What is the Camp Lejeune Act of 2022?
The Camp Lejeune Act of 2022, officially known as the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA), was passed on August 10, 2022. This Act is a part of a wider law known as the Honoring Our PACT Act. President Biden finally signed and passed this law after years of justice being delayed.
The Honoring Our PACT Act will let victims of Camp Lejeune sue the federal government. It basically allows anyone who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987 to file a claim. People will have until August 10, 2024, to file said claim.
Honoring our PACT Act
The Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act is a broad law regarding VA benefits in general and more. The law will expand VA benefits and health care for members of the military. It specifically addresses veterans who were harmed by the following:
- Agent Orange
- Burn pits
- Toxic and dangerous substances
Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water falls into the third category. There is also a list of presumed health conditions that was expanded with this law as well. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act explicitly addresses the victims of Camp Lejeune. Since the number of people who were affected by the contaminated water exceeded one million, this law was long overdue.
Who is Covered by the Act?
It is very important to know that not only is the time to file a claim limited, but the person in question must also meet certain criteria. Essentially, the person must have:
- Lived, worked, or served at Camp Lejeune for a minimum of 30 days.
- Not been dishonorably removed or discharged from service.
- A diagnosis or proof of harm.
Lastly, a person who sues the US government for damages caused by Camp Lejeune cannot sue in a separate tort case. Other than that, if a person is qualified, they should file a claim right away. Here is an official statement from the Camp Lejeune Act of 2022 regarding who can file a claim:
“(a) In general.—An individual, including a veteran, or the legal representative of such an individual, who resided, worked, or was otherwise exposed (including in utero exposure) for not less than 30 days during the period beginning August 1, 1953, and ending December 31, 1987, to water at Camp Lejeune that was supplied by the United States or on its behalf, may bring an action in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina to obtain appropriate relief for harm which
- was caused by exposure to the water;
- was associated with exposure to the water;
- was linked to exposure to water; or
- exposure to the water increased the likelihood of such harm.”
What Led Up To The Camp Lejeune Act of 2022?
The Camp Lejeune case has a long and lengthy history. The progress of the lawsuit was very slow for many years. However, it finally picked up a fast pace very recently. The main reason for that is the Camp Lejeune Act of 2022. Many people are wondering why it took so long for the US government to start compensating victims of Camp Lejeune, though. Let us dive into that story.
Camp Lejeune officials started informing past residents, workers, and veterans of possible health issues and risks in 1999. As soon as former residents were notified, many came forward with claims. The first official lawsuit against Camp Lejeune was filed back in 2007. Many other cases came after that. However, they were ignored for the most part. It was clear, though, that Camp Lejeune was a really massive case and would not be ignored for much longer.
Since the story of Camp Lejeune started to gain national attention, the Obama administration passed the Camp Lejeune Families Act in 2012. In theory, this was a great step. In practice, however, it did not do much for the victims and their families. After ten years—a whole decade later—the Biden administration passed the PACT Act in August 2022. Under this act, the Camp Lejeune Act of 2022 was officially passed. Now, victims can finally get their long-deserved justice.
It is crucial to understand that the timeframe to file a claim for the Camp Lejeune lawsuit is strictly limited. A person who is qualified to file a claim has exactly two years from the date that the Act was signed to do so. Since this chance will not always be here, affected people and family members are urged to act as soon as possible.