Camp Lejeune Settlement Payout Projections (Update December 25th 2023)

The first trials are slated to get chosen and started and hopefully that will put pressure on the Government to make settlement offers that actually reflect the significant suffering victims had to endure.

Unfortunately, the governments attorneys seem to be playing games, both with the bellwether case selection and with trying to force the Camp Lejeune Justice Act under the Federal Tort Claims Act as well as fighting to hide draft studies that can help prove the link between conditions and the toxic water.

We are still seeing new cases come in, as many plaintiffs waited and don't want to miss out. If you have a case and don't yet have an attorney, please reach out for a free claim review as soon as possible.

One concern is many attorneys are shifting focus to afff firefighting foam cases which impacted many servicemembers but is also relevant for anyone exposed to afff, even after 1987. If you have a firefighting foam case, please check out our page about it and reach our for a free case review.

October 10th Update:  One of the big questions we get asked is are these elective options settlements available for someone who got diagnosed after the Camp Lejeune Justice Act passed. This is a question that would need to be evaluated on a case by case basis and helps solidify why it's so important to hire an attorney for your Camp Lejeune claims. There are minefields of missteps that a qualified lawyer can help you navigate, so it's important to have the right guidance along the way.

As of today, I cannot find any news about how many plaintiffs have claimed the elective option, but my gut instincts are litigation funding is likely a better option for those who need cash now. I am not certain - you need to choose the best funders, but these settlement offers seem pretty weak relative to the settlement offers I found across the websites of different law firms.

Updated on September 19th 2023: The government has now offered settlements based on the cases they believe they are most likely to lose.

The elective option, which pays between $100,000-$550,000 is only offered on conditions that are proven to be linked to Camp Lejeune Water and are based on exposure length instead of actual harm and suffering.

As can be expected, the elective settlement option is significantly lower than law firm predictions of settlement amounts - and most attorneys public statements indicate they believe plaintiffs are better off waiting for now.

This page provides an aggregation of Camp Lejeune settlement payout amounts from various legal firms across the web. These estimates are based on similar types of cases, and while the actual settlement amounts are not yet known, they provide a useful guide. The settlement amounts for different conditions range from $200,000 to over a million dollars, providing an understanding of potential compensation. Factors that will likely impact settlement amounts include the duration of exposure, the chemicals involved, the conditions linked to those chemicals, the time of diagnosis, and the impact of the injury. The page also provides insight into how settlement amounts are calculated in other toxic tort cases, such as the BP oil spill and GM ignition switch lawsuit. Overall, the page provides a comprehensive guide to understanding the Camp Lejeune settlement payout projections and the factors that could influence these amounts.

All these sites have disclaimers claiming they have no way of actually knowing the settlement amounts, but these are their attorneys best guesstimates based on similar types of cases.

As of this point, JAG has not made any settlement offers on the 21,000+ administrative claims they received. They also have not responded yet to the 170+ lawsuits already filed in North Carolina.

Camp Lejeune Settlement Projections

Understanding the Camp Lejeune Settlement Process

While there are lots of guesses about what the final camp lejeune settlement payouts will be, we do know that the individual settlements will likely involve a combination of how long the victim was exposed, which chemicals they were exposed to, which conditions they have that are linked to those chemicals, how long after exposure they were diagnosed and how that injury impacted them.

Camp Lejeune lawsuits can't have punitive damages either, but considering how aggregious the governments actions were here, Jury verdicts will likely set the table for settlement offers for the remaining 200,000+ victims likely to file claims before the deadline of August 10th 2024.

The likely factors to impact Camp Lejeune settlement amounts are the nature and severity of the illness or medical condition, the time spent at the Marine Base, and the victim's individual damages such as medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, scarring, and disfigurement. Settlement amounts may also vary depending on whether the medical condition is presumptive or non-presumptive and enhancements or discounts based on factors like hospitalization, related surgeries, and medical bills. The government will use an objective settlement grid to determine payouts and avoid bias.

The settlement amount that a victim of Camp Lejeune water contamination may receive will depend on several factors. These factors include the nature and severity of the victim's illness or medical condition, which can range from less serious medical problems to more severe conditions like cancer, adult leukemia, kidney cancer, liver cancer, or Parkinson's disease.

Another factor that may impact the settlement amount is the amount of time a victim spent at the Marine Base, which can affect the extent of exposure to the contaminated water. Additionally, settlement amounts may vary depending on whether the medical condition is considered presumptive or non-presumptive, with presumptive conditions like adult leukemia, aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and Parkinson's disease likely resulting in higher settlement payouts.

Settlement amounts may also be affected by other individual damages incurred by the victim, such as medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, scarring, and disfigurement. The government will use an objective settlement grid to determine payouts based on the severity of the medical condition and other factors, including enhancements or discounts for hospitalization, related surgeries, and medical bills. The settlement grid is designed to avoid any bias in the settlement process.

How Settlement Amounts Are Calculated For Other Toxic Tort Cases

When determining settlement amounts for toxic tort cases, there are several factors that are taken into consideration. One common approach is to use a settlement grid, which assigns values to specific injuries or medical conditions based on their severity. This is similar to the approach that will likely be used in the Camp Lejeune water contamination settlement process.

For example, in the case of the BP oil spill settlement, a settlement grid was used to determine payouts based on the type of injury or medical condition and the level of medical treatment required. This grid took into account factors such as the length of hospitalization, the number of surgeries required, and the amount of medical bills incurred.

Similarly, in the case of the GM ignition switch lawsuit settlement, a settlement grid was used to determine payouts based on the type of injury or medical condition and the severity of the harm caused. This grid also took into account factors such as the age and income of the victim.

In toxic tort cases, factors such as the extent of exposure, the severity of the illness or medical condition, and the individual damages incurred by the victim may also be taken into consideration when determining settlement amounts. This is similar to the factors that will likely be considered in the Camp Lejeune water contamination settlement process.

Overall, the use of a settlement grid and consideration of individual factors can help ensure that settlement amounts are fair and consistent for all victims of toxic torts.

In addition to settlement grids, there are other factors that may impact settlement amounts in toxic tort cases. For example, the jurisdiction where the case is being heard can affect the potential payout, as some states have stricter liability laws than others.

Furthermore, the involvement of multiple defendants or responsible parties can also impact settlement amounts. In cases where there are multiple responsible parties, the settlement amounts may be split between them based on their level of fault or responsibility.

The evidence presented in the case can also impact settlement amounts, as stronger evidence may lead to higher payouts. For example, in the case of the Roundup weed killer lawsuits, the strength of the evidence linking the product to cancer was a key factor in determining settlement amounts.

Ultimately, settlement amounts in toxic tort cases are determined based on a variety of factors, including the severity of the illness or medical condition, the extent of exposure, the individual damages incurred by the victim, and the strength of the evidence presented. Settlement grids and other tools can be useful in ensuring that settlement amounts are fair and consistent, but ultimately the specific details of each case will be taken into consideration.