Camp Lejeune

[Fat]

What benefits are available for a widower of a Camp Lejeune Marine.

a. Health Care?

b. Compensation?

What form do you file these claims on?

All help is appreciated.

[georgiapapa]

Fat,

Unless the widow herself was exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or more and was diagnosed with one of the diseases on the VA's list of specified diseases, she would not be entitled to any more than any other widow of a veteran except she could receive free health care for her diagnosed disease. JMO

GP

[georgiapapa]

Fat,

I did not mean to come across as callous but I am not aware of any other benefits available to the widow of a Camp Lejeune veteran other than what I mentioned above. At this point, very few veterans are receiving any compensation for diseases they are suffering from after being exposed to the water.

GP

[Fat]

Can the widow file a Dependency and Indemity Compensation Claim?

Form 21-534.

What I have learned:

Only the surviving spouse can file.

The claim would be based on the Marine serving at least 30 consecutive days at Camp Lejeune between 1957 and 1987.

In addition, the deceased Marine's death certificate would have to list the cause of death (Leukemia).

All comments are welcomed.

[georgiapapa]

Fat,

At this point, the VA has not designated any of the diseases on their Camp Lejeune list as presumptive. I believe there would have to be evidence provided showing the veteran's leukemia was directly caused by his exposure to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune between 1957 and 1987. The VA's current list of diseases is only used to provide free medical treatment to exposed veterans and exposed family members diagnosed with diseases on the list.

Was the veteran a boots on the ground or brown water Vietnam veteran?

Does the veteran have chronic B-cell leukemia?

If yes to both questions, the widow would qualify for DIC benefits in my opinion.

GP

[Berta]

We have Camp LeJuene vet here whose wife helped him win his claim.(Kate 7772)

Can this widow join us here?

Can she obtain a strong IMO, if needed?

[Fat]

I'm just a 3rd party assisting a former girlfriend trying to help her mother get "good" information.

The mother's husband was a Camp Lejeune Marine for 3 years (1977-1979).

He died from Leukemia in 2011 and it was noted on his death certificate.

He never filed for VA compensation for any issues.

A VSO advised them to file for a DIC claim related to the Camp Lejeune water issues.

The girlfriend tried to research the issue herself, but was confused because she only saw where medical treatment would be offered.

However she also saw where several retired Camp Lejeune Marines where service connected after lengthy battles with the VA.

The Camp Lejeune water issue was the primary core of the claim (along with medical documentation).