Camp Lejeune water claims: what to check in Pennsylvania

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, presided over by Judge Louise Flanagan. Pennsylvania federal and state courts do not have jurisdiction. Pennsylvania attorneys handling CLJA cases litigate in E.D.N.C.

Filing Deadline — Window Has Closed, Discovery Rule May Still Apply: The CLJA created a two-year window from August 10, 2022 through August 10, 2024. That window is now closed. Claimants with late-developing diagnoses or who only recently connected their illness to Camp Lejeune exposure should consult a CLJA attorney to evaluate discovery rule arguments, which remain unsettled.

VA Disability Claims Are Separate and Remain Open: VA claims for Camp Lejeune-linked presumptive conditions are processed through Pennsylvania's VA regional offices in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and carry no equivalent civil deadline. Pennsylvania veterans and affected family members can pursue VA disability benefits regardless of whether they filed a CLJA civil claim.

Pennsylvania Veteran Population and Exposure History: Pennsylvania has approximately 750,000 veterans. Pennsylvania veterans with Marine Corps service histories frequently rotated through Camp Lejeune for training and operational assignments. The Pittsburgh and Philadelphia VA medical centers manage a material volume of Camp Lejeune-linked cancer and neurological cases. TCE, PCE, benzene, and vinyl chloride contaminated the Camp Lejeune water supply from 1953 to 1987, producing elevated risks of NHL, leukemia, bladder and kidney cancer, and Parkinson's disease among those exposed.