The Playbook › Toxic exposure guides
From the 1950s to the 1980s, drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina was contaminated with industrial solvents, benzene, and other chemicals. VA presumes that veterans who lived or worked there were exposed, and that eight specific diseases were caused by that exposure.
The short version
- You qualify if you served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 days total between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987.
- Eight conditions are presumptive for disability compensation.
- Active duty, Reserve, and National Guard members are all covered.
- Family members who lived on base can get VA health care cost reimbursement for 15 conditions.
- VA disability benefits are separate from the Camp Lejeune lawsuits.
On this page
Who qualifies for Camp Lejeune benefits
All three must be true:
- You served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 days. The days do not need to be consecutive.
- That service fell between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987.
- You did not receive a dishonorable discharge.
Reservists and Guard members who trained there count, which is unusual. For this presumption, the time on base is treated as qualifying service.
The eight presumptive conditions
- Adult leukemia
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
If you have one of these and meet the service requirement, you do not need a medical opinion linking it to the water.
What you need to file
| Evidence | Examples |
|---|---|
| Proof of service at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for 30 days in the period | DD214, orders, unit records, service treatment records stamped at the base, performance reports |
| A current diagnosis of a presumptive condition | Pathology reports, oncology or neurology records |
| Evidence of severity | Treatment records, so VA can rate the condition |
File VA Form 21-526EZ at VA.gov and state that you are claiming the condition due to Camp Lejeune water contamination. See the filing guide. Submit an Intent to File first if you need time.
Conditions that are not on the presumptive list
You can still claim them. Without the presumption, you need a medical opinion that it is at least as likely as not that the contaminated water caused the condition. See nexus letters.
VA has acknowledged an association between the contaminants and a longer list of conditions for health care purposes. Fifteen conditions qualify for VA health care coverage:
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Female infertility
- Hepatic steatosis
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Lung cancer
- Miscarriage
- Multiple myeloma
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Renal toxicity
- Scleroderma
Being on the health care list does not make a condition presumptive for compensation. It is, however, useful support for a medical opinion.
How the conditions are rated
Cancers are generally rated at 100% while active and during treatment. After treatment ends, VA re-examines and rates whatever lasting effects remain. Parkinson’s disease has a minimum rating of 30%, with separate ratings for each affected function, such as tremor, balance, speech, and swallowing, which often combine to a much higher figure.
Family members
Spouses, children, and others who lived on base for 30 days or more during the period, including children who were in the womb, may be eligible for reimbursement of out-of-pocket health care costs for the 15 conditions listed above.
This is a health care benefit, not disability compensation. Family members are not eligible for VA disability payments. They apply through VA’s Camp Lejeune Family Member Program, with proof of their relationship to the veteran, proof they lived on base, and medical records.
VA benefits and the lawsuits are different things
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 allowed people harmed by the water to bring claims against the federal government for damages. That legal process runs through the Department of the Navy and the federal court in North Carolina. The window for filing new claims under that law closed in August 2024.
Key points:
- VA disability compensation is a separate benefit with no filing deadline. You can apply at any time.
- Filing or not filing a lawsuit does not affect your eligibility for VA benefits.
- Any award from the legal process may be reduced by the amount of VA benefits you have received for the same condition. It does not work the other way. VA will not reduce your compensation because of a settlement.
- You do not need a lawyer for a VA claim, and nobody may charge you for preparing an initial claim. See who can help.
If you were denied
Before 2017, Camp Lejeune claims required a medical opinion in every case, and many were denied. If you were denied for one of the eight conditions before the presumption existed, file a Supplemental Claim. See Supplemental Claims.
Survivors
If a veteran died from one of the presumptive conditions, the surviving spouse, dependent children, or parents may be eligible for monthly compensation. See DIC survivor benefits.
Other toxic exposures
Marines and sailors who also deployed may be covered by the PACT Act or Agent Orange presumptions for other conditions.
Free printable checklist. Everything to gather before you file, what to bring to your C&P exam, and what to check in your decision, on two pages.
Last reviewed October 2026. This guide is general educational information, not legal or medical advice, and this site is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rules and rates change. Confirm details on VA.gov or with an accredited representative. See our disclaimer and editorial policy.