Records Required to File a Camp Lejeune Lawsuit

Why Former Marines at Camp Lejeune May Have Grounds to Pursue Financial Restitution 

Reports indicate that the water supply at Camp Lejeune, based in North Carolina, was contaminated with an array of hazardous chemicals between 1953 and 1987. Some of the toxic chemicals discovered in the water supply at Camp Lejeune include:

• Benzene
• Trichloroethylene (TCE)
• Vinyl chloride

These contaminants are associated with severe health issues, including leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, multiple myeloma, reproductive issues, neurological disorders, and so forth. 

Records Necessary to File a Camp Lejeune Lawsuit

Filing a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit requires specific records to substantiate your claim. For example, medical and housing records are typically required to validate your military service, the time period in which you served at Camp Lejeune (or were living on the base as a family member of a Marine), and to determine whether you’ve suffered health issues in the years since your military service at the case. 

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 (CLJA) is a federal law allowing military veterans and qualifying family members to pursue financial restitution for harms and losses associated with exposure to the contaminated water supply at Camp Lejeune. The CLJA describes the types of records required to file a claim: 

• Service records indicating you were exposed to contaminated water at a point between 1953 and 1987, or you had a child in utero and they were exposed due to your consumption of the water at Camp Lejeune.
• Housing records confirming that you, or a loved one worked or lived at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987.
• Medical records confirming you or your child were diagnosed with a qualifying health problem.
• Medical invoices and receipts substantiating the expense of your treatment and the extent of your illness.
• If you lived at Camp Lejeune, but were not an active service member, you may be obligated to provide additional documentation to confirm you are eligible to pursue financial restitution. For example, civilians seeking financial restitution can attempt to validate that they worked at Camp Lejeune by providing social security employment history records or other types of employment verification.

Without the records described above, it would be difficult to establish you have a viable claim to qualify for financial restitution. Depending on the specific facts of your case, you may need other records as well. To determine what documentation is needed, consider speaking to an attorney. Generally, an experienced Camp Lejeune lawsuit lawyer can help you gather the information you need to file a claim properly.

There are several ongoing water contamination lawsuits around the country. However, if you believe you are suffering health effects from another source, you may still be eligible. Your lawyer can determine if you are eligible to file a water contamination case in your area.

Financial Restitution You May Be Able to Pursue Through Your Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit

If you have the requisite records to validate your Camp Lejeune water contamination claim, you may be eligible to obtain financial restitution for the following harms and losses:

• Medical expenses 
• Loss of income and work benefits
• Physical and mental suffering
• Wrongful death damages if a loved one lost their life due to water contamination

Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawyer Can Assist in Compiling the Required Records

You are not required to hire an attorney in order to file a claim seeking financial restitution from your exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. Nevertheless, having an experienced water contamination attorney in your corner provides a number of benefits, including assistance with compiling, examining and submitting the records required to substantiate a claim. For example, a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawyer can help with:

• Collecting the required records for your Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit and/or claim
• Securing supplemental documents (e.g., a statement from a medical professional concerning your health condition)
• Completing and filing required forms
• Determining what harms and losses you can reasonably pursue through your legal claim
• Ensuring your request for compensation meets all of the qualifications
• Filing a water contamination lawsuit with the proper court
• Negotiating for an amicable financial award
• Litigating your case at trial, if needed

Filing a Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Claim

In light of the sheer volume of Camp Lejeune contaminated water claims that are likely to be filed, the Navy JAG Corp. is asking prospective claimants to refrain from submitting military personnel record requests to NARA or the National Personnel Records Center. 

Instead, in an effort to expedite the Camp Lejeune claims process, the Depart of the Navy is NOT requiring claimants to provide military personnel and/or federal employment records at the time of the initial filing of an administrative claim. This was a good decision and should help make the initial filing process much easier and straightforward for claimants. 

Please note that the Navy JAG Corp. stated that military service and housing records may still be requested at a later time on a case-by-case basis once an evaluation of a filed claim is completed. When substantiation is necessary, claimants and/or their designated representatives will be notified to provide records to the Navy JAG Corp.

The Takeaway

If you or a loved one were stationed at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 and believe that you suffered an adverse health condition due to exposure to the contaminated water supply, now is the time to take action. There are experienced lawyers ready to help advocate for your rights and who will work tirelessly to pursue financial restitution for your harms and losses. Do not wait any longer. Now is the time to determine if you qualify for compensation today. You can begin by researching to determine the best lawyers and law firms specializing in Camp Lejeune lawsuits and contact them right away. In most instances, lawyers handling these types of cases offer free, confidential case evaluations to prospective clients.