Camp Lejeune Lawsuits Updates: An End for Veterans’ Woes?

The window period to file your Camp Lejeune administrative claims closed on August 10, 2024.

Time is ticking for the veterans who are affected by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune but not yet contacted an attorney. Brace yourself with all your documents and seek the best attorney in the country to steer your claim to success.

Judge Terrence Boyle urged the lawyers for the Justice Department and the plaintiffs to resolve the claims quickly, because Camp Lejeune lawsuits are moving in a very sluggish phase.

More than 227,000 victims have already filed their claims. Judge Boyle informed that he was ready to set trial dates in April or May but had not provided any trial schedule.

When the Camp Lejeune Justice Act 2022 was passed by the Senate, and on August 10, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the historic PACT Act into law, it opened a path of justice for the victims.

The veterans, their families, and the civilian workers who were in the Camp Lejeune military base from 1953 to 1987 were relieved that they can pursue Camp Lejeune mass tort lawsuits.

The drinking water at the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is safe today. But that was not the case back in the 1950s to 1980s. Water contamination was identified only in the early 1980s, and in the meantime, the people there were exposed to dangerous chemicals for decades.

The most contaminated water purification plants were shut down only in the mid of that decade. Till then, all the service members of the military and the navy, their families, and the civilian workers were exposed to the toxic chemicals from the drinking water supplied to them.

Since the toxic chemical exposure would cause the symptoms after many years, many of the veterans and their families who went away from there were unaware of the impending danger. The news of the water contamination reached them very late in 1999, leaving them in despair.

It is said that around 3.5 million people are affected by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. This is indeed a shocking reality. Continue to read our blog to know the Camp Lejeune lawsuits update 2024….

Are you or your loved one exposed to Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water? Seeking the counsel of an attorney experienced in handling Camp Lejeune claims will help you win the claim without much trouble. A thorough analysis of your medical records will fortify your claim.

This blog takes you through the events spinning around the water contamination, the legal battle of the veterans to get their reparation, the latest news on Camp Lejeune water contamination 2024, and the prospective in filing Camp Lejeune lawsuits.

Latest Update on Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) Claims

The US Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) has posted rules for filing Camp Lejeune cases on the website in response to the surge of Camp Lejeune claims filed under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. Before filing a civil case, the plaintiffs are anticipated to file under the JAG Tort Claims Unit. JAG has prepared a CLJA claims form that will be necessary to bring a civil Camp Lejeune suit in federal court.

To learn more about the directions and regulations, visit the JAG Camp Lejeune Navy website.

A jury’s award in a Camp Lejeune claim is limited. This is because there are no economic or noneconomic damages under North Carolina law.

Veterans whose disability claims were previously dismissed need not be anxious if they have a viable Camp Lejeune claim. According to a report provided by the Department of Defense, the Veteran’s Administration might well have wrongfully dismissed over 21,000 VA compensation applications connected to the Camp Lejeune water contamination.

They are entitled to compensation if they file Camp Lejeune cases under the CLJA. The CLJA also empowers veterans who have received VA benefits to sue Camp Lejeune.

The Navy is likely to use the administrative procedure to find strong, genuine claims before making an aggressive attempt to settle those claims for fair value.

Since the enactment of CLJA, many veterans all over the U.S. have been pursuing Camp Lejeune lawsuits. To win your lawsuits, you must get your military records. If you are a veteran affected by the contaminated water, get your military records from the government.

As of December 2022, there have been no signs of Camp Lejeune lawsuit settlements. It is disappointing that the government has not taken any steps to resolve the almost 8,000 plus Camp Lejeune lawsuits filed by the veterans and civilians.

The initial hullabaloo of media attention, like advertisements and emails, on the camp Lejeune lawsuits and settlements, have started ebbing slowly. Let’s not get disheartened by the government’s silence and pin our hopes on 2023.

History of Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

Camp Lejeune is a 246-square-mile United States military training base located in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The base’s 14 miles of beaches make it a popular location for amphibious assault training, and its proximity to two deep-water ports allows for quick deployments.

Camp Lejeune has served as a temporary or permanent home for thousands of military service members and their families since its inception in 1942. It has also served as a residence or workplace for thousands of civilian employees and contractors.

Camp Lejeune has its own public water system to provide drinkable water to these Marines and civilians.

Hadnot Point (1942) and Tarawa Terrace (1952) were the two potable water distribution plants historically connected to the Camp Lejeune water contamination. These plants were contaminated by volatile substances like trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), trans-1,2-dichloroethylene (DCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride.

The launch of ABC One-Hour Cleaners, an Off-base dry cleaner across the street from Camp Lejeune, in 1953 triggered the contamination of the dry-cleaning solvents in the water.

It was suspected to have contributed to the contamination through incorrect chemical disposal and unintentional leakage. Investigations proved later that these contaminants polluted the Tarawa Terrace drinking water system.

It is reported that in 1979, the Hadnot Point Fuel Farm had a huge fuel leakage. Approximately 20,000 to 30,000 gallons of fuel products were estimated to be leaked during that incident. This was suspected to be the cause of water contamination at the Hadnot Point water system.

In 1972, the Holcomb Boulevard water system started serving the areas covered earlier by the Hadnot Point water system. Though it was not contaminated, its water was sometimes supplemented by the contaminated water from Hadnot Point. Therefore, the people in these areas were exposed to contaminated water even after 1979.

Environmental testing at Camp Lejeune in the 1980s revealed that the water supply to Camp Lejeune residents and employees was alarmingly contaminated.

In 1982, the Marine Corps identified that the above-discussed contaminants were at high levels than the EPA standards for safe drinking water. From 1982 to 1984, the Navy took up the initiative to identify the potentially contaminated areas by testing the nearby water wells.

The federal government shut down the contaminated water wells in Camp Lejeune in 1985. But making the plants completely safe was a herculean task, and so only by the end of 1987, they were able to remove all the contaminants from the water.

Though the Safe Drinking Water Act was passed in 1972, only in 1987 the regulations of the Act were published in the Federal Register. The fact that the Navy and the federal government were unaware of water contamination risks is very hard to swallow.

The EPA and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources identified PCE contaminants of concern (COCs) in soil and groundwater in 1989 at levels that posed an unacceptable risk to the public and the environment. The EPA declared the site a Superfund site, where hazardous chemicals are found in abundance.

According to the CDC report in 1990, PCP was the leading cause of birth defects, death, and injury among Camp Lejeune water contamination victims. Since many miscarriages were reported in the base camp, a study was carried out in 1998 by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), which distributed a questionnaire to expectant mothers who resided in the Camp Lejeune facility between 1968 and 1985.

The study found that more than 100 pregnancies resulted in kids with cancer or birth abnormalities. This study made the veterans who were unaware of the water contamination since then start relating many of their ailments and their exposure to the chemicals.

Then, after 17 years of the discovery of the water contamination at Camp Lejeune, in 1999, the former service members and the residents were notified of the toxic chemical contamination. The affected families were completely devastated after knowing the cause of their agony.

President George W. Bush signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, H.R. 4986, on January 28, 2008, which mandated that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) create a health survey that would gather personal health information from all individuals who could be identified as exposed to drinking water contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), and other volatile organic compounds at Camp Lejeune.

How Dangerous are the Substances in Camp Lejeune Water Plants?

Here, we are going to see the volatile substances that contaminated the Camp Lejeune water plants and their adverse side effects that made the inhabitants suffer.

Trichloroethylene (TCE)- Trichloroethylene is a halocarbon that is frequently used as an industrial solvent. Both acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) inhalation exposure to trichloroethylene can have an impact on a person’s central nervous system (CNS), resulting in symptoms like weakness, numbness, headaches, disorientation, and euphoria.

There have also been reports of human liver, renal, immunological, endocrine, and developmental impacts. Recent epidemiological research has been analyzed, and the results show that exposure to trichloroethylene is linked to a number of human cancers, particularly those of the kidney, liver, cervix, and lymphatic system.

Perchloroethylene (PCE) – Perchloroethylene is a chemical used as a cleaning agent, mainly for metal degreasing and dry cleaning. Exposure to tetrachloroethylene may have negative effects on the kidney, liver, immunological system, and hematologic systems, as well as on development and reproduction.

Studies of those exposed at work have discovered links to several cancers, including multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and bladder cancer. Tetrachloroethylene has been labeled as possibly harmful to humans by the EPA.

Benzene is a chemical compound that is used to create synthetic fibers, nylon, and resins. Benzene has been demonstrated to alter the chromosomes of bone marrow cells, where new blood cells are produced. These modifications are frequently observed in human leukemia cells.

VC – Vinyl chloride TCE and PCE in groundwater deteriorate over time to become VC. Acute exposure to very high amounts of vinyl chloride has been linked to loss of consciousness, inflammation of the kidneys and lungs, and inhibition of blood coagulation in both humans and animals.

Exposure to vinyl chloride is linked to an increased risk of leukemia, brain and lung malignancies, lymphoma, and a rare type of liver cancer called hepatic angiosarcoma.

Evolution of Camp Lejeune Mass Tort Lawsuits and Related Legislation

The first Camp Lejeune mass tort lawsuit on water contamination was filed against the U.S. Federal government by Laura Jones in 2009. Her husband was a former Marine, and they lived at Camp Lejeune during the period of 1980-1983. They were using contaminated water during that period. Her allegation was that she acquired non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) from the use of the contaminated water.

In 2012, President Obama brought some relief to the veteran families and the other affected people from Camp Lejeune when he made the “Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012” into law.

This helped the victims who served at Camp Lejeune to get healthcare benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs if they were qualified.

In 2017, the Veterans Affairs began to accept Camp Lejeune compensation claims, and they paid many claims which were approved from the $2.2 billion fund allotted to cover such claims in the following five years.

However, many eligible veteran victims did not get the much-deserved compensation due to legal impediments because they had to prove that they would have acquired the eight diseases listed by VA to get the benefits.

In 2019, Congress passed the Janey Ensminger Act to assist veterans and their families in receiving healthcare benefits. The victims were relieved as they need not try to prove that their diseases were caused by exposure to contaminated water. They should only prove that they were residing at Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987.

The main reason that barred the veterans from filing Camp Lejeune lawsuits was North Carolina’s statutes of repose. It prohibits filing claims after a certain period of time has passed following the defendant’s actions.

North Carolina is one of the few states in the country with a statute of repose, which prohibits claims against polluters if the contaminating event occurred more than ten years ago.

A substantial step was taken in 2021 when the Camp Lejeune Justice Act was presented before the U.S. Congress. The Act laid out a significant eligibility criterion as the veterans, or the service members should have been in the camp between the period of 08/01/1953 and 12/31/1987.

They were liable to prove that they were exposed to contaminated water in that period.

After much delay, on 01/25/2022, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act 2022 was presented to the U.S. House of Representatives. After it was passed on 03/03/2022 in the House of Representatives, it was then moved to the Senate for approval.

On 06/16/2022, the Senate passed the bill with a majority of 84 to 14. At present, it is at a critical juncture, as it is before the honorable president Joe Biden for his sign. He has already proposed to support the bill.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act in 2022 has a two-year window period from the date of the enactment of the law to take for the victims to gear forward with their Camp Lejeune lawsuits.

The veterans, their families, and the civilian workers exposed to the contaminated water during their stay in the camp will be relieved once the Act is passed.

Once the Act is officially passed and published, all the veterans and the other affected people who were barred from filing Camp Lejeune lawsuits will be able to proceed with their claims.

Even those who have received disability benefits from VA too can get reparation for their medical expenses and other damages.

Updates on Camp Lejeune PACT Act

The legislation was transferred back to the House of Representatives for a “re-vote” due to a ramification in the Senate interpretation of the bill. The PACT Act was re-approved by the House and transferred to the Senate for retrospection, where legal and political judges anticipated it to pass again.

Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) ended the day on July 25, 2022, after a day of debate over various amendment proposals, by filing a cloture motion to end any further debate over the bill and hasten the vote on final approval.

On the afternoon of July 27, 2022, the Senate rejected a cloture motion to expedite the PACT Act by a vote of 55-42. Cloture is the process by which the Senate can end ongoing debates, amendment proposals, and filibusters in order to force a final vote on a bill.

Cloture motions require a 60% vote (60 Yeas) to pass. Veterans’ hopes were severely dashed when 25 Senators who had previously backed the bill voted against the closure resolution. The action is thought to have been motivated by political interference. The difficulties faced by the veterans are getting worse as the law is delayed.

However, there is still some hope. All of the victims hoped that the senate would approve the bill before the start of the summer break on August 8, 2022.

Great news for veterans! On August 10, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the historic PACT Act into law. The PACT Act (H.R. 3967) will make veterans eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.) medical care, mental health services, and counseling if they:

• They took part in a toxic exposure risk activity (a qualifying activity that requires a corresponding entry in an exposure tracking record system)
• Served on specified dates and locations
• Deployed to assist with a specific contingency operation.

What is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act 2022 Update?

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 was formed to help the victims of Camp Lejeune water contamination by Congress. Let’s see how it is going to help the veterans and the other victims.

The Act proclaims that the party bringing the case shall bear the burden of establishing one or more connections between the harm and the water at Camp Lejeune. To meet the burden of proof described above, a party must produce evidence demonstrating that the link between exposure to water at Camp Lejeune and the harm is—

(a) sufficient to conclude the existence of a causal relationship; or (b) enough to conclude that a causal relationship is at least equally likely.

Any award made under this section to an individual or legal representative of an individual shall be reduced by the amount of any disability award, payment, or benefit provided to the individual or legal representative under-

• Any program administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under the laws;
• The Medicare program under Social Security Act Title XVIII (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.); or
• Title XIX of the Social Security Act’s Medicaid program (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.); and

in connection with health care or a disability caused by water exposure at Camp Lejeune.

Camp Lejeune Legacy Cases 2023

As per the January 2023 update, some of the legacy cases were dismissed by the judges. Do you know what these legacy cases are? Initially, around 28 Camp Lejeune claims were dismissed by the court as per North Carolina’s statute of limitations. these cases were considered legacy cases.

After the PACT ACT was made into law, even those denied claims were allowed to be pursued. However, recently a judge dismissed a dozen of these legacy cases for failing to file a civil lawsuit before resubmitting an administrative claim to JAG.

In December 2022, Judge Louise Flanagan from the Eastern District of North Carolina court also dismissed the legacy cases which were assigned to her for the same reason. Like adding insult to injury, eight more legacy claims were dismissed by Judge James C. Denver, III.

Only a few more legacy cases are pending as of now. however, experts think that they, too, will have the same destiny.

Let’s wait and see what impact these dismissals have in the other lawsuits in 2023.

JAG Camp Lejeune Update 2023

As of the beginning of February 2023, JAG has received more than fifteen thousand Camp Lejeune lawsuits after the CLJA was passed. Already the JAG was given a six-month deadline to take action on the administrative claims by the CLJA.

More Camp Lejeune lawsuits are being filed every week. in the second week of February, around 80 lawsuits were filed. Experts estimate that by the end of the 2-year deadline, which ends in August 2024, there will be 500,000 Camp Lejeune mass tort claims filed in the North Carolina federal court.

The six-month deadline for the administrative claims to become eligible to file the civil lawsuits expired on February 10, 2023. From then until the end of February 2023, around 160 claims have been filed under the CLJA in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Though this shows a slow pace in the number of lawsuit filings, experts believe that there will be a leap in the following months.

Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update 2023- March

There is a huge leap as expected by the experts in the filing of new claims. Last week of March 2023 found the highest number of 179 new cases. There are totally around 20,000 claims have been filed by the victims.

However, JAG hasn’t initiated any action and started facing criticism over it. When asked, they said, if “evidence substantiates the claim,” they would offer a settlement. It is reviving hopes and at the same time their inaction casues despair among the victims.

April Update

April month found a leap in the filing of new Camp Lejeune claims in the Eastern DSistrict of North Carolina. More than twenty CLJA claims were filed evvery day. and experts believ that by the end of May, there would be more than 2000 cases filed. Lawyers have requested the govermnet to extent the deadline to file answers to the CLJA cases. They have already requested for the consolidation of all the CLJA claims. the request was accepted and a judge granted an extension until May 31, 2023.

May 2023 Update

It is expected that the court will soon initiate the discovery process, bellwether selection and other proceedings soon. there are signs of a consolidation similar to a Camp Lejeune Class Action Lawsuit, which is a better sign of government’s step toards settlement.

A new study conclusively links Parkinson’s disease to the toxic water at Lejeune, strengthening potential cases and settlement amounts. Pressure mounts on the Navy to address toxic-water contamination at Camp Lejeune, as legislators demand explanations for the lack of progress in resolving the cases.

June Update

Lawsuits involving the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune are multiplying. The Department of Justice urges federal judges in North Carolina to expedite the management of these lawsuits. The victims have grown frustrated as a result of the lengthy resolution of their claims.

July 2023 Update

As per the update on Camp Lejeune water contamination, over 70,000 administrative claims have been filed. Settlement discussions are delayed due to staffing and resource constraints. Early settlement payouts are unlikely in 2023, and the process may extend into 2024. Over 1,000 civil claims are still ongoing in the Eastern District of North Carolina under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, despite the fact that the number of new potential complaints has drastically declined.

August 2023 Update

Deadlines for various Camp Lejeune case proceedings extended to September 1, 2023, to ease the presentation of a comprehensive case management order. Navy spokesperson announced that from the 93,000 plus CLJA claims received to date, 17,000 are being processed.

Discussions are underway with the DOJ to establish an “early resolution framework”. Civil filings under the CLJA have slowed by the mid of August, hinting at possible optimism for an effective settlement process in the future. North Carolina judges indicate that initial trials will prioritize cases representing the broader group of plaintiffs affected by Parkinson’s disease, kidney cancer, liver cancer, bladder cancer, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, scleroderma/systemic sclerosis and cardiac birth defects.

September 2023 Update

The government had decided to include kidney cancer, leukemia, Parkinson’s disease cases in the first group of cases to be trialed. However, the plaintiffs wanted to add non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and bladder cancer cases too in the first group. This issue arose as the cases included in the first group would settle quickly as these were closely connected to the water contamination issues.

The government has come forward with a settlement program of up to $450,000 covering the affected veterans and other individuals. This will cover victims based on their illness and the period spent at the camp.

Based on this, the first tier victims would get $450,000, if they had spent more years at the base and suffered deadly cancers listed by the government. People with lesser stay at the camp would get lesser compensation as $150,000 to %300,000 based on the years spent.

Tier two victims would get a range from $250,000 to $400,000. Wrongful death claims would get an additional $100,000 as settlement.

At the end of September 2023, the court had indicated that the trials would commence in the next year. All the cases included in the tier 1 along with Parkinson disease cases would be included in the “track 1” cases to be trialed first.

October 2023 Update

After the settlement program was announced there was a spike in the new filings. Around 200 new cases were filed. A new master complaint was filed listing out all the common grievances of the victims consolidated in one document. This would ease the new case filing process.

November 2023

The Camp Lejeune Status Conference scheduled for November 7 was rescheduled for November 21. The discussion was held on various aspects like discovery and settlement. More than 129,000 claims filed with the DOJ. As a great news, three settlements totaling $850,000 were completed by the DOJ. Two claimants have received their payments. A new lawsuit demanding $100 million was filed.

December 2023

Camp Lejeune lawsuits were distributed among four federal judges in Eastern District of North Carolina- Judge Dever (357 cases), Judge Myers (370 cases), Judge Boyle (343 cases) and Judge Flanagan (363 cases).

Plaintiffs with bladder cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Parkinson’s disease were selected for Track I cases for discovery. Since October, 257 new civil cases filed until the end of December.

Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Update 2024

January 2024

New Year has brightened the hope of a few as six Camp Lejeune settlements were made.  An average payout of around $250,000 was made in these settlements.

• A Parkinson’s disease case- $250,000
• A non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma case- $300,000
• Two Leukemia cases- $300,000 each
• Another Leukemia case- $150,000
• A bladder cancer case- $150,000 for a case of Bladder Cancer
• Another one is pending

More lawsuits are getting in and the deadline to get in the wagon is slowly running out.

The Department of Justice and the Department of the Navy had proclaimed tiered payments via a voluntary Elective Option.

Settlement for tier-1 Camp Lejeune diseases include:

• $450,000- (more than 5 years at the base)
• $300,000- (1 to 5 years at the base)
• $150,000- (30 days to 1 years at the base)

People with Tier-2 illnesses would get $50,000 or less.

In case of the death of the victim, the family would get an additional $100,000 irrespective of their disease.

The people who opted for Elective Option (EO) will get their settlement in a few months. those who did not opt have to wait for 1 to 2 years to get their settlement once their cases get verdict or when the government announce a settlement. however, they may get more reward that what the people get through EO.

Trials for the Camp Lejeune lawsuits- track 1 illnesses will commence in 2024.

February 2024 Camp Lejeune Lawsuits Update

As per the February update, around 170,502 administrative claims and 1,530 lawsuits were pending in Camp Lejeune litigation. All these claims should be filed before August for settlement.

March 2024 Update

As per the latest Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit update, the federal government has planned to allocate $21 billion to settle the claims.

Track 2 cases are to be chosen for trial. Claims of people alleging the below listed disease types care going to be trialed soon.

• Breast cancer
• Kidney disease
• Lung cancer
• Liver cancer
• Prostate cancer

The Torts Branch and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have been making settlement offers to individuals affected by various medical conditions pertaining to Camp Lejeune water contamination. The Torts Branch confirmed that 50 litigation cases qualify for the Elective Option (EO), categorizing them by different injuries, including Bladder Cancer, Kidney Cancer, non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and others. Settlement offers ranged from $100,000 to $450,000, depending on the condition. Of these offers, 18 have been accepted, nine declined, and ten have expired, with 13 still pending.

According to the information from the Navy, the DOJ made settlement offers to 59 claimants, with 24 accepted, two rejected, 25 expired, and eight pending. The settlements, covering conditions like Bladder Cancer, Leukemia, and others, have seen payments totaling $3.6 million, with amounts ranging from $100,000 to $400,000.

May 2024 Update

From May 1-13, 2024, several key developments occurred in the Camp Lejeune litigation. Plaintiffs’ attorneys opposed the government’s request to prioritize single-disease cases, arguing for a more inclusive approach given the prevalence of multiple diseases among victims. They also sought clarity on the “legal representative” issue to streamline claims. The plaintiffs filed motions to compel more comprehensive data on muster rolls and water modeling files, essential for proving contamination.

The government contended that all relevant data had been provided but faced allegations of not promptly communicating settlement offers. As of May 10, there were 1,764 lawsuits and 227,309 administrative claims. The Elective Option settlement program was criticized for its slow progress, settling only 36 cases for $9 million in seven months. On May 13, judges denied a motion for immediate appellate review of a ruling that struck down the plaintiffs’ demand for a jury trial, likely leading to settlements calculated without the jury trial option, potentially disadvantaging victims.

A proposed bill could allow Camp Lejeune cases to be heard in any district court within the Fourth Circuit, potentially causing legal disarray. As the August 10, 2024 deadline approaches, filing a claim becomes urgent. Meanwhile, a dispute over Dr. Christopher Portier’s deposition location highlights his significant role in assessing Camp Lejeune’s health risks, with the DOJ arguing the inconvenience and cost. Despite DOJ objections, Dr. Portier’s insights, given his strategic involvement, could be crucial in understanding the health impacts of the contamination.

June 2024 Lawsuits on Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Update

Last October, the court had decided to elect 100 cases for track 1 bellwether trials. The track 1 cases included trials involving bladder cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, Parkinson’s disease, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The first trials are expected to begin by the end of 2024. However, a joint proposal submitted earlier this month aimed to narrow this group to 25 cases to manage costs and workload better.

The parties highlighted the significant costs and challenges associated with reviewing and preparing expert reports for all 100 cases, most of which will not proceed to trial. On June 10, the Court approved the process for selecting a smaller group of cases. Plaintiffs will choose 15 lawsuits, including three from each injury category, and the U.S. Government will then select two additional cases from each category, resulting in a final list of 25 cases for the first bellwether trials.

See the list of plaintiffs chosen by the plaintiff side below:

Nearing Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Deadline- August 2024

The deadline to file Camp Lejeune lawsuits is approaching. Veterans! you are running out of time. Take actions immediately.

As per the latest update in June 2024, the status of Camp Lejeune settlement update involves three entities: the Torts Branch, DOJ, and Navy. The Torts Branch identified 72 cases meeting Elective Option criteria, with 31 settlements accepted, 9 rejected, and 20 expired. The DOJ approved offers for 93 claimants, with 33 accepted, 3 rejected, and 23 expired. Settlement checks totaling $14.4 million have been issued for 33 Navy and 25 DOJ accepted offers, covering various illnesses including bladder cancer, leukemia, and kidney cancer.

Additionally, a new Senate bill was passed to protect veterans’ benefits. On June 4, 2024, a plan was agreed upon to select five plaintiffs from the Track 1 Discovery Pool for bellwether trials, focusing on specific illnesses for a more efficient resolution.

July 2024 Update

Expert discovery on these issues will be expedited, followed by potential Daubert and dispositive motion briefings. Parties must submit a proposed pretrial schedule by July 12, 2024. This process aims to streamline trials for efficiency. A status conference is scheduled for July 16, 2024, focusing on preparing individual bellwether cases for trial. As of June 2024, 1,825 civil lawsuits have been filed under the CLJA, with 261,293 administrative claims filed with the Navy.

North Carolina judges asked the plaintiffs to prove the presence and levels of chemicals like benzene, TCE, PCE, and vinyl chloride in the water from 1953 to 1987 and establish a causal relationship between these chemicals and the track 1 illnesses.

Experts feel that the Elective Option has largely failed, with the Parkinson’s disease lawsuits highlighting this issue. The U.S. government has made minimal progress in settling these cases.

Eleven combined cases from the DOJ and Torts Branch were chosen for settlement.

Torts Branch identified six cases, in which five resulted in settlements totaling $1.1 million. One rejected the offer, and one offer expired. DOJ approved settlements for five cases.

August 2024 Update

The deadline to file Camp Lejeune lawsuits has been closed on August 10, 2024.

As of now, 1,895 Camp Lejeune lawsuits have been filed under the CLJA, along with 325,123 administrative claims submitted to the Navy. Among these, the Navy made only 109 settlement offers, of which 64 were accepted.

The judge has set August 11, 2024 as the deadline to complete the general discovery on the 25 cases selected for the bellwether trial pool. The judge informed the parties involved in the Camp Lejeune settlements that they need not reveal the confidential settlement details to the court.

The U.S. Navy reported that they had received around 550,000 administrative claims were filed under the CLJA. Moreover, around 2000 lawsuits were filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Camp Lejeune Lawsuits Update September 2024

The plaintiffs filed a motion to compel the production of documents, emails, and other materials from government employees related to the Camp Lejeune water contamination. However, the Court denied the motion, stating the request was too broad. The Court agreed with the DOJ’s argument that the search would involve substantial cost and time. The plaintiffs disagreed with the overbreadth ruling, arguing the request was limited to relevant documents. They had hoped the Court would mandate the parties to agree on specific search terms to narrow the results. With the denial, the DOJ is not required to produce the documents.

Several key developments occurred in the Camp Lejeune litigation in September. The court proposed amendments to Case Management Order No. 14, aiming to streamline settlement processes by allowing Settlement Masters to use their own technology and removing contractual barriers. The government requested an extension to respond to these proposed amendments, while collaborating with Settlement Masters to safeguard sensitive information.

A Parkinson’s disease study highlighted the link between Camp Lejeune water contamination and disease progression.

A court ruled that three plaintiffs had met legal requirements to act as estate representatives under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA), while a fourth was given time to correct issues.

Over 550,000 administrative claims had been filed, and 2,089 lawsuits were recorded, with 66 dismissed.

The government and Settlement Masters reached an agreement on how to exchange information without compromising sensitive details, resolving earlier concerns. Shortly after, on September 25, a status hearing was held to address discovery issues, and Judge Jones ordered the National Academy of Sciences to provide a detailed privilege log related to its 2009 report on Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water.

October 2024 Camp Lejeune Updates

The government finalized an agreement with the Settlement Masters regarding the handling of administrative settlement information, and the court decided to postpone any changes to Case Management Order No. 14 to evaluate the new procedures’ efficiency. The court ordered that settlement updates be shared with the relevant parties but excluded from joint status reports for public consumption. The next conference is set for October 22.

Additionally, the court is preparing for early “bellwether” trials to address specific injury categories, including bladder cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, Parkinson’s disease, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Out of an initial 100 cases, 25 have been selected for trial, with both plaintiffs and the government choosing a portion of the cases. These early trials are meant to give insight into how future claims might play out.

While these trials won’t directly affect other cases, the outcomes will likely influence settlement talks for the remaining claims. The goal is to see if a broader settlement program can be created to handle the thousands of remaining lawsuits more efficiently.

CLCU accelerates settlement by accepting the proof of a single 30-day stay at Camp Lejeune for their claims. Around 480,000 claims will automatically advance for review in January 2025. However, among these around 100,000 claims were identified to be duplicates. If these duplicates were removed, it would expedite the settlements.

November 2024 Camp Lejeune Updates

Plaintiffs must notify the government of expert evaluations, allowing the government the option for an independent exam, limited to injuries in the lawsuit. Exams may be remote, recorded, and non-invasive, with family or legal representatives allowed. Reports must follow Federal standards. Government retains rights for similar exams under the same guidelines.

Dangerous Diseases and the VA Disability Benefits

Veteran’s Affairs has formed a presumptive connection to contaminated water exposure to certain types of diseases. These diseases were scientifically proven to be caused by contaminated water exposure. If the veterans and the other victims acquired these diseases due to their exposure to the toxic chemical from 1953 to 1987, they are eligible for compensation.

• Adult lymphoma
• Aplastic anemia
• Liver cancer
• Myelodysplastic diseases
• Multiple myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Parkinson’s disease
• Renal cancer
• Urethral cancer

As a veteran, if you have any other diseases that you suspect to be related to your exposure, you can confirm that with your physician and then contact an experienced attorney to know the possibilities of a Camp Lejeune lawsuit.

Under the Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012, the VA provides the affected veterans free health care for the following health conditions. For the affected family members of the service members, VA reimburses the out-of-the-pocket expenses, if any, apart from what is covered by their health care plans.

• Breast cancer
• Disorders of myelogenesis
• Esophageal cancer
• Infertility in women
• Leukemia
• Liver toxicity
• Liver steatosis
• Lung cancer
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Miscarriage
• Multiple myeloma
• Psychological effects
• Renal cancer
• Scleroderma
• Urethral cancer

The following map shows the benefit coverage area which comes under the VA disability coverage benefits. The veterans, their families, and the workers living in these areas during the contamination period can definitely get the benefits.

You can refer to the ATSDR website for possible diseases that are scientifically proven to be caused by exposure to the contaminated water in Camp Lejeune. It will be useful for you when you move forward with your Camp Lejeune lawsuits.

Make sure your medical records have all the significant medical events recorded with details. Getting a renowned medical record review company to review your medical records will ensure your reparation.

New Hope of Settlement

With the enactment of the current Camp Lejeune Justice Act, the hopes of many veterans and other people exposed to the water contamination at Camp Lejeune are getting rejuvenated.

Many of them are only getting disability benefits to ease the financial burden created by the expensive medications and chemotherapy sessions. Compared to medical expenses, disability benefits are like a single morsel to a hungry elephant.

The two-year window period from enacting the Justice Act would give wide hope to the victims who were earlier prevented from pursuing Camp Lejeune lawsuits due to the statutes of repose in the state of North Carolina.

The veterans and the other civilian workers who had lived in Camp Lejeune during the contamination period and later migrated to other places should get an opportunity to pursue the Camp Lejeune lawsuits within the two-year window period.

If any of those people are still unaware of the cause of their diseases, they should be notified of the water contamination and the changes in legislation through awareness programs.

Earlier in 2016, under the Federal Tort Claims Act (28 U.S.C. 2671–2680), an MDL was formed, combining around 850 Camp Lejeune lawsuits brought against the federal government. The FTCA is a limited waiver of sovereign immunity that, subject to a number of congressionally imposed restrictions, permits the United States to be sued in specific situations.

In the Camp Lejeune Federal Tort Claims Act lawsuit, the government was accused of failing to warn about chemical exposure, which resulted in personal injury or wrongful death claims.

The Camp Lejeune MDL was canceled just because North Carolina’s statute of repose (N.C.G.S. 1-52(16)) prevented them from filing Camp Lejeune lawsuits after ten years of their exposure.

A new Camp Lejeune class action lawsuit or MDL will enable victims to assert their rights and seek redress now that the justification for the dismissal is likely to be removed by the new legislation.

Once many veterans file lawsuits, and the cases move forward either as a class action or as a mass tort MDL, there are chances for the government to move towards a global settlement.

The Camp Lejeune water contamination settlement amounts in that settlement will be adjudicated based on the severity of the injuries of the individuals. The payout for Camp Lejeune cannot be predicted as of now.

What Should you do to File Camp Lejeune Lawsuits?

If you or your loved one is exposed to water contamination at Camp Lejeune and undergoing treatment for any disease in the list of diseases discussed earlier, contact a Camp Lejeune attorney to know when and how to proceed with your Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit 2023.

Your medical records stating the progression of your diseases, proof of residing or staying at Camp Lejeune during the contamination period, the details of the extension of your damages, and the bills for the medical expenses will support your claim as a backbone.

Even if you have lost your loved one to the diseases caused by the contamination, make sure to collect the evidence for their stay at Camp Lejeune and their medical records to proceed with your claim.

An experienced attorney can ride you through all the storms and hurricanes of the legal proceedings to help you get your indemnity. He will ransack through your medical records with the help of medical record review services and find valid evidence to rampart your claim.

LezDo TechMed is a leading medical record review company that has proved its mettle in the recent mass tort litigations on products like Essure, IVC filters, 3M earplugs, and so on. Being HIPAA compliant, your medical records will be safe in the hands of LezDo.

When will the Camp Lejeune lawsuit be settled?

The timeline for the Camp Lejeune lawsuit settlement is still uncertain, with more clarity expected after the October 22, 2024, status conference. The Camp Lejeune lawsuit payout per person will vary depending on individual health conditions and case specifics, with potential settlements ranging from thousands to higher amounts based on the severity of the claims and supporting evidence.

Let’s hope the lives lost to water contamination and their families would get justice in the near future.

To sum up,

Finally, the federal government has understood the agonies of the veterans and other victims of the water contamination at Camp Lejeune in bringing the Camp Lejeune Justice Act to the Senate for discussion. The destiny of around 3.5 million victims is at the tip of President Biden’s pen to get the final approval.

This itself is equivalent to great success in the attempts of the benefactors and the embattlement of the victims for their sufferings. Let’s hope the Honorable president will sign the bill soon and open the gates of opportunity to the millions who suffered from pursuing Camp Lejeune lawsuits.

Stay tuned with us to know the latest Camp Lejeune lawsuits update 2024.

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