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How to File a Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claim

By Keith E. Donovan, Matthew R. Fogg, Michael G. Owen, Joshua H. Meyeroff, Ryan T. Keating, Justin K. Weeks on January 9, 2024
Posted In Camp Lejeune

Military veterans, civilian workers, and their family members who lived on or worked at Camp Lejeune during the period August 1953 to December 1987 are at increased risk of illness from water contamination on the base and may be entitled to financial compensation.

Camp Lejeune water contamination has caused numerous cancers and other health injuries for people who were exposed to toxic chemicals in the water. The primary known health consequences from the Camp Lejeune water contamination are:

  • Kidney Cancer
  • Liver Cancer
  • Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
  • Leukemias
  • Bladder Cancer
  • Multiple Myeloma
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Kidney Disease / End State Renal Disease
  • Systemic Sclerosis / Systemic Scleroderma
  • Breast cancer
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Female infertility
  • Hepatic steatosis
  • Lung cancer
  • Miscarriage
  • Neurobehavioral effects
  • Renal toxicity

If you or your deceased family member was stationed on the base for 30 days or more between August 1953 and December 1987, and have been diagnosed with any of these conditions, you are entitled to file a claim for compensation for your injuries. 

How do I file a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim?

There are a number of essential steps in the Camp Lejeune water contamination claim process. If you do not complete each requirement properly, and within the legal deadlines, your claim will not be successful. Dealing with government forms and red tape can be a frustrating and slow process, but is a necessary hurdle to overcome.

A successful Camp Lejeune water contamination claim requires:

  • Proof that you were at Camp Lejeune

You must have lived on or worked at the Camp Lejeune base for 30 days or more between August 1953 and December 1987 to be eligible to file a Camp Lejeune claim. For military service members, your DD214 is a helpful starting document. Your presence on Camp Lejeune can be confirmed by residential leasing agreements, P.C.S. or T.D.Y. orders, employment records, utility bills, tax records, or even photos or videos.

  • Proof of your harm

A Camp Lejeune claim allows compensation for people who have been harmed by the toxic water contamination, not just those who were stationed at the base. Therefore, you must prove that you were injured by your exposure to toxic water at Camp Lejeune. This will require analyzing relevant medical records. We will request these records from the V.A., other healthcare providers, or your health insurance company. 

  • File an administration claim

You or someone on your behalf must file an administrative claim with the federal government’s JAG Tort Claims Unit by August 10 2024. The CLJA claim form is a detailed form that requests proof of your time at Camp Lejeune and your medical diagnoses, as listed above. It also requires that you state the amount of your claim. It is very important that the details and amounts on this claim form are complete and correct. 

  • File a lawsuit 

The government has 180 days to respond to your administrative claim. If your administrative claim is denied or the government does not respond within 180 days, you may take the next step and file a lawsuit. Any lawsuit will be filed in Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina, where these cases are required by law to be handled. 

  • Will filing a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim affect my V.A. benefits?

If you are currently receiving healthcare from the V.A., this will not be affected by filing a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim. You can continue receiving the healthcare that you are entitled to for your service to our country. 

If you have already received disability payments specifically for your exposure to Camp Lejeune water contamination, you will not be compensated again for this portion of your losses in a legal proceeding because you cannot recover for the same damages twice. However, you are still entitled to recover for your pain and suffering resulting from a covered Camp Lejeune illness or injury. 

What is the first step to filing a Camp Lejeune water contamination claim?

If you think you may have been harmed by toxic water at Camp Lejeune and you are wondering what to do next, contact one of our experienced Camp Lejeune water contamination attorneys to find out if you are eligible for compensation. Our attorney will provide a free consultation to discuss your individual situation and advise you on your legal rights and options. If you are eligible to pursue a Camp Lejeune claim, we will explain how we can help you.

At Morris James, our attorneys have been standing up for victims since we opened our doors in 1932. If you have questions about filing a Camp Lejeune claim, contact us online or call us at 302.655.2599 to speak to one of our experienced attorneys.

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