Camp Lejeune Justice Act

In 2022, Congress passed the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law. Section 804 of this bill is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA). It allowed sick individuals to file administrative claims with the Department of the Navy for serious health issues they experienced in connection with toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune. 

Under the CLJA, a person, including family members of those who served, could file a Camp Lejeune Justice Act claim if they:

• Were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and spent at least 30 days there between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987
• Received a diagnosis of a health issue that qualifies for compensation

Anyone who was exposed to toxic drinking water from Camp Lejeune while in utero also had the opportunity to file a claim with the DON. The same was true for the family members of anyone who met the Camp Lejeune Justice Act claim filing eligibility requirements but is deceased.

Those looking to file a claim had to show a causal relationship between their exposure and qualifying health issues.

The deadline to file an administrative claim was August 10, 2024. The DON is no longer accepting claims. 

What health issues from Camp Lejeune water may qualify for a CLJA claim?

The following health issues from Camp Lejeune toxic water exposure allowed an individual to file a CLJA claim:

• Aplastic anemia
• Bladder cancer
• Cardiac birth defects
• Kidney cancer
• Leukemia
• Liver cancer
• Multiple myeloma
• Myelodysplastic syndromes
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Other kidney diseases and end-stage renal diseases
• Parkinson’s disease
• Systemic scleroderma
• Systemic sclerosis
• Certain other health conditions

Anyone experiencing symptoms of these conditions should speak with their doctor for a medical evaluation.

Hundreds of thousands of claims related to toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune were filed with the Department of the Navy, according to the DON. 

However, no new claims may be filed as the August 2024 deadline has passed.

To expedite the processing of the claims, the Department of the Navy worked with the Department of Justice to provide certain claimants with an elective option. This elective option was intended to act as a faster way to provide individuals and their families with a settlement for their health problems.

Some payouts have been made to people who filed claims through the U.S. Navy. Settlements have also been reached to resolve litigation filed by a number of victims, while many other cases are still ongoing. 

How long does a Camp Lejeune Justice Act claim take?

The DON has six months (180 days) to decide CLJA claims. 

If you filed a claim and it wasn’t resolved within six months, you may be able to file a lawsuit for compensation in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

What is the elective option for CLJA claims?

The DON worked with the Department of Justice to speed up the processing of certain claims. It’s called the elective option. The elective option let the DON offer certain claimants compensation based on the type of injury they suffered and the amount of time that the person was exposed to water from Camp Lejeune.

For a CLJA elective option settlement offer, the length of time is divided into:

• 30 days to 364 days of exposure
• 1 to 5 years of exposure
• More than 5 years of exposure

Injuries are divided into Tier 1 and Tier 2, based on the government’s assessment of the seriousness of the injuries.

While the elective option was intended to be fair to all victims, it wasn’t available to all claimants and may have been an insufficient payout for some Camp Lejeune toxic water exposure victims. 

A Camp Lejeune lawsuit may be filed when: 

1. The Department of the Navy fails to respond to an administrative claim within six months of submission or
2. The filed administrative claim is denied by the Department of the Navy and no more than six months have passed since being notified of the claim denial

Any lawsuit related to the CLJA must be filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Depending on the circumstances, claimants may be able to reach a settlement related to their Camp Lejeune claim or proceed to trial for resolution.

Do claims under the CLJA impact claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs?

Any awards from a Camp Lejeune Justice Act claim should not impact the disability benefits a person receives from the VA.

Are there any scams related to the Camp Lejeune Justice Act?

Unfortunately, yes. Many Camp Lejeune scams targeting potential Camp Lejeune claimants have been reported since Congress passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. Scam artists have tried to steal personal information or get victims to pay fees upfront for representation. All Camp Lejeune water exposure victims looking for help with their CLJA claim should consider reaching out directly to reputable, established law firms and lawyers with experience handling toxic exposure claims.

Motley Rice is proud to represent veterans and their families in litigation in which U.S. service members were harmed by alleged preventable hazards. We have litigated matters involving:

• Exposure to asbestos and other toxic materials
• 3M earplugs and hearing loss
• EFP roadside bombs manufactured by terrorists
• Exposure to toxins released from burn pits at military facilities

Read more on our work in support of veterans.