Camp Lejeune Water Contamination VA Claims: What You Need to Know in 2026

For over three decades, the drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune was contaminated with toxic chemicals at levels hundreds to thousands of times above safe standards. An estimated 900,000 people were exposed. If you served or lived at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987, you may qualify for VA disability benefits, family member healthcare, and civil lawsuit compensation.

What Happened at Camp Lejeune?

From August 1953 to December 1987, the drinking water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, was contaminated with volatile organic compounds including trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride. The contamination came from an off-base dry cleaning business leaking chemicals into groundwater, leaking underground fuel storage tanks, waste disposal sites, and industrial spills on base.

The primary water treatment plants affected were Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point, which supplied water to base housing, barracks, schools, and workplaces. The contamination was discovered in the early 1980s, but the wells were not shut down until 1985-1987. Studies by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) have linked the water contamination to increased risks of cancers, Parkinson's disease, birth defects, and other serious conditions.

Who Qualifies?

Veterans and Service Members

You qualify if you:

• Served on active duty, Reserve, or National Guard at Camp Lejeune
• For at least 30 cumulative days (does not need to be consecutive)
• Between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987
• Have one or more of the presumptive conditions

All service counts: active duty, training, temporary duty assignments. If you were stationed there, worked there temporarily, or trained there for 30+ cumulative days, you qualify.

Family Members

Family members who lived on base for 30+ cumulative days during the contamination period qualify for:

• VA healthcare for 15 conditions related to the contamination
• Reimbursement for out-of-pocket treatment costs
• Camp Lejeune Justice Act civil lawsuit claims

This includes spouses, children (including in utero exposure if the mother was on base while pregnant), and other family members who lived in base housing.

Civilian Workers

Civilians who worked at Camp Lejeune for 30+ days during the contamination period qualify for healthcare and Justice Act claims. This includes DoD civilian employees, contractors, and base exchange workers.

The 8 Presumptive Conditions

Under the PACT Act, the VA presumes service connection for these eight diseases. You do not need to prove the water caused your condition:

1. Kidney Cancer

All types of kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma and others). Strongly linked to TCE exposure and often appears decades after exposure.

2. Liver Cancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma and other primary liver cancers. Must be primary liver cancer, not cancer that spread to the liver from elsewhere.

3. Bladder Cancer

All bladder cancers are presumptive. Strongly linked to benzene and other contaminants found in the Camp Lejeune water supply.

4. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

All types including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and others. Linked to TCE and benzene exposure in multiple scientific studies.

5. Multiple Myeloma

Cancer of plasma cells in bone marrow. The pre-cancerous condition MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance) may also qualify.

6. Adult Leukemia

All adult leukemias are presumptive, including acute myelogenous (AML), chronic myelogenous (CML), chronic lymphocytic (CLL), hairy cell, and other types.

7. Parkinson's Disease

Progressive neurological disorder. Rated at minimum 30% and often progresses to 100%. TCE and other solvents have been linked to increased Parkinson's risk.

8. Aplastic Anemia and Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Bone marrow failure conditions where the body stops producing enough blood cells. Includes aplastic anemia, refractory anemia, and various myelodysplastic syndromes.

Rating Considerations

Cancers

Most cancers receive a 100% rating during active treatment and for six months following treatment completion. After that, residual ratings depend on remaining organ damage, treatment side effects (neuropathy from chemo, chronic pain), and mental health conditions from the diagnosis.

Parkinson's Disease

Rated on a scale based on severity:

• 30%: Mild symptoms, some tremor or movement difficulty
• 50%: Moderate symptoms with significant tremor and rigidity
• 70%: Severe symptoms with frequent falls
• 100%: Totally disabling, requiring assistance with daily activities

Aplastic Anemia and Myelodysplastic Syndromes

• 30%: Requiring continuous medication
• 60%: Requiring bone marrow transplant or immunosuppressive therapy
• 100%: Severe symptoms with transfusion dependence

How to File a VA Claim

Step 1: Confirm Your Service Dates

Verify you were at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 cumulative days between August 1953 and December 1987. Check your DD-214, service records, and orders. If your DD-214 does not specifically show Camp Lejeune, gather alternative evidence: orders, training records, pay stubs, unit histories, or buddy statements.

Step 2: Obtain Medical Documentation

Get a current medical diagnosis of your condition. For cancers, pathology reports are essential. For Parkinson's, you need a neurological evaluation confirming the diagnosis.

Step 3: File Your Claim

File online at VA.gov using Form 21-526EZ. In your claim:

• List your specific conditions
• State you are claiming Camp Lejeune water contamination exposure under the PACT Act
• Provide dates of service at Camp Lejeune
• Upload service records and medical documentation

You do NOT need evidence that you drank the water or a medical opinion linking your condition to the contamination. Service at Camp Lejeune during the period is sufficient for presumptive conditions.

Step 4: Attend the C&P Exam

The VA will schedule an exam to confirm your diagnosis and assess severity. The examiner should not question whether the condition is service-connected (the presumption handles that).

Step 5: Review Your Decision

Verify presumptive service connection was granted and the rating matches your condition's severity. If denied, appeal immediately. Common denial reasons include insufficient proof of 30 days at Camp Lejeune or unclear diagnosis documentation.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 allows affected individuals to file civil lawsuits in federal court seeking compensation beyond VA disability benefits. This is separate from and in addition to VA benefits.

Who Can File

• Veterans who served at Camp Lejeune during the contamination period
• Family members who lived on base
• Civilian workers
• Personal representatives of deceased individuals (wrongful death claims)

What Claims Can Cover

• Pain and suffering
• Medical expenses not covered by VA
• Lost wages and earning capacity
• Loss of quality of life
• Wrongful death and survivor damages

VA Benefits and Justice Act Claims Do Not Conflict

You can pursue both. VA benefits provide ongoing monthly tax-free compensation. Justice Act claims seek one-time damages for specific losses. Neither reduces the other.

Working with Attorneys

Justice Act claims are complex civil litigation typically requiring legal representation. Many firms handle these on contingency (you only pay if you win). Your Justice Act attorney is separate from your VA claims representative.

Family Member Healthcare

Family members who lived at Camp Lejeune during the contamination period qualify for VA healthcare for 15 covered conditions including bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, Parkinson's, esophageal cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, and others.

How Family Members Apply

1. Gather evidence of residence at Camp Lejeune (30+ cumulative days between 1953-1987)
2. Obtain medical documentation of a covered condition
3. Apply through the VA's Camp Lejeune Family Member Program
4. If approved, receive VA healthcare for the covered condition and reimbursement for out-of-pocket costs

Common Issues

Service records are lost or incomplete: Many Camp Lejeune claims involve service from the 1950s-1980s when records were less thorough. The VA should give you the benefit of the doubt when evidence is roughly balanced. Provide any alternative evidence available.

Diagnosis appeared decades later: Do not assume you cannot file because you were diagnosed 30-40 years after leaving. Cancers and Parkinson's often have very long latency periods. File as soon as you are diagnosed.

Next Steps

If you served or lived at Camp Lejeune during the contamination period, take action now. Use the Veterans Benefits Finder to see all the benefits available based on your situation, and consult with a VSO about your VA claim and an attorney about a Justice Act lawsuit.