What is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act?

August 23, 2022

In the past few weeks, you might have heard a lot about the PACT Act, and maybe a little bit about the Camp Lejeune Justice Act as well. But how are they related?

The PACT Act, also known as Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022, passed the Senate by a vote of 86-11 in early August. It was then signed by President Biden on August 10.

It includes the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, a bill that “allows certain individuals to sue and recover damages for harm from exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987,” according to the official summary for H.R.6482.

The legislation will help Marines use their constitutional right to legal action against the United States government for years of toxic water exposure at the North Carolina military base.

Former Marines and their family members who lost loved ones or dealt with debilitating and deadly illnesses after spending time at the base have been working to get justice for years, and those efforts finally paid off when the PACT Act was passed.

The Camp Lejeune bill was folded into the PACT Act earlier in the summer of 2022 and passed the House in July before it ultimately ended up at the President’s desk, following countless hours of advocacy to get it there by its supporters. 

President Biden said of the overall legislation, according to Axios, “This new law matters. It matters a lot. It matters a great deal because these conditions have already taken such a toll on so many veterans and their families.”

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act means Marines or their family members who were stationed at the base  — and others who worked there — between 1953 and 1987 for 30 or more days can now bring legal action against the U.S. government for exposure to hazardous contaminants in the water in base wells. 

That exposure may have caused numerous health issues for veterans and their loved ones, including but not limited to cardiac problems, Parkinson’s disease, miscarriage, birth defects, multiple myeloma, hepatic steatosis, leukemia, and other forms of cancer like bladder, lung, and breast cancer, and more.

The team at Phillips Law Group is horrified by the injustice done to so many of our military service members and their families. We are committed to getting justice for those who were wronged and who can now seek legal action thanks to the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.

If you may be entitled to damages after living or working at Camp Lejeune, please don’t hesitate to contact Phillips Law Group to learn about all the legal options available to you.