The relief provided in the PACT Act is available to those Marine Corps personnel and others exposed to Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water supply from Aug. 1, 1953, to Dec. 31, 1987, when the water contained various toxic chemicals.
Who Is Eligible Under the PACT Act
Veterans, family members, civilian employees and others exposed for at least 30 days from Aug. 1, 1953, to Dec. 31, 1987, may qualify to file a claim or lawsuit if they were diagnosed with a presumptive health condition or another they can show was, more likely than not, the result of contamination. In utero exposure qualifies, and if an individual died of one of the conditions, a legal representative may qualify to file a wrongful death claim.
Because the law requires that a legal claim “accrue” prior to the enactment of the PACT Act, a medical diagnosis must predate the signing of the law Aug. 10, 2022. A claim or lawsuit must be filed within a two-year window of the law’s signing; or within six months after the denial of a claim.
A claimant may not file a lawsuit until after a claim has been denied or after not receiving a decision for more than six months.
