Noteboom The Law Firm

Former Marine’s Cancer Linked to Camp Lejeune

March 24, 2010 - Paul Buckley suffers from an incurable form of cancer called multiple myeloma, which attacks blood plasma. Buckley has spent the last 4 years attempting to have the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) approve his disability claim. The VA denied Buckley's disability claims 5 times in the last month alone.

Not only did the VA finally approve his disability claim, but they also established a colossal precedent with their ruling. The VA ruled Buckley's very rare cancer was caused by a chemical contamination at Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base in North Carolina. Buckley was living no more than a few hundred feet from the spill while stationed there.

The VA linked Buckley's cancer to drinking water polluted by a fuel spill at Camp Lejeune and granted Buckley a full service-related disability pension. While Buckley certainly needed the money, for him it was also about forcing the military to admit their fault in causing his cancer.

According to Buckley, in order for someone as young as him to develop his type of cancer would demand exposure to a huge amount of very specific chemicals. Buckley has been on dialysis due to kidney failure brought on by his cancer and has also undergone a bone marrow transplant. He requires full medical checkups every 4 months. Buckley's cancer, however, is incurable.

Theoretically, thousands of Marines were exposed to these toxic chemicals resulting from the spill. Only time will tell if more veterans will come forward with the same issues as Buckley.