Camp Lejeune Act of Justice created in 2022.

Many veterans previously filed their claims for health conditions related to military service on the base and were denied. They now have two years longer to file a new claim to get the compensation they deserve.

Did you live, work, or serve on the Camp Lejeune base for 30 or more days between 1953 and 1987? You can file a claim through the Justice Act if you have one of the eight conditions listed above.

However, you require an experienced and knowledgeable legal team to offer assistance. We have the skills needed to handle extensive paperwork, track down your medical records, and collect evidence on your behalf and for your case. Get us on the line so we can help you make Christmas come early!

Lets our inactive Marines work to your advantage and help cover your pain and suffering, as well as treatment as these sad symptoms manifest. Although civilians are not covered yet, we are in the process of working, most notably with the Paul Ehline Ride, to make this happen and get it finalized once and for all.

Ehline Law Firm Can Assist Military Base Toxic Chemical Exposure Victims Today!

If you served at Camp Lejeune, you’ve likely learned about the risk factors of the Camp Lejeune contaminated water. Many veterans and their families bathed in, cooked in, and drank from the water supply. Confusion over your rights is

Qualifying service members are at an increased risk, and many of the chemicals used in the wells could get into your body through regular skin contact.

Justice for you and other victims is long overdue. We can help you get your VA disability benefits. Contact us at (833) LETS-SUE to request a free consultation or use the online form. It’s time to stand up for your rights once again!

In Ehline's hands air, land or sea. In Ehline's hands air, land or sea.

Neurobehavioral Effects of Camp Lejeune – Contaminated Water Exposure and Compensation

Written by MichaelEhline on January 10, 2025. Posted in Premises Liability Blog, Service Related Cancer Blog.

Were you stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and thought you had moved on with your life? Maybe you started to develop coordination, sensory disturbances, confusion, depression, tension, trouble concentrating, etc. Maybe later, you started developing sicknesses and cancer, like your other buddies, the base-housed moms, their now grown kids, or base employees?

Were You Exposed to Toxic Water on a Marine base?

You May Be Entitled to Benefits

Sadly, unless the U.S. Senate acts, only some military veterans of the United States could be eligible to receive disability benefits for specific diseases or a neurobehavioral effect resulting from exposure to Camp Lejeune’s contaminated drinking water, as will be discussed. First of all, benefits are only available for presumptive conditions. However, if things change, others, including Camp Pendleton personnel, their children, a civilian mother, father, or base employees with deficits in attention reaction or lack of coordination sensory may be eligible to seek benefits for long-term exposure to toxis drinking and bathing water.

First, they must receive a proper diagnosis. If your headache turned into liver cancer, our fingers are crossed on your behalf until the legislative process is completed on behalf of the Marines.

Presumptive Adverse Health Effects?

The veteran doesn’t need to prove their service connection. Instead, the V.A. presumes that your conditions are connected to the military service because you meet certain criteria. One common example is Vietnam veterans qualifying for conditions related to Agent Orange exposure. The Paul Ehline Memorial Ride was designed to aid in this legislative process, as it is the responsibility of fellow Marines to care for each other, which is part of what makes us different.

However, a lesser-known example coming to light for presumptive conditions is related to the contaminated water supply at the Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune. Veterans, civilians, family members, and reservists stationed here during a particular time period are presumed to have long-term exposure to contamination of statistical significance.

Where Do You Turn to For Help?

As former military myself, I understand the increased risks you face as things come to light. You may have drunk contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and experienced a slow onset of multiple sclerosis, mood swings, slow reaction times, and other issues. Likewise, positive trends indicate deficits in attention, even at low concentrations of the contaminants. These lead to behavioral problems, and you should receive disability compensation because you served at that time period.

What’s Camp Lejeune?

Camp Lejeune is the only U.S. military base with severe enough contamination to carry presumptive conditions. Men and women stationed there from 1953 and 1987 are presumed to have drunk contaminated water. It contained chemicals such as Perchloroethylene/Tetrachloroethylene (PCE), vinyl chloride, and Trichloroethylene (TCE), which could damage health impacts and effects.

Roughly one million reservists, active-duty military, family members, and civilians are in this exposure group. In fact, the water they drank on site was so contaminated that the V.A. had to create the Camp Lejeune Families Act in 2012 and the VA Rule 38 CFR 3, which became effective in March 2017. Overall, this made certain health conditions presumptive so that a military family member or veteran could receive free health care if they had been stationed at the site.

Qualifying Health Conditions Identified

The Camp Lejeune program includes various health conditions and brings on more, recently adding Parkinson’s Disease to the list.

They include:

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Multiple Myeloma
Liver Cancers
Kidney Cancers
Bladder Cancer
Aplastic Anemia (With Other Myelodysplastic Syndromes)
Adult Leukemia.

Healthcare Benefits for the Veterans and Their Families

You or a family member could also suffer from these qualifying health conditions, though they aren’t presumptive for compensation:

Scleroderma
Miscarriage
Infertility (female)
Hepatic Steatosis
Lung Cancer
Leukemia
Breast Cancer
Renal Toxicity
Esophageal Cancer
Other Neurobehavioral Effects.

Since the conditions listed above aren’t presumed to have happened because of your military service, you must apply to the Camp Lejeune legislation coordinator through the Department of Veterans Affairs to get reimbursed for treatment costs and show evidence of your eligibility into the program.

If the committee concludes that you did not fall ill because of your time at Camp Lejeune, you may contact Ehline Law Firm for assistance if you live in one of the areas we serve.

Who Was Exposed to the Drinking Water at Camp Lejeune?

Military and their family members stationed at Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987 for 30 days or more are considered eligible for presumptive benefits, health care, and health care reimbursements. This includes active duty military, the National Guard, reservists, and exposed workers for the listed conditions above.

Camp Lejeune includes a 246-square-mile area East of Padgett/St. Rd 50, South of Holly Ridge, West to Hubert, and North to Jackson.

Several studies have shown a neurobehavioral impairment from TCE in low doses, and people with histories of organic solvent exposure are described to have panic disorders, schizophreniform psychosis, and PTSD.

These toxic substances lead to the patients developing severe health problems of all sorts. However, neurobehavioral issues are one of the worst. Finally, the V.A. clinical guidance came up with legislation to protect military personnel and get them appropriate health care.

While these studies had limitations, including recall bias, few statistics, and little incidence data pertaining to certain conditions, the committee recommends that Parkinson’s Disease be included.

The Environmental Protection Agency believes that all health care should be paid to the people exposed to toxins at Camp Lejeune. It’s up to them to fight for their rights.

Various studies have been conducted, including one from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. The ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) found TCE, PCE, and benzene in well water at Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The levels reached higher than what regulations considered to be safe, and experts claim it was the most contaminated water ever discovered in the history of the U.S.

Neurobehavioral Effects Caused by Contaminated Drinking Water – Exposures Reported

The term – neurobehavioral effects – refers specifically to conditions related to the nervous system actions and behaviors. While it currently doesn’t include neurologic diseases, such as Alzheimer’s Disease or Parkinson’s Disease, things are likely changing.

The symptoms of such neurobehavioral effects can include:

Headaches
Trouble Concentrating
Tension
Depression
Confusion
Sensory Disturbances
Lack of Coordination.
Alterations in neurobehavioral tests that could indicate deficits in reaction time, attention, motor function, visuomotor coordination, digit symbol, or contrast sensitivity
Certain neuropsychological disorders, including learning or behavioral disorders

Most people had no idea that they were consuming contaminated drinking water.

Neurobehavioral Deficits/Tests

Many tests and reports have been created by different companies, including various national academies and universities. It’s complicated to identify and test for such neurobehavioral deficits because there are thousands of practices, and it’s a science to determine which one is best for a particular disorder.

WHO NCTB (Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery)

The WHO (World Health Organization) found a screening battery sampling the widest range of functions people could complete in one hour. The seven most-used toxins were included, including carbon disulfide, mercury, and lead. Exposed subjects were accurately tested, but it took a lot of money and time.

NES (Neurobehavioral Evaluation System)

The NES was created in the mid-1980s to offer computer-based testing focused on the adverse effects of workplace exposure to certain toxins in the ’90s.

AENTB (Adult Environmental Neurobehavioral Test Battery)

This was created when NES and NCTB recommendations expanded with a broader array of functions and sensitivity to lower exposures found within the environment.

Studies from the University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh also studied toxic solvents and how they affected people. The findings included poor concentration, social alienation, and much more.

NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) Study

One NCBI study showed that long-term exposure, even to lower concentrations of TCE, could cause neurobehavioral issues.

NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) Findings

The NRC even agrees that the V.A. should cover and include the neurobehavioral effects of consuming the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

Why Should You Be Tested for Adverse Health Effects?

Testing can help doctors identify the dysfunction and function of chemical exposure and determine if such neurobehavioral symptoms are the reason for your illness.

Is Health Care Through the V.A. Available?

V.A. health care is available for anyone in the military, whether on disability or not, if they were at Camp Lejeune during that period. Health care and reimbursements are open to civilians and family members who experience the 14 qualifying conditions.

Could You Get Disability Benefits or Compensation for Exposure to Contaminated Water at Camp Lejeune?

Yes, presumption claims from the water contamination at Camp Lejeune must meet these eligibility requirements:

Be a National Guard, reservist, or veteran member who was not dishonorably discharged
Served at Camp Lejeune for a minimum of 30 days (non-consecutive or consecutive) between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987
Have a current disease from the presumptive condition list related to Camp Lejeune

Evidence requirements include:

Official orders to Camp Lejeune or the Marine Corps Air Station in North Carolina during those periods
Be on active duty or reserve
Be diagnosed with a current disease.

Other Ways to Get Compensation for Veterans and Their Families

If you didn’t meet the 30-day requirement and feel that your water contamination and chemical exposures resulted from Camp Lejeune, you may apply for the direct connection listing.

Reasons to Seek Compensation Now

We understand how the law works.
We gather evidence and challenge it as needed.
We ensure you file the proper documents.
We present a strong case.
We know how to negotiate.

Ehline Law Firm

If you served at Camp Lejeune while in the Marine Corps, you could be entitled to disability compensation because of the water contamination. Your health conditions might be covered, and we can help. Please call (833) LETS-SUE today!

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5 Tips For Picking The Best Personal Injury Lawyer

Written by MichaelEhline on January 10, 2025. Posted in Reports.

5 Tips for Choosing an Injury Attorney

People in accidents caused by another person’s negligence experience nerve-wracking emotions. But from the physical aspect, it is even worse. Apart from the pain and discomfort, substantial financial facets will follow. None of this seems bearable if a person is emotionally wrecked.

If you’re unable to work because of the harm, people must find reliable Los Angeles injury lawyers. That is the professional who can help them get compensation. A legal expert like this will help with everything they have suffered.

This lawyer helps you; the victim obtains money for damages. This help will help you get cash for physical, mental, and financial problems. Imagine experiencing a burn injury or brain injury and being unemployed with barbaric bills piling up!

The Better Lawyers Usually Have a Specialty.

Yes, this is true. Would you hire a US Army Green Berets battalion for an amphibious assault? No, you would use a U.S. Marine Air-Ground Task Force or MAGTF. This beach assault won’t need a “force multiplier.”

The Green Berets would provide a smaller force for a specific mission. Marines are born and bred for this beach assault mission. Like the military, we lawyers have different types of law missions. The legal profession has many kinds of legal counsel.

What Is A General Practitioner?

General practitioners are lawyers called GP. Clients seek these lawyers for cookie-cutter cases. They are good at preparing legal forms for divorces, bankruptcy, wills, trusts, etc. But the military doesn’t have an equal to this. Maybe a private that makes it through boot camp would be a GP. In the military (Marines and Army), we have a Military Occupational Specialties or an MOS.

Something is positive with a skilled military pro. This professional is a person trained for one mission. Be it a cook, an infantryman, or even a supply, they all specialize in one task or MOS. Each one has the general skills of how to fire a rifle. But you would want a foot soldier on the front line. Since this is their primary military occupational “specialty.”

In law, the. GP helps cut through the red tape and is excellent at handling other issues that arise. So, they are great people to hire if dealing with government agencies. They are ideal for handling simple traffic infractions.

As such, these officers of the court serve a valuable purpose. The problem with a general lawyer is that he is a jack of all trades but a master of none. So, this is a legal pro who knows a little about a lot. This legal beagle deals with many different areas of the law.

These include substantive and procedural areas of law. However, they don’t generally know enough to handle a complicated case fully.

Cooks Don’t Specialize in Military Special Ops Just Like General Practitioners Are PI Special Ops?

True, and let me explain. So, using the military example, a cook can fire a rifle. But would you deploy a battalion of cooks to lay suppressing fire and flank enemies to capture the enemy airfield? Maybe you could if they were Marines. After all, Marines are all trained as infantry.

So they have the skill and muscle memory to complete this mission. But wouldn’t you put your money on the 75th Army Rangers to capture that airstrip? A battalion that does airport takedown missions for a living may have the edge. I think so.

Reasonable PI Attorneys are The Special Ops of Law

As the name indicates, “personal injury lawyers” specialize in bodily harm cases. So, these legal pros can help people to make different insurance claims. They have high skills in fighting insurers. This needed skill is excellent for victims to get paid back. The victim deserves their high-cost medical bills paid. It seems that a GP cannot handle all cases in court.

Most people realize their right to hire a plaintiff’s attorney, and some will choose the right one. People must hire a good lawyer. If they wish to make a strong case, they must hold the at-fault party to account. If not, they could get stuck twisting in the wind.

Honesty And Skill Are Key To Trusting Your Lawyer

Here are five tips for choosing a PI lawyer that can aid in making the right decision:

Experience is the first fundamental thing to look for when choosing a lawyer. An experienced attorney must be selected. The legal pro will deal with complex documents quickly and efficiently, along with other required paperwork related to the case.
The legal pro should be able to offer a guarantee for their services. These days, it is the practice of legal counsel not to charge money. They don’t charge clients at the conclusion if they can’t win. These are the best-licensed pros because of the risks involved in this matter.
One should also ensure that the attorney has a team of investigators. They are sometimes at their disposal to use. Cases have different aspects requiring research to complete—building a robust and stable case for the claims involves evidence.
Another quality is that the lawyer is honest and objective. People expect quick settlements and a big payout, so forthright lawyers won’t let clients make mistakes, including making hasty decisions in their cases.
A skilled and expert attorney should also have a flexible approach. They should be able to deal with the liable party in a professional and friendly way. The legal counsel also needs excellent negotiation skills. This helps them negotiate with the other party to get a fair settlement.

As long as these five qualities are present in a splendid lawyer, they suit the customer. They will be able to help the victim. For this reason, injured people making successful claims need legal experts.

Speak With A Devoted Injury Lawyer Today

Getting reimbursed for damages and trauma just means hiring the best PI attorneys. Our superior injury attorneys can help victims battle the insidious insurance adjuster on their behalf. We are honest, aggressive, and on your side. Contact us today to learn more about retaining our supremely confident and dedicated legal team.

You can dial (833) LETS-SUE to learn about filing a lawsuit or switching to a new attorney.

Agent Orange Dioxin Hotspots | The Environmental Impact

Written by MichaelEhline on January 10, 2025. Posted in Uncategorized.

About Agent Orange in Vietnam War Crimes

What Is Agent Orange?

Agent Orange is referred to as a mixture of herbicides that was used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam war. Its purpose was to defoliate forest cover and clear other areas of vegetation.

This mix of herbicide was heavily sprayed in all of Vietnam’s agricultural, urban, and forested areas to destroy food crops and expose the enemy. Several herbicides other than Agent Orange was also used in Vietnam; they were code-named Agents White, Blue, Purple, Green, and Pink.

Why Is Agent Orange Dangerous?

Contaminated Agent Orange is considered dangerous due to the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) that it contains. TCDD is a by-product of the production of herbicides and is very toxic, even in small amounts. What’s worse is that TCDD in the natural environment can last for many years.

Why Is Agent Orange Spraying a Cause for Concern?

A total of 20 million gallons, estimated to be at least two-thirds of the Rainbow herbicides that were used during the Vietnam war, contained the Dioxin-contaminated phenoxy herbicide 2,4,5-T. It was also found that the other herbicides used, in addition to those with Dioxin contamination, were 50 times more than the recommended concentration used for killing plants.

At Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Dr. Jeanne Stellman and her former colleagues examined the spray data from the war and discovered that 366 kilograms of Dioxin were sprayed on South Vietnam. Their discoveries also showed a surplus of inventories of Agent Orange from Johnston Island and Gulfport, MS, located in the Pacific, containing Dioxin of around 6.2 to 14.3 ppt before they were destroyed.

A Further Look into the Investigation of Dioxin Contamination

From 1994 onwards, a Canadian environmental firm called Hatfield Consultants conducted extensive testing on humans, animals, and the soil to determine the levels of Dioxin that remain in Vietnam’s soil and sediments, as well as the chemical accumulation’s extent into the food chain.

Testing began in A Luoi Valley, an extremely remote valley with barely any agricultural infrastructure and no industry. Between 1965 and 1970, as many as 224 spraying missions had been flown over this site. A Luoi Valley was home to three U.S. military special force bases. On the other hand, A So base was used for three years, where the Agent Orange stored in the barrels of this base was used in the surrounding areas.

It was in these surrounding heavily sprayed areas of the base where researchers found Dioxin levels of up to 897.85 ppt. Ducks and fish were found to have elevated levels of Dioxin present in their fatty tissues, and the local population was also found to have high levels of dioxin in their breast milk and blood.

Other areas of the former A Luoi and Ta Bat military bases also had raised levels of Dioxin, ranging between 4.3 ppt to 35 ppt, even though they were only in operation for one year.

The Air Bases

The Canadian environmental firm theorized that there were other primarily former military-installed bases that were laden with Dioxin throughout Southern Vietnam. They were later designated as “hotspots,” and these dioxin hot spots were of particular concern.

From as early as the mid-1990s, at least 28 bases were identified by Hatfield to have raised levels of Dioxin contamination. The Bien How, Phu Cat, and Da Nang bases are among these numerous Dioxin hot spots that have dioxin contamination of above 150 ppt in the sediment and above 1,000 ppt toxic equivalents (TEQ) in the contaminated soils. This was considered to be Vietnam’s standard for remediation.

All three bases were identified as priorities for remediation by the Vietnamese government; however, the Da Nang air base was of particular concern due to the fact that after the war, it became a domestic and international airport vital to the country’s central coast region.

Committed to helping Vietnam address the unfavorable Dioxin contamination at the Ben Koa and Da Nang bases was the United States government. This joint project was completed in 2018, and the United States and Vietnam began to work together to remediate the Ben Hoa base in 2019.

Throughout Southern Vietnam, the remaining dioxin hotspots were found to have much lower dioxin concentrations, most of which fell under the level of remediation. Thus, mitigation efforts in these cases to keep people and animals off the site and the movement of contaminated soil were considered enough. The A So Base in A Luoi and other areas, however, still require more remediation work by the Vietnamese government.

How Has Agent Orange Affected the General Population?

Vietnam has reported that 400,000 people have either suffered permanent injury or death as a result of Agent Orange exposure. Furthermore, around 2,000,000 people have also suffered from illnesses caused by exposure to Agent Orange, and an estimated 500,000 babies were born with serious birth defects due to the effects of the toxic herbicides used in the Vietnam war.

Today, Agent Orange is still affecting people’s health, even though major manufacturers have denied that the mix of herbicides has long-lasting impacts on human health. Since as early as 1978, several class action lawsuits have been filed against companies that produced Agent Orange, among these are Dow Chemical, Diamond Shamrock, and Monsanto.

However, on 7 May 1984, Dow Chemical and the other chemical companies settled a class action lawsuit just before the jury selection was about to begin. They agreed to pay $180 million in compensation if the veterans agreed to drop all claims against them.

Health Problems Resulting from Exposure to Agent Orange

Vietnamese people and military veterans exposed to Agent Orange may suffer from congenital deformations or skin diseases, depending on the timing, length, and intensity of their exposure. Due to its high concentrations of Dioxin, Agent Orange is a carcinogen that causes cancers in those that have been exposed.

In addition, there are also long-lasting impacts on pregnancy, such as abnormal fetal development and miscarriages. Exposure to Agent Orange has also been linked to type 2 diabetes, hormone disruption, heart disease, and dysfunction of the immune and muscular systems.

Congress enacted the Agent Orange Act of 1991 to give the Department of Veterans Affairs the authority to declare certain presumptive conditions as a result of exposure to dioxin, allowing Veterans who served in Vietnam to be eligible to receive treatment and disability compensation for these conditions.

Since 1991, this list has grown and includes:

Prostate cancer
Respiratory cancers
Parkinson’s disease
Multiple myeloma.

How an Attorney at Ehline Law Can Help Victims of Chemical Warfare Recover the Compensation They Deserve

Those who are suffering or have loved ones suffering from serious health effects as a result of exposure to Agent Orange should get into contact with a lawyer from Ehline Law immediately.

Legal proceedings can cause a lot of stress and anxiety, so it is better to hand them over to the skilled legal team at Ehline Law. They are reliable and compassionate lawyers who will know how to achieve the best possible outcome for your terrible situation.

Victims can get in touch with Ehline Law today at (213) 596-9642 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.