The difference between a VA disability claim and a Camp Lejeune Justice Act claim

It is important for veterans to know that they can file both a VA disability claim and a claim under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act if they struggle with a disease as a consequence of having drunk toxic water at the military base during the last century.

However, these claims are very different and provide compensation for different aspects of the injury. Before filing a disability claim, the veteran must undergo a thorough health assessment by the VA to subsequently be assigned a disability rating, which can range between 10% and 100%, depending on the severity of their diagnosis and how much it affects their daily life. The more debilitating the veteran's illness is, the higher their disability rating will be and the greater their compensation will be.

The following are the monthly payments for Camp Lejeune veterans whose disability claims are accepted by the VA in 2023:

• 10% disability rating: $165
• 20% disability rating: $327
• 30% disability rating: $508 to $664
• 40% disability rating: $731 to $939
• 50% disability rating: $1,041 to $1,303
• 60% disability rating: $1,319 to $1,634
• 70% disability rating: $1,757 to $2,133
• 80% disability rating: $2,041 to $2,470
• 90% disability rating: $2,438 to $2,776
• 100% disability rating: $3,757 to $4,295

VA disability compensation provides tax-free monthly payments. If a Camp Lejeune veteran has a service-connected disease, they may be eligible for this benefit. A service-connected health condition refers to a disease or injury that was caused or worsened by drinking contaminated water at the military base during active duty. To become eligible to file a VA disability claim as a Camp Lejeune veteran, at least one of the following must be true:

• you developed a disease while serving in the military and can link this health issue to your illness or injury (known as an in-service disability claim)
• you had a disease or injury before you joined the military, and serving worsened it (known as a pre-service disability claim)
• you have a disease related to your active-duty service that did not appear until after you were discharged (known as a post-service disability claim)

To file a VA disability claim, you must provide strong evidence between your health problem and water contamination exposure, which is why we advise you to file your claim only with the assistance of a toxic exposure attorney. Still, it is important to know that there are certain conditions that are presumptive, meaning the veteran will no longer have to prove the association between their illness and exposure to toxic water at Camp Lejeune. This is because these diseases already have a strong connection with drinking toxic water at the military base.

As for filing a claim under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, this will provide you with financial compensation as a veteran whose health was compromised by drinking toxic water at the military installation. The money you can receive if you decide to file a claim under this law will come from the government as opposed to the VA. Finally, in addition to veterans, family members and civilians who lived at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, for at least 30 consecutive days can also seek financial compensation for their injuries.

File your Camp Lejeune water contamination claim with our expert assistance

With over 35 years of experience in evaluating toxic exposure and personal injury claims, our team of professionals is ready to offer you quality assistance if you spent time at Camp Lejeune and now struggle with a disease related to water contamination. To determine whether you are entitled to compensation, we will only need your military records, which you must retrieve, or proof of your stay at the military base and your medical records.