Overview

• The US government has begun settling claims related to water contamination at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, with the first three settlements totaling $850,000. The settlements are part of an elective option introduced in September 2023, offering specific dollar amounts to claimants based on their illness and exposure duration.
• Over 117,000 administrative claims and more than 1,300 lawsuits are pending, alleging that the contaminated water caused cancer, miscarriages, and other health problems. The government estimates that these claims could cost up to $3.3 trillion.
• An unpublished study from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has found elevated cancer rates among service members and civilians who lived at Camp Lejeune. The study also increases the number of cancers linked to the contaminated water.
• The water at Camp Lejeune was contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals such as benzene, trichloroethylene, and perchloroethylene from 1953 to 1987, potentially affecting as many as one million people.
• There is controversy over the delay in releasing the ATSDR study, with some claimants arguing that the delay aids the government in defending itself from liability. The ATSDR has responded that the findings are still undergoing multiple stages of review.