A bill that would grant victims of tainted water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune the right to jury trials is gaining bipartisan support.
Rep. Greg Murphy and Sen. Thom Tillis, both Republicans from North Carolina, wrote the bill, which would amend the Camp Lejeune Justice Act to allow plaintiffs to pursue jury trials, allow more federal courts to hear cases, and cap attorneys’ fees at 25 percent.
32 co-sponsors, comprising 18 Democrats and 14 Republicans, have joined Murphy’s measure since it was launched on June 25. There are currently three Democratic and two Republican co-sponsors of the Tillis measure, which was presented in March.
Between 1953 and 1987, up to a million individuals were exposed to tainted drinking water at the base.
Additionally, they can pursue damages for sickness and fatalities under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.
Over 2,800 lawsuits are pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, while the Navy has received over 400,000 damage claims.
Only roughly 100 settlements with victims have been negotiated, according to the attorneys handling the plaintiffs’ claims.
It has taken three years for the lawsuits to prepare for trial.
