Page 11 - Mariner Winter 2023 Volume 65 Issue 3 Jan

The harm to those who lived at Camp Lejeune during
this time is shocking and tragic, affecting not only

servicemembers but their families as well.

required by the law may impact your VA benefits due to While those considerations are some of the most import-
acceptance of an award granted under a Camp Lejeune ant, veterans and their loved ones will likely face others
Justice Act claim. The attorney you choose should commit as well. The attorneys at BMBFC Law are glad to help
to assessing the impact any award may have on your spe- answer these questions and promise to seek truth, trans-
cific benefits and discussing this with you prior to accept- parency, and accountability for all our clients. If you
ing any award on your behalf. believe you may be eligible for compensation under the
Camp Lejeune Justice Act, email us at info@bmbfclaw.
4. Potential gain vs. potential loss. com, go to www.camplejeunegroundwater.com/nera, or
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act set forth the amount of call us at (410) 927-1697.
any award shall be “offset by the amount of any disabil-
ity award, payment, or benefit provided” by the VA, Jason E. Johns is an
Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security, for Camp Lejeune Associate Life Member of
related illnesses and conditions. A lot of grey area remains NERA, Past State Commander
when it comes to the exact impact an award may have on for the VFW Department
these benefits and the government has not yet set forth of Wisconsin, serves on the
clarification. VFW’s National Legislative
Committee, and chairs
The attorneys ate BMBFC Law are committed to metic- BMBFC’s Military Advisory
ulously assessing the impact any award may have on Board. He is an Iraq War vet-
your specific benefits and discussing this with you prior eran (Army), Purple Heart
to accepting any award on your behalf. After doing so, if recipient, and was awarded the Combat Action Badge. He
accepting an award does not improve your situation, you has dedicated his civilian career to advocating for his fellow
do not have to accept the award, and nothing changes, veterans in the legislative, legal, and nonprofit realms. He is
Due to the ultimate control being in your hands, there a former deputy secretary for the Wisconsin Department of
is no downside in having BMBFC Law filing a Camp Veterans Affairs, National Judge Advocate for the Military
Lejeune claim on your behalf. Further, if you have not Order of the Purple Heart, and President of the U.S. Court
yet filed for VA benefits you may be eligible for, whether of Appeals for Veterans Claims Bar Association.
related to Camp Lejeune or not, BMBFC Law will help
you find an accredited service officer to simultaneously Matthew P. Legg is an
file VA claims. attorney at the VFW entrusted
law firm BMBFC representing
5. Timeline. clients in a variety of mass tort
The PACT Act sets a deadline of August 10, 2024, to file and class action matters. He
your claim or you lose the right to do so. While you have has worked in critical roles on
time to carefully consider your options, also be sure not behalf of individuals exposed to
to miss out on the opportunity to obtain well-deserved toxic chemicals from groundwa-
compensation simply because you waited too long to file ter pollution, including in the
a claim or are concerned as to how it may impact your $205 million settlement for peo-
VA or other federal benefits. As noted above, before you ple harmed by chicken processing plant, Mountaire. A rising
accept any award, BMBFC Law will walk you through any star in litigation, Matthew has been named a Super Lawyers’
impact the award may have, thus removing any downside Rising Star for the past two years and to the National Trial
to proceeding with a claim. Lawyer’s top 40 under 40 list for three years in a row.

The Naval Enlisted Reserve Association 11