What is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act?

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) is bipartisan legislation that rights years of wrongs by allowing Marines and others who were injured by contaminated water to finally file claims against the government. For years, injured Marines, civilian workers, and their families who were exposed have been prevented from seeking justice by a North Carolina law that prohibits lawsuits from a toxic exposure that is more than 10 years in the past. By the time serious health effects were known and linked to the contaminated water, no injured person had the right to file a case.

What is the current status of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act?

On August 2, 2022, the CLJA was passed by the U.S. Senate as part of the PACT Act. On August 10, 2022, President Biden signed the PACT ACT, which includes the CLJA, into law.  

Who qualifies for compensation under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act?

The legislation authorizes claims by any individual who was exposed to the water at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or longer between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987.

If you meet this exposure criteria, you have the right to make a claim.  This includes:

• Marines

• Other military

• Civilian workers

• Contractors

• Family members (including in utero exposure)

• The legal representative of any of these who may be deceased

What injuries qualify for compensation under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act?

Government studies have shown serious chronic diseases are linked to the toxic water at Camp Lejeune.  Among the numerous diseases are the following cancers and chronic :

• Adult Leukemia 

• Multiple myeloma

• Myelodysplatic syndromes 

• Non-Hodgkins lymphoma

• Bladder Cancer

• Breast Cancer

• Esophageal Cancer

• Kidney Cancer

• Liver Cancer

• Lung Cancer

• Aplastic anemia 

• Female infertility 

• Fatty liver disease 

• Miscarriage 

• Neurobehavioral Disorder

• Parkinson's disease 

• Renal toxicity 

• Scleroderma

• Cardiac Birth Defects

But if you are chronically ill or have battled another cancer or serious disease, it may still have been caused by exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune.  Please let us help you investigate your claim.

Will filing a claim under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act affect my V.A. benefits?

No.  If you are already receiving VA benefits and compensation, this bill still gives you the right to sue.  You will not lose your benefits because you pursue your claim.  

Thousands of veterans who sought benefits specifically related to Camp Lejeune water exposure had them denied.  The CLJA gives veterans a second chance.  

What is the process for receiving compensation under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act?

You must file your claim within two years of the date the bill becomes law.  Your claim must first be filed in the government administrative claims process.  Once the government rejects your claim or declines to act for 6 months, we will file the claim in federal court in North Carolina.  

We will investigate your case to determine a number of factors that we must present in seeking compensation, including:  (a) at what point in your life were you exposed (in pregnancy, as a child, as a family member, or working on the base); (b) how much were you exposed (what is your does of toxins); (c) how long were you exposed for; and (d) what was the method of your exposure (drinking, bathing, other skin exposure, inhalation).  We will tell your story at every level of this process, and ensure that you are heard by those who can help.  

There will be many claims filed under the CLJA. Both the government process and the federal court process will be built to handle a large volume of cases. It is possible some might resolve without being tried to a jury, but it is likely that at least some cases will be submitted for a jury.

Can someone qualify for compensation under the Act if they were not in the military?

Yes. This legislation is intended to cover spouses, children, and other family members exposed while living on base at Camp Lejeune. It also covers civilian employees and contractors who worked at the base. Everyone who meets the exposure requirement can have their claim investigated for filing.

Can I assert a claim on behalf of my deceased family member?

Yes.  If you or another family member are/were the personal representative of a deceased loved one who was exposed to the water at Camp Lejeune, you may pursue a claim under the CLJA.

How long will it take for a claim to receive compensation under the Act?

It is possible that the government claims process may result in compensation on your claim, but it is too early to know how the government will treat these newly submitted injury claims.  The best way you can help us process your claim is to provide our case development team with all the information we need as quickly as you can. Currently we expect it will take at least 1-2 years for a claim to work its way through the court process.  

However, it is important to know that we are very early in the process. Right now, no one knows how long it may take to resolve a claim under the CLJA or can guarantee that a claim is compensable. 

I can’t afford to pay upfront for an attorney to represent me. How can Invenio help me?

Invenio doesn’t get paid unless we win. You pay nothing out of your own pocket for us to investigate this case and see it through to compensation. All that we ask is your time and cooperation so we can tell your story in a powerful way.