A Camp Lejeune VA claim is one of the clearest paths to compensation for a specific group of veterans — those exposed to contaminated drinking water at the North Carolina base decades ago. If you served there for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987 and developed certain illnesses, the VA presumes your condition is connected to that exposure. This guide explains who qualifies, what’s covered, and the important difference between VA benefits and the separate Camp Lejeune lawsuit.
Quick disclaimer: This is general educational information, not legal advice. Always confirm current details on VA.gov, and talk to an accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO) or attorney about your specific case.
What Happened at Camp Lejeune
From August 1953 through December 1987, the drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River was contaminated with volatile organic compounds — industrial solvents linked to cancers and other serious illnesses. Hundreds of thousands of service members, their families, and civilian workers were unknowingly exposed.
Who Qualifies for a Camp Lejeune VA Claim
For VA disability compensation through presumptive service connection, you generally need to meet these conditions:
- You served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 cumulative days.
- Your service fell between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987.
- You were later diagnosed with one of the VA’s presumptive conditions.
This presumption also extends to Reserve and National Guard members who served at Camp Lejeune during that period.
The Presumptive Conditions
The VA recognizes eight presumptive diseases for Camp Lejeune disability compensation:
- Adult leukemia
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
Because this is presumptive service connection, the same principle applies as with the broader PACT Act presumptive conditions: you don’t have to prove the contaminated water caused your illness. If you meet the service requirement and have a diagnosed presumptive condition, the VA presumes the connection.
VA Benefits vs. the Camp Lejeune Lawsuit — A Crucial Distinction
This trips up many veterans, so it’s worth being clear. There are two completely separate tracks:
- VA disability compensation — monthly benefits based on your disability rating, administered by the VA. This is what this guide focuses on.
- The Camp Lejeune Justice Act lawsuit — a separate legal claim for damages, administered through the Department of the Navy and the court system (not the VA). It was authorized as part of the PACT Act in 2022.
The important point: these don’t cancel each other out. Pursuing the lawsuit does not disqualify you from VA benefits, and a lawsuit settlement does not reduce your VA disability compensation or healthcare eligibility. They are independent paths, and you can pursue both. The lawsuit, however, is a legal matter handled by attorneys — not something this educational site covers.
How to File Your Camp Lejeune VA Claim
- Confirm your diagnosis matches one of the presumptive conditions.
- Gather proof of service at Camp Lejeune or New River during the qualifying period — your DD-214 and any service personnel records showing your station and dates.
- File VA Form 21-526EZ. If you haven’t filed yet, protect your effective date first with an Intent to File.
- If you were previously denied for a now-presumptive condition, a Supplemental Claim may let you reopen it.
The Bottom Line
If you served at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987 and have one of the eight presumptive conditions, a Camp Lejeune VA claim removes the hardest part — proving causation. Confirm your diagnosis, document your service dates, and file. And remember the VA disability track and the separate lawsuit are independent — one doesn’t affect the other. You can confirm current details on VA.gov’s Camp Lejeune page. For the full picture of how claims work, see our walkthrough of how VA disability claims work.