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Find Out How It Impacts Those Affected In Camp Lejeune

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Frequently asked questions

Who was affected by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune?

Veterans, Reservists, Guardsmen, civilian employees, and family members who worked and/or lived at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina from August 1953 through December 1987

Where was the water contaminated?

Three separate groundwater sources - Hadnot Point, Tarawa Terrace and Holcomb Boulevard

What diseases were proven through scientific and medical evidence to have an association with the contaminated water?

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
Aplastic Anemia
Birth Defects
Bladder Cancer
Brain Cancer
Breast Cancer (Male and Female)
Cervical Cancer
Esophageal Cancer
Fetal Death (20 weeks gestation)
Female Infertility
Hepatic Steatosis (Fatty Liver Disease)
Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Kidney Cancer
Kidney Disease
Kidney/Renal Failure
Leukemia
Liver Cancer
Liver Disease
Miscarriage (19 weeks or earlier)
Multiple Myeloma
Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Ovarian Cancer
Parkinson's Disease
Prostate Cancer
Rectal Cancer
Renal Toxicity
Scleroderma
Systemic Sclerosis

What benefits are available to eligible active duty, reserve, and National Guard members who developed a disease as a result of the toxic water?

Veterans can receive disability and health care benefits for the 7 diseases associated with the toxic water listed below:

Adult leukemia
Bladder Cancer
Kidney Cancer
Liver cancer
Multiple myeloma
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Parkinson's disease

Qualifying Veterans can receive all their healthcare from the VA (except dental care), and no copays for VA hospital care or medical services for these conditions after service connection is established and the rating has completed processing.

What health conditions as a result of the contaminated water make me eligible for free health care (except dental care)?

Veterans with any of the qualifying health conditions below will receive a minimum of Category 6 status for VA health care, however the VA reviews and decides claims on a case-by-case basis:

Bladder Cancer
Breast Cancer
Esophageal Cancer
Female Infertility
Hepatic Steatosis (Fatty Liver Disease)
Kidney Cancer
Leukemia
Miscarriage
Multiple Myeloma
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Renal Toxicity
Scleroderma

As a Veteran, how do I receive disability benefits or health care?

File a claim for disability compensation and provide:

1. Your military records showing you served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 days from August 1953 through December 1987 while on active duty, in the National Guard or Reserves, and

2. Medical records stating that you have 1 or more of the 8 illnesses on the presumptive conditions list:

Adult Leukemia
Aplastic Anemia and Other Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Bladder Cancer
Kidney Cancer
Liver Cancer
Multiple Myeloma
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Parkinson's disease

Does the VA pay you back for any out-of-pocket health care costs?

The VA may pay you and/or any dependent family members back for out of pocket health care costs that relate to any of the conditions caused by the water contamination at Camp Lejeune.

As a family member of a Veteran, how do I get benefits?

You'll need to file a claim for disability compensation and provide all of this evidence:

Document proving your relationship to the Veteran who served on active duty for at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune (like a marriage license, birth certificate, or adoption papers), and

Document proving that you lived at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 days from August 1953 through December 1987 (like utility bills, base housing records, military orders, or tax forms), and

Medical records that show you have one of the 15 conditions listed above (as well as the date the illness was diagnosed and that you're being treated or have been treated in the past for this illness)

And you'll need to provide evidence that you paid health care expenses for your claimed condition during one of the time periods listed below.

Between January 1, 1957, and December 31, 1987 (if you lived on Camp Lejeune during this time period, we'll reimburse you for care received on or after August 6, 2012, and up to 2 years before the date of your application), or

Between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1956 (if you lived on Camp Lejeune during this time period, we'll reimburse you for care received on or after December 16, 2014, and up to 2 years before the date you apply for benefits)

Are the family members of Veterans covered for health care or disability benefits?

Family members are not eligible for disability benefits. However, family members can get health care benefits.

Did former residents and employees of Camp Lejeune, as well as their children, experience any heart conditions?

Yes, they have complained of the following heart conditions:

Congenital heart defect
Congestive heart failure
Faulty or leaky heart valve
Heart palpitations
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Tachycardia (dangerously fast heart rate)

Did contaminated water lead to tooth decay and other dental issues?

Some Veterans who served at Camp Lejeune say the contaminated water caused their teeth to deteriorate, break, or even fall out. In some cases, the water allegedly eroded their enamel (the tooth's outer covering), forcing them to have their teeth extracted.

What chemicals were involved?

Trichloroethylene (metal cleaner)
Tetrachloroethylene (dry cleaning agent)
Benzene (chemical found in gasoline)
Methylene Chloride (chemical solvent)
Vinyl Chloride (colorless gas)

Will I lose out on my VA benefits if I file a legal claim for injuries incurred from my stay at Camp Lejeune during the qualifying period?

You are still entitled to your VA benefits if you report your injuries and fulfill a case. However, any compensation received through disability benefits will be lessened by the amount of VA benefits given to the claimant that were documented as a result of the exposure to the contaminated water.

What happens after I file a VA disability claim?

1. Claim received - The VA will let you know when its received your disability claim.

If you file your claim online, you'll get an on-screen message from the VA after you submit the form.

If you mail your application, the VA will send you a letter to let you know the claim has been received. You should get this letter about one week, plus mailing time, after the VA receives your claim.

2. Initial review - The VA will review your claim. It'll move to step 3 if they don't need any more evidence to support it.

3. Evidence gathering, review, and decision - during this step, the VA does 3 things:

-Ask for evidence from you, health care providers, governmental agencies, or others

-Review the evidence

-Make a decision

4. Preparation for notification - the VA gets your entire claim decision packet ready to be mailed

5. Claim complete - the VA will send you a packet by U.S. mail that includes details of the decision on your claim. Please allow 7 to 10 business days for your packet to arrive before contacting a VA call center

What are Camp Lejeune lawsuits filed as?

Most will be filed as individual personal injury claims, and the rest as class action lawsuits

What's the average amount of time it takes the VA to make a decision on my disability-related claim?

125.3 days is the average as of 2022

The amount of time it takes to come to a decision depends on

1. The type of claim you filed

2. How many injuries or disabilities you claimed and how complex they are

3. How long it takes the VA to collect the evidence needed to decide your claim

Can Camp Lejeune claims be filed before the Act is passed?

No claims can be filed until after the bill is signed into law. The hope is that the Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuits will finally allow victims to be compensated for their injuries after decades of being denied access to justice.

How much is a Camp Lejeune settlement?

It's too early to estimate how much a settlement for Camp Lejeune water contamination will be for an individual claimant. More information on settlement amounts will be available as the litigation progresses and the legislative process is completed. Ultimately, if claims can't be settled, the Act allows victims to ask a jury to award fair compensation for their claims.

How does the PACT Act impact Camp Lejeune cases?

Justice for the victims of water contamination at Camp Lejeune has been a long time coming.

The 2022 Honoring our PACT Act, which includes the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, has support from the House and Senate, and is publicly supported by President Biden.

This Act will allow Veterans, family members, and any other person who lived or worked at the base between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987 and who was harmed by the contaminated water that supplied the base for decades, to pursue compensation through administrative claims and lawsuits.

How can I find out if I qualify for any Camp Lejeune related benefits?

Visit www.nationalclaimsbureau.com or call (800) 993-4727 to quickly find out if you qualify

Free Claim Evaluation by a US Based Claims Specialist

Veterans, civilians and families who worked or resided on Marine Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and have been diagnosed with cancer or serious injuries are now eligible for financial compensation.