Camp Lejeune Justice Act Updates

Austin Kirk

By Austin Kirk
Posted June 22, 2022

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UPDATE 8/10/2022 – President Biden has now signed the PACT Act into law, providing important benefits and rights for veterans, family members and other individuals exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987. This post provides a detailed summary of the new Camp Lejeune water contamination law and the requirements for obtaining settlement benefits. To review a claim for yourself or a loved one, request a free case evaluation.

UPDATE 8/2/2022 – The Camp Lejeune Justice Act is one step away from becoming law, after the U.S. Senate finally passed the “Honoring Our PACT” Act this evening. President Biden has already issued a statement pledging to sign the bill, so that veterans and their family members impacted by Camp Lejeune water and other toxic exposures finally get the benefits and financial compensation they deserve.

UPDATE 7/28/2022 – An initial vote this week to end filibuster on this legislation in the U.S. Senate failed to achieve 60 votes. Sen. Schumer has indicated another cloture vote will be held next week, and the amended version of the “Honoring our PACT” Act passed earlier this month in the U.S. House is still expected to pass the Senate with bipartisan support.

UPDATE 7/15/2022: The U.S. House of Representatives passed The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 this week with a 342-88 vote, as part of the “Honoring our PACT Act” (H.R. 3967). The bill contains almost the exact same language already approved by the U.S. Senate last month, removing only one tax-related clause that has caused procedural delays getting the new law to President Biden.

What is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022?

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 will provide important benefits and legal rights for individuals exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987, including:

  • Marine Veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune;
  • Family members who were former residents at the Marine Base Camp Lejeune;
  • Unborn children exposed to Camp Lejeune contaminated water in utero;
  • Contractors and other civilian staff working at Camp Lejeune

It is estimated that at least one million Marines, family members and other individuals were exposed to high levels of toxic chemicals in Camp Lejeune drinking water during this time.  For years, there has been evidence that the U.S. government knew about the toxic water problems at Camp Lejeune and allowed Marines, their wives, husbands, and children to drink and bathe in the water.

Rather than providing the care and financial compensation that all individuals exposed to the Camp Lejeune water deserve, for decades the U.S. government and Department of Veterans Affairs have routinely denied claims, and prior attempts to bring Camp Lejeune lawsuits have been dismissed under the North Carolina statute of limitations and statute of repose.

The Camp Lejeune Act will now allow claims and settlements to be pursued for a limited time by individuals exposed to this toxic contaminated water, as well as surviving family members or legal representatives of those who died from these injuries.

Who is eligible to pursue a Camp Lejeune Justice Act Lawsuit?

This new legislation covers individuals injured by water contamination at the North Carolina base in any capacity, regardless of how long ago the injury was diagnosed and whether the individual is still living.

As long as the injury was diagnosed after exposure to Camp Lejeune water for at least a 30 day period between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987, appropriate relief can be pursued through the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022.

Our lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are now investigating potential Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuits for families throughout the United States, and pursuing settlement benefits for any of the following injuries:

Find Out If You Qualify For a Camp Lejeune Act Lawsuit

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Cancers Caused by Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water

  • Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
  • Brain Cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Bladder cancer
  • Central Nervous System Cancer
  • Cervical cancer
  • Colon Cancer/Colorectal Cancer
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
  • Kidney cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Leukemia
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
  • Prostate Cancer
  • Rectal Cancer
  • Thyroid Cancer

Learn more about Camp Lejeune cancer lawsuits.

Other Side Effects of Contaminated Drinking Water at Camp Lejeune

  • Birth defects
  • Miscarriage
  • Female infertility
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Renal Toxicity/Kidney Disease
  • Kidney Damage
  • Hepatic steatosis (fatty liver disease)
  • Aplastic anemia
  • Scleroderma
  • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Epilepsy (seizures)
  • Immune Disorders
  • Nerve Damage
  • Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS or Pre-Leukemia)
  • Neurobehavioral effects (tremors, lack of coordination, movement or motor problems or other symptoms consistent with undiagnosed Parkinson’s disease)

To find out if you or a loved one may be entitled to a Camp Lejeune Justice Act settlement, request a free consultation and claim evaluation today. There is limited time to file a Camp Lejeune Justice Act lawsuit and there are no out-of-pocket costs to hire our law firm. We only receive an attorney fee or expenses if your family receives a settlement or recovery.

Requirements of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022

To recover damages, benefits and disability compensation under this new law, there are a number of steps that veterans, family members and others must take to protect their legal rights.

Prior to filing any lawsuit for injuries caused by toxic exposure to drinking water at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base, each claim must be presented to the federal government under section 2675 of title 28, United States Code. This requires that the claim be presented to the appropriate agency, and a lawsuit can only be filed after the claim is denied in writing, sent by certified or registered mail. If the government fails to make a final disposition of the claim within six months after it is filed, that is deemed a final denial for purposes of filing a lawsuit.

The law also requires that Marine service members, military family members and others who file lawsuits must bring their federal cause of action in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, which has been granted exclusive jurisdiction over all claims brought by Camp Lejeune victims under the new law.

To obtain settlement benefits, each claimant will be required to document their lawsuit and establish “one or more relationships between water at Camp Lejeune and the harm.” This burden of proof requires evidence that is either:

  1. Sufficient to conclude a causal relationship between Camp Lejeune water and the claimed injury; or
  2. Sufficient to conclude that a causal relationship is at least as likely as not

Based on the overwhelming evidence of toxic chemicals and volatile organic compounds that contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune North Carolina for decades, our lawyers can help investigate your claim and obtain the necessary documentation to make sure your legal rights are protected.

How Long Do I Have to File a Camp Lejeune Justice Act Case?

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 provides a two year “window” in the statute of limitations for all prior toxic water claims to be filed, even if they previously would have been barred because of how long ago the injury occurred.

The deadline for a Camp Lejeune Justice Act lawsuit requires that any claim be filed within two years after the full enactment of this law, or within 180 days after the claim is denied by the Federal government.

Therefore, there is a limited amount of time to pursue each case. Every day you wait to contact a lawyer may result in insufficient time to properly investigate your claim and make sure that deadlines are met.

Will a Camp Lejeune Justice Act Settlement Impact VA Benefits?

No.  Individuals previously eligible for VA benefits will still be able to obtain treatment and benefits they were otherwise entitled to receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs.  However, the amount of any award or Camp Lejeune toxic water settlement obtained under the new law will be offset by the amount of any prior disability award, payment or VA benefit provided to the individual or their legal representative.

Contact Our Camp Lejeune Lawyers For a Free Case Review

The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. provide free consultations and claim evaluations to help families throughout the United States determine whether they may be eligible for a Camp Lejeune Justice Act lawsuit payout.

All cases are investigated and handled by our law firm under a contingency fee agreement, which means that we are only paid if you win the case and obtain compensation for injuries caused by toxic water exposure at Camp Lejeune North Carolina.

Steps in a Camp Lejeune Act Claim Evaluation

1

Click the Button Below to Start a Free Case Review: Provide contact information and some details about your injury from water contamination at Camp Lejeune.

2

Get Contacted By Saiontz & Kirk, P.A.: You will be contacted by our law firm to review the circumstances surrounding your toxic water exposure and we will help determine if settlement benefits may be available for you and your family.

3

You Decide If You Want to Move Forward: If our lawyers determine that we can help with your Camp Lejeune lawsuit, it remains your decision whether to hire our law firm and move forward with a claim.

CONTACT OUR CAMP LEJEUNE ACT LAWYERS TODAY

6 Comments • Add Your Comments

  • David says:

    i was stationed at Camp LeJeune from 1973 to 1977… i also served at Camp Geiger, just outside of LeJeune… i served with 2nd 175mm gun battery, and 8th Communication Battallion…

    Posted on June 23, 2022 at 6:19 pm

  • Refugio says:

    I was stationed in Camp Lejeune for 18 months from 1970 to January 1972.
    I used to work for base special services and wore blue uniforms but still in active duty.

    Posted on July 15, 2022 at 8:29 pm

  • EUGENE says:

    My farther was stationed and I’m sure like many of that time preparing for the Vietnam war. Not only as my farther had a many health problems but myself and mother. Mom actually passed away from lung cancer. So yeah ifc there’s anyway I’ll be able to get some sort of compensation for the wrongs of the government, then by God I’m positive that this is definitely the action they’re want me to take. Thanks.

    Posted on July 23, 2022 at 11:54 am

  • Loretta says:

    I spent the summer @ Camp. Lejeune when I wad 14 yrs. old with my brother & his pregnant wife waiting for their 1st. child to be born. I now understand the numerous health issues I had as a young child & as a adult.

    Posted on August 31, 2022 at 10:19 pm

  • Eliza says:

    What about the Vietnam veterans. My husband died with pancreatic cancer but I don’t have his army records

    Posted on August 2, 2023 at 4:35 am

  • Gregory says:

    Where is the case in the overall process and how long do you anticipate it may take before we can expect a settlement and then how long after that does it take for any funds to be determined and then finally how long before final amount awarded is known and how long before we might expect an actual payout to clients of the Class Action Law Suit.

    Posted on August 26, 2023 at 8:08 am

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