Camp Lejeune Claims Portal Now Available
Many military veterans who have filed Camp Lejeune claims are still waiting for resolutions nearly two years after the Camp Lejeune Justice Act became law. A long-anticipated online portal is now available for Camp Lejeune claims, which could help expedite the process and finally bring justice for hundreds of thousands of survivors. The Claims Management Portal, which can be accessed here, is offered by the Department of the Navy. How will the portal affect your claim? Whether you need to create a portal account depends on whether you’re represented by an attorney or filed a Camp Lejeune claim alone.
Claims Management Portal: What You Should Know
You shouldn’t create an account if you have a Camp Lejeune attorney who helped you file your administrative claim. Instead, you should direct all of your questions to your Camp Lejeune lawyer. The portal allows attorneys to submit claims in bulk if they are filing for more than one client. If you still need to file a Camp Lejeune claim, you can use the portal for this purpose. Create an account to begin the claims process. You should know that the deadline to file a Camp Lejeune claim is quickly approaching. All claims must be filed by August 10, 2024.
If you submitted a claim before March 26, 2024, your claim will be uploaded and you’ll be notified when it happens. The Department of the Navy will send login information for the portal. If you didn’t provide an email address when you submitted your claim, the U.S. Postal Service will mail you a letter with instructions on how to set up an account. If your address has changed since you first filed a claim, you can update the Camp Lejeune Claims Unit via phone at (757) 241-6020 or email at clclaims@us.navy.mil.
Camp Lejeune Delays
The Camp Lejeune claims process has been plagued with delays since it opened to the public in 2022. More than 170,000 claims have been filed, and only a fraction have been settled. The military blamed the Camp Lejeune claim delays on staffing shortages and funding problems, but this is little comfort for the military veterans who have waited decades for compensation due to the toxic water exposure they suffered — some of whom face terminal diagnoses and aren’t sure how much time they have left. Elected officials pressed the government on why the settlement process was taking so long — a year after the claims process began, the government hadn’t settled any claims.
In September 2023, the U.S. Navy and Department of Justice announced a Camp Lejeune Elective Option (EO) program for Camp Lejeune survivors interested in a quicker settlement process. Under the EO, Camp Lejeune military veterans and survivors who lived or worked there for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, and have a qualifying diagnosis are eligible for lump sum payouts. The amounts vary depending on how long the claimant spent at Camp Lejeune and which conditions they’ve been diagnosed with. The presumptive conditions are kidney cancer, non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, leukemia, bladder cancer, multiple myeloma, liver cancer, Parkinson’s disease, kidney disease, and systemic sclerosis/scleroderma.
The Elective Option has its pros and cons. While it can lead to a speedier payout and may make the most sense for veterans with claims that are harder to prove, claimants might get larger settlement amounts from lawsuits than they would from the settlement program. If you choose the Elective Option, you forfeit your ability to file a Camp Lejeune lawsuit. It’s important to consult a lawyer before deciding whether the Elective Option is right for you.
The Importance of a Camp Lejeune Lawyer
You may wonder whether you’re required to have an attorney to file a claim or Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit. While you can file on your own, there are benefits to hiring a qualified lawyer to help with your case. A lawyer can assist with gathering records to help prove your eligibility for a Camp Lejeune claim and represent you in court if your claim is denied or has yet to receive a response. An attorney can also help you navigate the Camp Lejeune claims management system, so you don’t have to worry about doing it yourself.
Before choosing a Camp Lejeune attorney, asking questions in your initial consultation is essential. You can research beforehand by reading client testimonials and reviews ahead of time. During your first conversation with the attorney, you can ask whether they have related experience with similar cases and how many clients they’ve represented in court. You should also inquire about legal fees — if a firm charges you money upfront, that could be a sign to go in a different direction. Most Camp Lejeune attorneys will take a percentage of the settlement they win for you. The most important thing is to find a lawyer you can trust. If you haven’t submitted a claim yet, now’s the time to start the process — there are only four months until the Camp Lejeune filing deadline.
