Camp Lejeune Elective Option Payout Tiers (2025)
The U.S. Navy's Elective Option framework assigns every qualifying claim to one of four compensation tiers, plus a separate wrongful death schedule. Payments under the EO are fixed within ranges — no negotiation, but much faster than federal litigation. The table below summarizes the published payout bands as of 2025.
| Tier | Qualifying Diseases | EO Payout Range | Litigation Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 Cancer |
Bladder cancer, kidney/renal cancer, leukemia (AML/CLL), Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, breast cancer, esophageal cancer, lung cancer | $150,000 – $450,000 | $200,000 – $750,000+ |
| Tier 2 Serious |
Parkinson's disease, scleroderma / systemic sclerosis, severe renal toxicity | $100,000 – $300,000 | $150,000 – $500,000+ |
| Tier 3 Reproductive |
Miscarriage, female infertility, birth defects in children, neurobehavioral effects | $25,000 – $150,000 | $50,000 – $300,000+ |
| Tier 4 Other |
Hepatic steatosis, other listed qualifying conditions with documented link to TCE/PCE/benzene exposure | $10,000 – $50,000 | $20,000 – $150,000 |
| Wrongful Death | Death caused by any Tier 1 or Tier 2 qualifying disease where exposure at Camp Lejeune is established | $100,000 – $550,000 | $150,000 – $1,000,000+ |
Who Qualifies for Camp Lejeune Compensation
Congress created the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) as part of the PACT Act, signed into law by President Biden on August 10, 2022. Before the CLJA, North Carolina law prevented Camp Lejeune victims from suing the federal government for decades of contaminated drinking water. The CLJA removes that barrier — but eligibility has specific requirements.
The 30-Day Rule
You must have resided, worked, or been otherwise present at Camp Lejeune (including MCAS New River, which shares the water system) for no fewer than 30 cumulative days between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987. Days do not need to be consecutive. Military records (DD-214), pay stubs, housing records, or medical records from Lejeune can document your presence.
Who Can File
- Active-duty Marines, sailors, and other service members stationed at Lejeune
- National Guard and Reserve members on active duty at Lejeune
- Civilian employees of the Marine Corps at the base
- Family members who lived on or near base (including spouses and children)
- In-utero exposure: children born to mothers who were pregnant while at Lejeune
- Legal representatives (estate or heirs) for deceased victims — wrongful death claims
8 Presumptive Qualifying Diseases
Under the VA's separate Camp Lejeune presumptive benefits program and the Navy's Elective Option framework, the following diseases are presumed to have been caused by water contamination at Lejeune, meaning you do not need to prove causation, only exposure and diagnosis:
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer / renal cancer
- Leukemia (all types, including adult and childhood)
- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Multiple myeloma
- Parkinson's disease
- Neurobehavioral effects
- Scleroderma
Additional conditions — breast cancer, esophageal cancer, lung cancer, miscarriage, infertility, and renal toxicity — are also recognized under the CLJA with supporting medical evidence.
Elective Option vs. CLJA Lawsuit: Which Is Right for You?
After filing an administrative claim with the Navy JAG, claimants who receive an offer have two paths: accept the Elective Option settlement or proceed to federal court under the CLJA. Both tracks have meaningful trade-offs. Here is how they compare:
| Factor | Elective Option (EO) | CLJA Federal Litigation |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | ✓ 60–120 days after acceptance | ✗ 1–3+ years in federal court |
| Payout Potential | ✗ Fixed tier ranges, capped | ✓ Uncapped, jury may award more |
| Risk | ✓ Guaranteed payment if you qualify | ✗ Could lose at trial |
| Attorney Required | ✓ Optional but helpful | ✗ Strongly recommended |
| Attorney Fee Cap | 20% of EO award (CLJA cap) | 25% of recovery (CLJA cap) |
| Evidence Required | Diagnosis + exposure records | Expert causation witnesses, full discovery |
| Best For | Elderly claimants, severe illness, need funds soon | Younger claimants, unique fact patterns, maximum compensation |
Many attorneys advise their clients to file the administrative claim first (which is required before any federal lawsuit), then evaluate the EO offer carefully before deciding. You cannot accept the EO and then sue — acceptance is final.
Camp Lejeune Trust Fund vs. Individual Lawsuit
There is often confusion between two Camp Lejeune compensation systems. Understanding the difference matters for your strategy.
The VA Camp Lejeune benefits program provides disability compensation and free VA healthcare to veterans and their family members for the eight presumptive conditions. This program runs separately from the CLJA and does not require a lawsuit. Veterans who qualify should enroll in VA benefits regardless of whether they also file a CLJA claim — the two are not mutually exclusive, though there may be offsets.
The CLJA claims and lawsuit system is what this calculator estimates. It provides monetary compensation through the Navy JAG's administrative process (leading to the Elective Option) or through federal district court litigation in the Eastern District of North Carolina. This is separate from VA disability and is the mechanism created by the August 2022 law.
As of early 2025, the government has set aside an estimated $6.7 billion in its budget projections for Camp Lejeune claims — a figure that reflects the scale of liability but does not represent a fixed settlement fund. Claims are paid from appropriated federal funds as they resolve.
How to File a Camp Lejeune Claim
The CLJA requires a specific process. Missing any step can delay or jeopardize your claim. Here is the five-step process:
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Gather your records. Collect military service records (DD-214), housing records proving residence at Lejeune during 1953–1987, medical records documenting your diagnosis, and treatment records showing ongoing medical expenses. The more documentation, the stronger your tier placement.
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File an administrative claim with the Navy JAG. Under the CLJA, you must submit an SF-95 Standard Form (or equivalent) to the Judge Advocate General of the Navy. This is a prerequisite to any federal lawsuit — you cannot skip it. The address is: Claims and Tort Litigation, NAVCIVLAWSVC, Washington Navy Yard, Washington D.C. 20374.
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Await the agency's response. The government has 6 months to respond to your administrative claim. It can deny, offer a partial settlement (Elective Option), or take no action, after which you may sue.
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Evaluate the Elective Option offer. If the Navy JAG issues an EO offer, you have a limited period to accept or decline. Your attorney can help you weigh the EO payout against your litigation prospects given your specific medical evidence and tier.
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File a federal lawsuit if needed. If you decline the EO or the claim is denied, your attorney can file in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina — the only federal court with jurisdiction over CLJA cases. From there, the case proceeds through discovery, expert witnesses, and potential trial.
Camp Lejeune Cancer Connection: The Contaminated Water
From roughly 1953 to 1987, the drinking water at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina was contaminated with dangerous industrial chemicals at levels far exceeding safe limits. Two water treatment plants — Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point — were the primary sources of exposure.
Tarawa Terrace was contaminated primarily with tetrachloroethylene (PCE or PERC), a dry-cleaning solvent leached into the groundwater from an off-base dry-cleaning facility. At its peak, PCE concentrations reached 215 parts per billion (ppb) — more than 43 times the current EPA maximum contaminant level of 5 ppb.
Hadnot Point was contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, vinyl chloride, and trans-1,2-dichloroethylene. TCE — a metal degreaser — was found at concentrations up to 1,400 ppb, nearly 280 times the EPA limit of 5 ppb. Benzene, a known human carcinogen, was also detected at multiple times safe levels.
These chemicals — classified as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) — are linked to a range of blood cancers, solid tumors, kidney damage, liver disease, neurological disorders, and reproductive harm. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) conducted exhaustive studies confirming statistically significant elevations in bladder cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and other cancers among those exposed at Lejeune versus comparable populations.
Approximately one million military personnel, family members, and civilian workers were exposed over the 34-year period before the contamination was fully addressed. The government's own studies confirmed that infants and pregnant women who drank the water at Lejeune faced significantly elevated risks of birth defects, miscarriage, and childhood leukemia.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Under the Elective Option, payouts range by tier: Tier 1 cancers receive $150,000–$450,000; Tier 2 serious illnesses receive $100,000–$300,000; Tier 3 reproductive conditions receive $25,000–$150,000; and Tier 4 other qualifying conditions receive $10,000–$50,000. Wrongful death claims can reach $100,000–$550,000 under the EO. Federal litigation (CLJA lawsuits) can yield higher amounts but takes significantly longer — often 1–3 years — and carries more risk. The government has budgeted approximately $6.7 billion for total Camp Lejeune liability.
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Qualifying conditions include: bladder cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia (all forms), Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, renal toxicity, scleroderma, Parkinson's disease, breast cancer, esophageal cancer, lung cancer, miscarriage, female infertility, birth defects in children born to exposed mothers, neurobehavioral effects, and hepatic steatosis. The condition must have been medically diagnosed and the claimant must have been present at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 cumulative days between 1953 and 1987.
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The Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) is a federal law signed by President Biden on August 10, 2022 as part of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. The CLJA removes the legal barrier (North Carolina's statute of repose) that had previously blocked Camp Lejeune victims from suing the federal government. It allows veterans, family members, and civilian workers who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987 for at least 30 days to file lawsuits in federal court for water contamination-related illnesses.
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The Elective Option fast-track typically pays within 60–120 days of the claimant's acceptance of the offer. However, reaching the offer stage itself can take months from initial administrative claim filing, as the Navy JAG must review documentation. Federal litigation (CLJA lawsuits) is currently taking 1–3 years due to the enormous volume of claims — over 270,000 administrative claims had been filed with the Navy JAG by 2024. Many cases are being consolidated and coordinated in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Elderly or seriously ill claimants are often advised to prioritize the EO track for faster resolution.
Related Legal Calculators
If you or a loved one is evaluating additional legal claims alongside a Camp Lejeune case, these tools may help estimate compensation across other mass tort and personal injury categories.