Toxic Exposure · Camp Lejeune
Camp Lejeune
Camp Lejeune Justice Act — contaminated water at MCB Camp Lejeune (1953–1987)
From August 1953 through December 1987, drinking water at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina was contaminated with volatile organic compounds — including trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride — at levels far above what is now considered safe. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 (part of the PACT Act) created a two-year window for veterans, family members, and civilian workers to file claims for injuries linked to that exposure.
Background
What this litigation is about.
Two on-base water treatment plants (Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point) were contaminated by leaking underground storage tanks, industrial spills, and an off-base dry-cleaning operation. Federal agencies have studied associations between contaminated-water exposures and several health conditions. Evidence and legal standards differ by condition and claim type.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 (enacted August 10, 2022 as part of the Honoring our PACT Act) allows anyone exposed to the contaminated water for at least 30 days between Aug 1, 1953 and Dec 31, 1987 to sue the United States for personal injury or wrongful death. The statute waives federal defenses that had previously blocked recovery.
The initial two-year filing window closed on August 10, 2024, but tens of thousands of timely-filed claims are moving forward. Cases are consolidated in the Eastern District of North Carolina, and the parties have adopted elective settlement options for certain qualifying diagnoses with shorter exposure/latency requirements.
Reported injuries
Reported concerns and potential losses.
Kidney cancer
VA benefit presumptions and scientific exposure assessments serve different purposes; neither alone establishes entitlement to civil damages.
Bladder cancer
Linked to TCE/PCE exposure in the on-base water supply.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Recognized presumptive condition for VA disability.
Leukemia
Adult leukemia and childhood leukemia in those exposed in utero.
Parkinson's disease
Recognized by VA as a presumptive Camp Lejeune condition.
Multiple myeloma
Also on the VA presumptive list.
Liver cancer
Linked to vinyl chloride exposure in the contaminated water.
Birth defects & pregnancy loss
Reported by families stationed on base during the exposure window.
Individual review
Facts that may be relevant.
You lived, worked, or served at MCB Camp Lejeune (including satellite areas) for at least 30 cumulative days between Aug 1, 1953 and Dec 31, 1987.
You have been diagnosed with a qualifying cancer or serious illness with a plausible link to the contaminated water.
You (or your family member) can document presence on base — service records, employment records, housing records, or birth records.
The statute established an initial August 10, 2024 filing date. Preserve administrative submissions and agency decisions; individual review is needed to assess any applicable court deadline.
Distinguish presence records from claim records
VA benefits and a Camp Lejeune Justice Act claim are different processes with different requirements. Neither a diagnosis nor VA eligibility alone establishes entitlement to a civil recovery.
- List dates, housing addresses, work locations, and any gaps in time on base.
- Keep service orders, dependent housing records, employment records, or other existing evidence of presence.
- Save diagnosis records and the dates of initial symptoms and treatment.
- Retain administrative claim submissions, receipt confirmations, agency decisions, and court documents; do not assume a prior benefits application was a civil claim.
Key events
A timeline of what has happened so far.
1953–1987
Camp Lejeune water supplies contaminated with TCE, PCE, benzene, and vinyl chloride.
1982
USMC begins detecting contamination; affected wells are shut down over the following years.
2012
Janey Ensminger Act provides VA health care for affected veterans and family members.
Aug 10, 2022
President signs the Honoring our PACT Act, including the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.
2022–2024
Two-year CLJA filing window; hundreds of thousands of administrative claims filed with the Navy.
Aug 10, 2024
Statutory filing deadline.
Frequently asked
Questions answered plainly.
This page is for general information only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Case statuses, MDL orders, and settlement terms change; call our office for a current review of your specific situation.
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