Overview
Claims by people who drank or were otherwise exposed to contaminated drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River, NC, between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987. Under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (2022), claimants sue the U.S. government (Navy) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. As of September 18, 2026, the DOJ reports that CLJA settlement offers exceed $1.1 billion and settlement payouts exceed $800 million (per DOJ). The court has set an October 30, 2026 deadline for a global settlement framework, with weekly negotiations supervised by court-appointed settlement masters; more than 400,000 administrative claims are awaiting resolution, and fewer than 1% of claimants have reached settlement terms administratively (per court orders and reporting). No individual trials have concluded yet (per NPR, Aug 4 2026).
Status of the science / claims: VA recognizes 8 presumptive conditions for veterans and 15 covered conditions for family members who were exposed to the water (per VA).
Companies involved
Settlement amounts
No fixed per-claim amount: each CLJA claim is an individual case against the U.S. government (per the statute and court process). As of Sep 18, 2026, DOJ reports settlement offers exceeding $1.1 billion and payouts exceeding $800 million; the court set an Oct 30, 2026 deadline for a global framework (per DOJ and court reporting). No amounts or outcomes can be promised.
Key dates
- October 30, 2026Court-imposed deadline for a global settlement framework; mediation masters appointed (per court orders, 2026)
- September 18, 2026DOJ: CLJA settlement offers exceed $1.1 billion; payouts exceed $800 million (per DOJ, Sep 18 2026)
- August 4, 2026Judge pushes mass-settlement plan for CLJA claims, targeting end of October 2026 (per NPR)
- August 10, 2022Camp Lejeune Justice Act signed into law (per statute)
- December 31, 1987End of covered water-contamination period (per statute)
- August 1, 1953Start of covered water-contamination period (per statute)
Updates
- Updated Sep 18, 2026DOJ: CLJA settlement offers exceed $1.1 billion, payouts exceed $800 million (per DOJ, Sep 18, 2026); court-imposed Oct 30, 2026 deadline for a global settlement framework.
- Updated Aug 4, 2026Seeded from research (Aug 2026): judge pushing mass-settlement plan for CLJA claims, targeting end of October 2026 (per NPR).
Notable filings
No notable filings recorded yet. Docket entries are added from public court records as they appear.
FAQ
Who can file a Camp Lejeune claim?
Under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA, 2022), people who drank or were otherwise exposed to contaminated drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River, NC, between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987, may bring claims (per the statute). Family members and certain heirs can also have claims in some situations (per the statute).
Who is the defendant?
Claimants sue the United States government — specifically the Department of the Navy — in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina (per the CLJA and court process).
What illnesses qualify?
The CLJA covers a defined set of presumptive conditions linked to the exposure, including several cancers and other illnesses (per the statute). Whether a specific condition qualifies is a legal question — consult a licensed attorney.
How many people were exposed?
Roughly one million people were potentially exposed to the contaminated water during the 1953–1987 period (per reporting).
What is the current status of the litigation?
As of September 2026, DOJ reports CLJA settlement offers exceeding $1.1 billion and payouts exceeding $800 million (per DOJ, Sep 18 2026). The court set an October 30, 2026 deadline for a global settlement framework; no individual trials have concluded yet (per NPR, Aug 4 2026, and court orders).
How much will victims receive?
There is no fixed per-claim amount: each CLJA claim is an individual case against the U.S. government (per the statute and court process). Offers have exceeded $1.1 billion in the aggregate and payouts exceeded $800 million as of Sep 18, 2026 (per DOJ). No amounts or outcomes can be promised.
Is there a deadline to file?
The CLJA sets strict filing deadlines that have been discussed in court and in reporting; missing a deadline can bar a claim. This is not legal advice — if you think you have a claim, consult a licensed attorney immediately.
Think this matters to you?
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