Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claims

If

• You worked, lived, or were otherwise exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or more between Aug. 1, 1953, and Dec. 31, 1987,
   

And

• You were exposed to water at Camp Lejeune that was supplied by the United States or on its behalf;
   

Then

• You may seek appropriate relief for harm which —
  • Was caused by, associated with, linked to exposure to the water;
  • Exposure to the water increased the likelihood of such harm.

Any person who believes they qualify for relief under the CLJA must first submit a claim to the Department of the Navy.  You can begin the process of filing your claim by completing the CLJA claim form.  Once your form is complete, please sign, scan, and save your form using the following format: “LAST NAME FIRST NAME MM.DD.YYYY.”  Next, email your completed form to clclaims@us.navy.mil.  Emailing your form will assist in expediting the processing of your claim. For additional information on completing the CLJA claim form, please see Directions and Procedures.

If you are unable to submit a claim electronically, please contact clclaims@us.navy.mil for further guidance.

Attorneys interested in submitting multiple claims will soon have the capability to do so using the Department of the Navy's online CLJA claims portal.  This portal will be established in the near future. We will notify attorneys and law firms and update this website as soon as that portal is fully operational.

You will soon have the option to file your claim via our online CLJA claims portal.  This portal will be established in the near future, and we will update this website as soon as that portal is fully operational.

Due to the overwhelming number of claims filed so far, not every claim can be reviewed in the six (6) month timeframe provided in the CLJA.  The CLJA enables claimants to seek relief in Federal court if their claim is not resolved within six (6) months of filing.  The Department of the Navy is committed to reviewing every claim submitted and resolving every claim as fairly and efficiently as possible.  The Department of Justice and the Department of the Navy have worked together to develop an Elective Option that can expedite the review and resolution of claims filed under the CLJA.

The Department of Justice and the Department of the Navy worked together to develop an Elective Option to resolve claims as fairly and quickly as possible.  Within the Elective Option framework, claimants may be eligible for expedited resolution of their claim if they have one of the specific medical conditions that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry identified as potentially linked to the drinking water provided on board Camp Lejeune between Aug. 1, 1953 and Dec. 31, 1987.  For more information, please review the "Public Guidance on Elective Option for Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claims."

The Department of Justice authorized the Department of the Navy to pay a maximum value of $550,000 to resolve an administrative claim filed under the CLJA.  Some claimants will receive less, and not all claimants will qualify for payment under the Elective Option in the administrative claims process.  Claimants who do not qualify for a payment under the Elective Option may still file a claim with the Department of the Navy and seek relief in Federal court if the claim is denied or six (6) months have elapsed after the filing of a claim.  For more information, please review the "Public Guidance on Elective Option for Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claims."

Based on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry report cited above, claimants with the following medical conditions may be eligible for an expedited resolution under the Elective Option:  Kidney Cancer, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Leukemia, Bladder Cancer, Multiple Myeloma, Liver Cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, Kidney Disease, and Systemic Sclerosis / Scleroderma.  For more information, please review the "Public Guidance on Elective Option for Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claims."

Payments under the Elective Option are based on the claimant’s diagnosed medical condition and the length of the claimant’s exposure to the water on Camp Lejeune.  Within the Elective Option framework, claimants may be eligible to receive a one-time payment ranging from $100,000 to $550,000.  For more information, please review the "Public Guidance on Elective Option for Camp Lejeune Act Claims."

Unlike a court award under the CLJA, payments to claimants under the Elective Option are not offset by past Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits or medical care.  Furthermore, receipt of a payment under the Elective Option will not reduce ongoing Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits or eligibility for medical care.  For more information, please review the "Public Guidance on Elective Option for Camp Lejeune Act Claims."

If your claim is denied by the Department of the Navy, or if you do not receive a decision within six (6) months of filing your claim, you may file a lawsuit in Federal court.

A claimant is not required to pursue relief in Federal court.  Claimants may wait until the Department of the Navy reviews their claim, and then decide whether to go to Federal court.

The Department of the Navy, the Department of Justice, and the National Personnel Records Center, a division of the National Archives and Records Administration, are working together to find a global solution regarding the gathering of personnel and federal employment records for those CLJA claimants having military ties. To date, the National Personnel Records Center has received thousands of personnel and/or employment records requests from CLJA claimants to substantiate their CLJA claims against the United States. To expedite the claims process, the Department of the Navy will not require claimants to provide military personnel and/or federal employment records at the time of the initial filing of the administrative claim. Records needed for substantiating the claim may be requested at a later time on a case-by-case basis based on the Navy’s evaluation of the claim. Such substantiation requests, when necessary, will not be made by Department of the Navy until after our online CLJA claims portal is fully operational. At that time, where substantiation is needed, claimants and/or their designated representatives will be notified to provide those substantiating documents to Department of the Navy, and the claimant can then work with National Archives and Records Administration to obtain records as needed to substantiate their claim.

Please email questions to clclaims@us.navy.mil.  This email inbox is constantly monitored, and we will do our best to provide a response as quickly as possible.  We apologize for any delayed response as we work to manage the overwhelming number of claims filed to date and questions submitted by potential claimants.

Claims filed with the Department of Veterans Affairs are separate from the requirements set forth in the CLJA.  If you believe you qualify to file a claim under the CLJA, please follow the steps set forth above to file a claim with the Department of the Navy.

Claims filed with the Department of the Navy are separate from any claims filed with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and claims filed using the process discussed above do not impact benefits or programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. For more information regarding Department of Veterans Affairs claims, please visit publichealth.va.gov.