Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claims

If you served at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, you may be eligible for benefits for health care and disability if you suffer from a covered illness. Lawsuits are being filed for those who were unwilling victims of toxic water contamination.

Who Qualifies

If you served in the military or were at the Marine Corps Baes Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, you may be eligible. Eligibility applies to Veterans, Reservists, and those who served in the National Guard who were stationed at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between those two dates. To be eligible, you cannot have received a dishonorable discharge when you left the military.

You must also have a presumptive condition. This is a condition that was caused by your service in the military. Certain conditions have evidence to support a link between them and the toxic water contamination at Camp Lejeune. They include:

  • Adult leukemia
  • Bladder cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Kidney cancer
  • Aplastic anemia
  • Various myelodysplastic syndromes
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
  • Multiple myeloma

You can file for disability for any of these conditions. However, there are 15 total covered conditions that are related to Camp Lejeune, which may entitle you to VA health care with no copay:

  • Bladder cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Kidney cancer
  • Hepatic steatosis
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Female infertility
  • Leukemia
  • Scleroderma
  • Renal toxicity
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Miscarriage
  • Myelodysplastic syndromes
  • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
  • Neurobehavioral effects

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act

This act from 2022 allows certain people to sue for damages caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune that led to their harm. The bill also prevents the government from asserting immunity from litigation.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act is part of a larger act known as the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (PACT), which was signed into law in 2022. This law allows people who were affected by the toxic chemicals at Camp Lejeune to receive the compensation they deserve for their illnesses and suffering.

Investigations by the CDC

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) investigated Camp Lejeune for complaints about toxic chemicals in the water supply. The investigation focused on two wells which were on-base and were deemed to be major contributors of the contaminated water. They contained numerous chemicals, including:

  • Trichloroethylene (TCE)
  • Perchloroethylene (PCE)
  • Trans-1
  • Dichloroethylene (DCE)
  • Benzene
  • Vinyl chloride

Though the wells had been contained for decades, it wasn’t until the mid-1980s that they were closed.

Claims for Toxic Water Contamination

Almost 100,000 claims have already been filed with the Navy for possible exposure at Camp Lejeune. The Navy still has only begun processing about one-fifth of the claims. No settlements have been paid as of yet for the one million veterans and civilians who were possibly exposed at Camp Lejeune. The government has developed several defenses, including claiming that the military members and their families assumed the risk of the contaminated water.

The Camp Lejeune Water Contamination lawsuits are considered to be one of the largest litigations in US history. Attorneys are being appointed for the plaintiffs to help move the legal process forward. This group of attorneys was appointed in July 2023 to assume leadership roles. Moving forward, there will be a lead counsel and co-counsel as well as several subcommittees to help litigate this case.

Get Help for You and Your Family

If you served in the military and were stationed at Camp Lejeune or were a civilian who worked on the base or a family member and were living on the base, you may be entitled to compensation. If you have one of the approved medical conditions, you can contact Pulaski-Kherkher for a consultation. We’ll discuss your situation with you and help you determine if you’re eligible to file a claim. We’re dedicated to helping you get the maximum compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering. You’ve served our country, let us serve you.