Veterans and Families Who Lived at Camp Lejeune May Be Owed Money After Cancer Diagnoses

From the 1950s through 1987, the water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina was contaminated with toxic industrial chemicals — including trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride. Hundreds of thousands of veterans, their family members, and civilian workers drank, cooked with, and bathed in that water for years.

Research by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and studies published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that people exposed to this contaminated water developed cancer, Parkinson's disease, and other serious conditions at significantly higher rates than the general population. (ATSDR, Camp Lejeune Water Contamination History; Byers et al., JOEM, 2013.)

In 2022, Congress passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act — part of the PACT Act — giving people the legal right to seek money for the harm they suffered. A two-year filing window ran from August 2022 to August 2024. Attorneys are still actively evaluating cases.

What the Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Is About

The contaminated water at Camp Lejeune came from two sources: an off-base dry cleaning company that dumped chemicals into the groundwater, and fuel leaks and industrial waste from base operations. For over 30 years, the military knew about the contamination but did not act — and did not tell the people living and working there.

According to the ATSDR, residents and workers at Camp Lejeune during that period were exposed to drinking water containing chemicals at levels many times above what is considered safe. This contamination has been linked to bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Parkinson's disease, neurobehavioral conditions, and other serious health problems. (ATSDR, Camp Lejeune Water Contamination History.)

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act allows people harmed by this contamination to go to federal court and seek money from the U.S. government — something that was previously blocked by North Carolina law. Cases are being handled in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Who May Qualify

You may qualify if both of the following apply to you:

1. You lived, worked, or were stationed at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987 — including as a child born on base or a family member of a service member.
2. You were later diagnosed with one of the covered conditions: bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, Parkinson's disease, kidney disease, or other qualifying illnesses listed under the law.

You do not need to have proof you were stationed there — a lawyer's team can help you obtain military or employment records that document your time at the base.

What Could This Mean for You?

If you qualify, you may be owed money for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses connected to your illness. Because the U.S. government is the target of these cases — not a private company — the process is different from a typical lawsuit, but the right to seek money is now protected by federal law.

We will not quote individual amounts. What any case may be worth depends on the specific diagnosis, the severity of illness and treatment, and how individual cases resolve. Those factors are unique to every person. The check is free, and if you may have a case, the only way to know is to submit your information for review.

What About the Filing Deadline?

The two-year window under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act officially closed on August 10, 2024. However, attorneys are still evaluating cases and legal strategies continue to evolve. If you or a family member were exposed and became ill, it is worth checking your options now — waiting further only reduces them.

What Happens If You File

People are often unsure what this process looks like. Here is a straightforward breakdown:

Step 1 — Fill Out the Free Form

You fill out a free form on this page — no commitment, no upfront cost. It takes about two minutes.

Step 2 — A Lawyer's Team Reviews Your Information

A real person on the intake team goes through your submission to see if you may qualify based on your time at the base and your diagnosis.

Step 3 — You Are Represented at No Cost

If you qualify, you are represented at no cost to you. Attorneys in these cases only get paid if you win.

Step 4 — Your Case Is Filed and Pursued

Your case is filed and pursued through the federal court system in the Eastern District of North Carolina. You do not have to travel or appear in court in most situations.

Common Questions