Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

What happened at Camp Lejeune

From August 1953 through December 1987, drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and the adjacent MCAS New River was contaminated with industrial solvents — primarily trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride — at concentrations that exceeded modern safe-exposure limits by orders of magnitude.

The two affected water-distribution systems were Tarawa Terrace (contaminated mainly by an off-base dry cleaner) and Hadnot Point (contaminated by on-base industrial activity, leaking underground storage tanks, and waste-disposal sites). The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has published modeled monthly contaminant concentrations for both systems.

An estimated one million service members, family members, and civilian employees were exposed during the 34-year contamination period.

Who qualifies for the VA presumption

• Veterans, Reservists, and National Guard members who served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training at MCB Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River.
• Service of at least 30 cumulative days (consecutive or non-consecutive) between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987.
• A current diagnosis of one of the eight presumptive conditions listed in 38 CFR § 3.309(f).

The eight presumptive conditions (38 CFR § 3.309(f))

• Adult leukemia
• Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
• Bladder cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Multiple myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Parkinson's disease

Camp Lejeune Justice Act vs. VA disability — two separate paths

The Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 included Title VIII — the Camp Lejeune Justice Act — which created a federal cause of action for anyone (veterans, family members, civilian workers, and in-utero exposures) harmed by Lejeune water. These tort claims are filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina and are handled by personal-injury attorneys, not VA-accredited claims agents.

VA disability compensation under 38 CFR § 3.309(f) is a separate, parallel benefit. A veteran can pursue both: a Justice Act tort claim for past damages and a VA disability claim for ongoing service-connected compensation. The two processes do not preclude each other, although there are statutory offset provisions that prevent double-recovery for the same loss.

Oakridge Claims handles the VA disability side only. For Justice Act tort claims, you need a licensed attorney admitted in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Family-member health-care benefits

Even if you are not a veteran, family members who lived at Camp Lejeune for 30+ days during the qualifying period may be eligible for VA-paid health care for fifteen specific conditions under the Camp Lejeune Family Member Program. This is not VA disability compensation — it is reimbursement for out-of-pocket medical costs related to the listed conditions.

Where these claims break down

• ×Assuming the Justice Act tort claim and the VA disability claim are the same process — they are not.
• ×Filing only one of the two; many veterans qualify for both.
• ×Missing the 30-day cumulative service threshold by overlooking TDY, training, or short reserve assignments at Lejeune or New River.
• ×Failing to obtain a current diagnosis from a competent provider — the VA still requires diagnostic confirmation even with the presumption.
• ×Overlooking secondary conditions that flow from a presumptive primary (e.g., chronic kidney disease secondary to Parkinson's medication).

Frequently Asked Questions

References & sources

1. ATSDR — Camp Lejeune Water Modeling & Health Studies — CDC / Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
2. 38 CFR § 3.309(f) — Disease associated with exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune — U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR)
3. Honoring our PACT Act of 2022, Title VIII — Camp Lejeune Justice Act — U.S. Congress
4. VA — Camp Lejeune Family Member Program — U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs