Camp Lejeune water claims: what to check in Michigan

Jurisdiction — All Claims Filed in E.D. North Carolina: CLJA civil claims must be filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Wilmington Division, before Judge Louise Flanagan — regardless of where the plaintiff resides. Michigan federal and state courts have no jurisdiction over CLJA claims. Michigan-based attorneys appear in E.D.N.C. on their clients' behalf.

Filing Deadline — Window Has Closed, Discovery Rule May Still Apply: The CLJA filing window ran from August 10, 2022 to August 10, 2024 and is now closed. Michigan claimants who received a diagnosis or discovered the connection between their illness and Camp Lejeune contamination near or after the deadline should consult a CLJA attorney to evaluate whether discovery rule arguments apply in their specific circumstances.

VA Disability Claims Are Separate and Remain Open: VA claims for Camp Lejeune-linked presumptive conditions are processed through Michigan's VA regional office in Detroit and are not subject to the CLJA civil deadline. Michigan veterans and their dependents can pursue VA disability benefits for NHL, leukemia, bladder and kidney cancers, Parkinson's disease, and other covered conditions at any time, independent of civil litigation.

Michigan Veteran Population and Exposure History: Michigan has approximately 560,000 veterans. Michigan veterans with Marine Corps service histories, particularly those who trained at Camp Lejeune or served in east-coast infantry and logistics units, are among the Michigan claimants in the E.D.N.C. docket. The Detroit and Saginaw VA networks are primary care contacts for affected Michigan veterans. The contaminated water supply at Camp Lejeune — TCE, PCE, benzene, and vinyl chloride — was present from 1953 to 1987 and is associated with several serious cancers and neurological conditions among those who lived or worked on base.