As part of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) ongoing commitment to provide care to
Veterans, the VA published regulations on January 13, 2017, to establish a presumption of
service connection for eight conditions associated with exposure to contaminants in the water
supply at Camp Lejeune. The rule became effective March 14, 2017.
Based on evidence from several internationally recognized scientific authorities, including the
National Academies of Science, VA determined there is sufficient scientific and medical
evidence available to establish a presumption of service connection between exposure to
contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune and the occurrence of eight health conditions.
The eight presumptive diseases are: adult leukemia, aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic
syndromes, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma, and Parkinson’s disease.
VA will not limit entitlement to active duty military. Rather, VA will also presume exposure for
reserve and National Guard members who served at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days
(cumulative) between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987.
In addition, VA will establish a presumption that members of the reserves and the National
Guard who served at Camp Lejeune during this period and later develop one of the presumptive
diseases became disabled during the relevant period of service for purposes of establishing active
military service for benefit purposes.
Presumptive service connection for a disease alleged to have been caused by contaminants in the
water supply at Camp Lejeune requires medical evidence of a current disease on the presumptive
list and evidence from military records or other official service department records of service at
Camp Lejeune during the period of contamination.
Veterans meeting these criteria should file a VA Form 21-526EZ with information showing that
they have a current diagnosis and their service information. Veterans Service Organizations can
help file for benefits. Veterans can also file a claim electronically through eBenefits
(http://www.ebenefits.va.gov/). Veterans should state on their application that their claim is
presumptive due to service at Camp Lejeune.
