Pursuing A Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claim Will Not Impact Existing VA Benefits

Veterans should pursue every path to maximizing their water contamination compensation

Monday, February 27, 2023 - The Veterans Administration (VA) is encouraging service members to pursue the additional rights granted under the newly-enacted Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) and to file a Camp Lejeune Justice Act claim. The VA stresses, however, that any amount awarded to a veteran under "any program administered by the secretary of Veterans Affairs, Medicare or Medicaid, "must be offset by the amount of compensation they are already receiving," according to The Hill. The Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012, signed into law to provide healthcare and compensation to veterans and their families who were affected by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, must first be taken into consideration before the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) benefits can be awarded. The Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 also is known for offering sick veterans a "presumption of service connection" for eight medical conditions veterans are presumed to have developed from August 1, 1953, to December 31, 1987.

Some veterans may be hesitant to file a Camp Lejeune lawsuit if they are already receiving VA benefits related to their Camp Lejeune illness, but they need not worry. The VA is not seeking to discourage veterans from filing a Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claim and encourages all that are eligible to do so. "Regardless of this caveat (the offset), however, VA officials urge veterans to move forward with their disability claims. "The VA wants to make sure that no one is dissuaded from pursuing their VA remedies," David Barrans, a lawyer in the VA's Office of the General Counsel, recently told The Hill." In addition, veterans should not be afraid to file a CLJA claim for fear of losing the income they are already receiving, " We just want to make sure that people understand that VA is not going to reduce or deny your benefits because you pursued your other remedies under the PACT Act," Barrans added," and the Hill reported. The VA has been receiving about 10,000 Camp Lejeune cancer-related disability claims per year for the last ten years, for a total of around 100,000 requests. The VA and Navy AG expect the number of Camp Lejeune Justice Act claims to expand exponentially during the two-year window that is allowed for filing and they have increased their administrative staff to handle the influx accordingly. To be clear, if you or a loved one was stationed at, or lived in, Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987, for a minimum of 30-days, and have been diagnosed with kidney cancer or other types of cancer, you may be eligible to pursue a legal claim and seek lump-sum financial compensation in addition to the benefits you are already receiving. Camp Lejeune water attorneys represent thousands of qualifying individuals may help file a lawsuit against the federal government should your CLJA claim be rejected or ignored.

Information provided by CampLejeuneJusticeActClaim.com, a website devoted to providing news about Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claim, including a free no-cost, no-obligation Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claim.