≡ Menu ≡ Menu

Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit [2024]: Were You (or a Loved One) Injured After Being Exposed to Toxic Contaminated Water at USMC Base Camp Lejeune?

Camp Lejeune lawsuit cases settlement claims lejuene lejune

If you or a loved one were injured after being exposed to contaminated water at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, you may be entitled to recover compensation from a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit case or settlement claim.

A team of personal injury lawyers and class action attorneys is investigating potential Camp Lejeune lawsuit cases and settlement claims of veterans and others who were injured after being exposed to toxic contaminated water at the United States Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), individuals living, serving and/or working at Camp Lejeune between the 1950s and 1980s were potentially exposed to toxic water contaminated with industrial solvents and other chemicals and volatile organic compounds, including perchloroethylene or tetrachloroethylene (PCE or PERC), trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride.

Unfortunately, the chemicals found in the water at Camp Lejeune may be associated with an increased risk of developing of cancer, leukemia, non-hodgkin’s lymphoma, Parkinson’s disease and other illnesses.

Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Cases & Settlement Claims

The Camp Lejeune water lawsuit and settlement cases potentially being investigated include claims of veterans and other individuals who were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987 and suffered from cancer or other serious disease, illness or injury, including, the following conditions:

Eligible Camp Lejeune lawsuit claimants may include United States military servicemembers, family of military members residing at Camp Lejeune, civilian contractors working on base and unborn children who were exposed in utero during the relevant time period.

Camp Lejeune lawsuits have been filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, which has been designated as the exclusive jurisdiction and venue for Camp Lejeune lawsuits filed pursuant to the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022.

Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Cases and Settlement Claims

Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Injury Claims

Camp Lejeune water contamination injury claims potentially being investigated include claims of individuals injured after being exposed to water contaminated with toxic chemicals or compounds, such as:

  • Benzene
  • Trichloroethylene (TCE)
  • Tetrachloroethylene
  • Perchloroethylene (PCE or PERC)
  • Vinyl chloride (VC)
  • Dry cleaning solvents
  • Degreasers
  • Heavy machinery chemicals
  • Other toxic chemicals or compounds
  • Other water contamination injury claims

Camp Lejune Lawsuit & Settlement Updates

Recent updates about Camp Lejeune lawsuits and settlements include:

  • February 2024: As of February 27, 2024, more than 170,000 administrative Camp Lejeune cases have been filed with the Department of the Navy.
  • January 2024: On January 16, 2024 the Parties submitted a joint status report indicating that more than 158,000 administrative Camp Lejeune claims had been filed. On January 15, 2024 plaintiffs’ leadership group filed a motion for partial summary judgment on the issue of specific causation, requesting that the Court determine that, with respect to causation, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act requires only a statutorily defined exposure (30-day presence on base) and general causation (a relationship between disease and the water at Camp Lejeune that is at least as likely as not causal).
  • November 14, 2023: On November 14, 2023 the Parties submitted a joint status report that noted, among other things, that approximately 129,158 administrative Camp Lejeune claims have been filed with the Navy so far and four settlement offers have been accepted, totaling one million dollars.
  • October 30, 2023: The Court held an initial status conference to discuss, among other things, the number and status of Camp Lejeune cases that have been filed to date, the number of and status of administrative claims that have been presented to the Department of the Navy, progress on discovery and an update on individual and global settlement efforts. According to Government estimates, as of October 27, 2023 approximately 117,000 Camp Lejeune injury claims were filed with the Department of the Navy.
  • October 6, 2023: Plaintiffs filed their Master Complaint in the Camp LeJeune Water Litigation, setting forth common allegations of fact and law applicable to all Plaintiffs who adopt the allegations by filing individual Short Form Complaints. The Camp Lejeune Master Complaint alleges, among other things, that Plaintiffs (including present and former Marines and other military service members, civilian employees, and family members or guests of former service members or civilian employees) resided, worked, or were otherwise exposed to water contamination at or from Camp Lejeune for not less than 30 days during the period between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, that the Camp Lejeune water was polluted and contaminated with chemicals and volatile organic compounds including but not limited to PCE, TCE, DCE, vinyl chloride, and benzene and that as a result of exposure to polluted and contaminated water at or from Camp Lejeune, they suffered and will continue to suffer serious harm or have died.
  • September 26, 2023: On September 26, the Court overseeing the Camp Lejeune litigation entered a case mangement order that, among other things, instructed the parties to be prepared to begin trials in 2024 for Camp Lejeune Track 1 plaintiffs (i.e., those plaintiffs who allege that they suffered from bladder cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, Parkinson’s disease and/or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a result of exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune).
  • September 20, 2023: The parties met in Washington, DC to discuss a process for global resolution of Camp Lejeune claims.
  • September 6, 2023: On September 6, the Justice Department and Department of the Navy announced the creation of a voluntary Camp Lejeune settlement process, called the “Elective Option,” to help veterans and others quickly settle certain qualifying claims under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022.  Depending on the type of injury (only some of the potential Camp Lejeune injuries are covered in the expedited settlement program) and the duration of exposure, claimants may be able to recover payments up to $550,000.
Older Camp Lejeune Lawsuit & Settlement Updates
  • August 2023: On August 28 Plaintiffs’ Lead Counsel and Co-Lead Counsel and the United States government submitted a joint status report, proposed case management order and proposed short form complaint in In re: Camp LeJeune Water Litigation, Case No. 7:23-cv-897 (United States District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina).
  • April 2023: An order was entered in the United States District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina directing the Clerk of Court to maintain a Master Docket case file under the style “In re: Camp LeJeune Water Litigation” Case No. 7:23-CV-897 that may provide directives relating to all PACT Act cases, such as the creation of proposed leadership structure, a master complaint, master answer or other responsive pleading to the master complaint, a process for consolidating discovery, a process for phased discovery, a process for coordinating expert-related motions, a process for coordinating dispositive motions, a process for bellwether selection, a process for trials, and a process for settlement negotiations, among other things.
  • February 2023: On February 13, 2023 it was reported that about 20,000 administrative Camp Lejeune claims had been filed with the Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps (“JAG”) and that over a hundred lawsuits were filed in North Carolina federal court.
  • September 2022: Only a month after the Camp Lejeune Justice Act became law, it was reported that an estimated 5,000 Camp Lejeune claims were administratively filed with the JAG over health issues stemming from contaminated water at the Marine Corps base in North Carolina.

  • August 2022: On August 2, 2022, the Senate passed the House Amendment to the PACT Act of 2022. On August 10, 2022, the President signed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act bill into law.

  • July 2022: On July 12, 2022 the U.S. House passed an amended version of the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022.

  • June 2022: On June 16, 2022 the U.S. Senate passed an amended version of the PACT Act of 2022.

  • March 2022: On March 3, 2022 the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Honoring our PACT Act of 2022” and “Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022” (H.R. 3967)

Toxic Water In Camp Lejeune Water Treatment Plants

In 1982, the Marine Corps discovered volatile organic compounds in water from Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point water treatment plants.

Although eight water-distribution systems (i.e., Hadnot Point, Tarawa Terrace, Holcomb Boulevard, Courthouse Bay, Rifle Range, Onslow Beach, Montford Point/Camp Johnson and New River) supplied drinking water to enlisted-family housing, barracks, base administrative offices, schools, recreational areas and other facilities at Camp Lejeune, historically, Hadnot Point, Tarawa Terrace, and Holcomb Boulevard supplied water to the majority of family housing units at Camp Lejeune.

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry, water from the Tarawa Terrace water treatment plant (which served Tarawa Terrace family housing and Knox trailer park) was contaminated with PCE (perchloroethylene or tetrachloroethylene) due to waste disposal practices at ABC One-Hour Cleaners, an off-base dry cleaning firm.

Similarly, according to ATSDR, water from the Hadnot Point water treatment plant (which served mainside barracks and family housing at Hospital Point, Midway Park, Paradise Point, and Berkeley Manor) was contaminated with TCE (trichloroethylene), PCE, benzene, TCE degradation products trans-1,2-DCE (t-1,2-dichloroethylene), toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes and vinyl chloride due to leaking underground storage tanks, industrial area spills or waste disposal sites. 

Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Cases

Housing units at Camp Lejeune that may have had toxic water include:

  • Tarawa Terrace I
  • Tarawa Terrace II
  • Midway Park
  • Berkeley Manor
  • Knox Landing
  • Watkins Village
  • Hadnot Point
  • Paradise Point
  • Camp Knox Trailer Park
  • Camp Johnson
  • Camp Geiger
  • Mainside Barracks
  • MCAS New River
  • Holcomb Boulevard
  • Courthouse Bay
  • Hospital Point
  • Other on base housing

Camp Lejeune Marines, Other Military Service Members, Residents, Workers and Family Members

The Camp Lejeune military training base in Onslow County North Carolina has been the home of the “Expeditionary Forces in Readiness” since 1941, with a mission to maintain combat-ready units for expeditionary deployment. In fact, it has been the home base for the II Marine Expeditionary Force, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Logistics Group and other combat units and support commands, including:

  • Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
  • II Marine Expeditionary Force
  • 2nd Marine Division
  • 2nd Marine Logistics Group
  • 2nd Marine Logistics Group
  • 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade
  • 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit
  • 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit
  • 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit
  • 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion
  • 2nd Intelligence Battalion
  • Marine Corps Installations East
  • Marine Corps Engineer School
  • United States Marine Corps School of Infantry
  • Marine Corps Combat Service Support Schools
  • Reserve Support Unit
  • Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune
  • Field Medical Training Battalion (FMTB)
  • Joint Maritime Training Center (USCG)
  • Marine Raider Regiment
  • Marine Special Operations Support Group
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Seal

Altogether, Camp Lejeune covers about 156,000 acres of land, including 11 miles of beach capable of supporting amphibious operations, 34 gun positions, 50 tactical landing zones, three training facilities for Military Operations in Urban Terrain and 80 live fire ranges. In addition to the main base, Camp Lejeune has six satellite facilities, including Marine Corps Air Station New River, Camp Geiger, Stone Bay, Courthouse Bay, Camp Johnson and Greater Sandy Run Training Area.

Overall, the Camp Lejune base and surrounding community has a population of about 170,000 people, consisting of active duty, dependent, retiree and civilian employees, among others.

Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Lawsuits

Indeed, over the thirty-year period from 1953 to 1987, nearly a million military service members, veterans, National Guard, reserve members, non-military staff, family members and others who served, lived or worked at Camp Lejeune may have been exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. Unfortunately, many of them may have subsequently suffered from injury, disease or illness, including cancer.

Although historically various laws had prevented injured military members, their families and others harmed by contaminated water from filing Camp Lejeune lawsuits, a new federal law called the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 allows individuals, including veterans and others, to file a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit claims in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina to obtain monetary relief for harm that was caused by their exposure to the contaminated toxic water at Camp Lejeune Marine corps base.

Time Is Limited To File A Camp Lejeune Lawsuit

Deadlines commonly referred to as statutes of limitation and statutes of repose may limit the amount of time that individuals have to file a Camp Lejeune lawsuit to try to recover compensation for injuries they claimed to have suffered after being exposed to contaminated water (e.g., cancer, Parkinson’s disease, kidney failure, scleroderma, fatty liver disease, aplastic anemia, birth defect, infertility and miscarriage, among others). For example, under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act a claimant has two years after the date of its enactment (i.e., 2 years after August 10, 2022) or 180 days after the date on which the claim is denied by a federal agency, whichever is later, in which to file a Camp Lejeune lawsuit claim.

This means that if a Camp Lejeune lawsuit claim is not filed before the applicable time limit or deadline, the injured party may be barred from ever pursuing litigation or taking legal action regarding the Camp Lejeune injury claim. That is why it is important to connect with a Camp Lejeune injury lawyer or attorney as soon as possible.

If you or a loved one suffered injury, such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease and/or other disease after being exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, you may be entitled to compensation from a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit case or settlement claim. Contact an injury lawyer to request a free case review.

*If you or a loved one are experiencing health issues, side effects or complications from a product, we urge you to promptly consult with your doctor or physician for an evaluation.

**The listing of a company or entity or product (i.e., Camp Lejeune water) is not meant to state or imply that the company or entity acted illegally or improperly or that the product is unsafe or defective; rather only that an investigation may be, is or was being conducted to determine whether legal rights have been violated.

***The use of any trademarks, tradenames or service marks is solely for product identification and/or informational purposes.

Fill out the form for a free attorney review.

  • Have You Been Injured?
    You May Be Entitled To Recover Money!
    Fill out this form to request a free case review by an injury lawyer.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.