Between the early 1950s and late 1980s, people living and working at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina were exposed to water contaminated by volatile organic compounds. The water came from treatment plants whose wells had been polluted.
The contamination lasted roughly from August 1, 1953, to December 31, 1987. If you were exposed to water at the base during that time, you may have a VA Disability claim. Our Camp Lejeune exposure Veterans Disability lawyers can help you understand your options
Our team at Marc Whitehead & Associates has over 120 years of combined experience fighting for veterans’ rights. Find out how our Veterans Affairs Disability benefits claims lawyers can help when you call for your free consultation.
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What Is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act?
On August 10, 2022, more than 40 years after first detecting contaminants in the water, the federal government finally took action. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 is a federal law passed as part of the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
It gives veterans, their families, and others who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune the right to file civil claims against the U.S. government for harm caused by contaminated water. It sets eligibility criteria, a filing process, and an option for streamlined settlements of certain claims.
For veterans, it presents an avenue for a VA Disability claim. Our Camp Lejeune exposure Veterans Disability attorneys will help you determine whether you are eligible for benefits, and contest the VA’s decision if you are denied.
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Who Can File a Claim Under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act?
To meet the eligibility criteria for a VA claim, veterans must:
- Have served at Camp Lejeune or nearby Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina for at least 30 days total between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987.
- Have not separated from service with a dishonourable discharge
- Have one of eight illnesses that the VA presumes are service-connected to the contamination.
If your claim is approved, you can receive monthly disability payments. The amount depends on how much your service-connected condition limits your ability to work, as determined by the VA’s Disability Rating System. You may also qualify for VA health care.
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Which Diseases Qualify for a Camp Lejeune Disability Claim?
The VA considers eight diseases presumptively service–connected conditions for VA Disability for Camp Lejeune water. This means veterans do not need to prove their service caused their illness.
The presumption simplifies access to VA disability benefits for affected veterans. If you have any of the following conditions, contact our Veterans Disability lawyers for Camp Lejeune exposure to understand your options:
- Adult leukemia
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
Legal Claims Under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act
Beyond the eight diseases the VA presumes service-connected, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act allows veterans, family members, and others exposed to contaminated water to file claims for other illnesses that may have resulted from the toxic exposure.
This is a lawsuit against the federal government, not a VA claim. Unlike the VA presumption, these claims require proof that the disease or condition resulted from water contamination at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987.
Under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, veterans, their families, and base workers can seek compensation for things like reproductive issues, birth defects in children, liver disease, or other cancers not on the VA list.
Can a Veteran File a Disability Claim and a Legal Claim?
Veterans can file both a Camp Lejeune VA Disability claim and a lawsuit under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. Filing one does not prevent the other, but each has separate rules, evidence standards, and types of compensation.
- VA Claim: Covers the eight presumptive diseases. You do not need to prove causation, as the VA presumes the disease is service-connected if service criteria are met. Compensation is in the form of disability benefits and potentially healthcare.
- Camp Lejeune Justice Act Lawsuit: Allows veterans, family members, or others exposed to water contamination to seek damages for any illness caused by exposure, including conditions not covered by the VA.
Contact Our Camp Lejeune Exposure Veterans Disability Attorneys
Prolonged exposure to dangerous chemicals at Camp Lejeune put veterans, their families, and civilian workers at risk of serious health problems for more than three decades. Base residents drank, cooked with, and bathed in this contaminated water day after day.
The government finally took steps to make things right for veterans and base workers, but for many, the damage is done. Our Camp Lejeune exposure Veterans Disability attorneys can help you file your claim and recover benefits to help with the hardships you’ve suffered.
Marc Whitehead & Associates has been serving the veteran community and their families for more than 30 years. Call today for a free consultation and learn about your rights under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.
