JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Time is running out for families whose loved ones died after exposure to dangerous chemicals at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
Victims or family members have about two months to file a claim to get compensation. That includes several widows here in Jacksonville.
READ: ‘Could that have been because of the water?’ Widow fighting to get justice for Camp Lejeune widows
Michelle James and Karen Swindler both lost their husbands to a form of cancer. Both men served in the military and spent time at Camp Lejeune. The women have been brought together through the tragic loss of their husbands.
“We’ve started to go out to lunch,” James said. “We start to build like a sisterhood.”
The sisterhood was formed through a Facebook group, “Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Widows.”
James’ husband, Private Eric Holford, was at Camp Lejeune from 1984 to 1988. In 2011, he was diagnosed with M.S. In 2017, he found out he had colon cancer. A year later, the cancer spread to his bladder. He passed away in 2019.
“There’s been a lot of pushback from the government trying to discredit a lot of the information that we have,” James said.
She has binders filled with her husband’s medical records and pleas to the Veteran Affairs Department. Her claims are still pending.
Karen Swindler’s husband, Edward Swindler, served at Camp Lejeune from July 1984 to April of 1988. He was diagnosed with lung cancer. He died six months later in 1991 at age forty-four.
She applied for compensation right after her husband passed and she was denied.
“I’m in the process now of renewing my fight to you know obtain the benefits based on his service,” Swindler said.
Now, the two women head the group “Lejeune Empowered Advocacy for Widows” group to assist women in need. They recommend getting legal counsel to help with claims as well.
Under the recent Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) passed in 2022, families can get compensation for their loved ones who were exposed. The deadline to apply is August 10, 2024.
More than 220,000 cases have been filed through the CLJA. Sixty-three people have been made offers, and forty payouts have been made.
“We’re here to say don’t give up,” James said.
Right now, there’s a bill on the table to make corrections to the CLJA. It would cap attorney fees to make it more affordable to obtain legal help. The changes would also allow for victims and their families to have trial cases.
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