Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Loans for Pending Claims
Who Has a Camp Lejeune Claim Today
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act is Section 804 of the PACT Act, which became law on August 10, 2022 (Public Law 117-168, Section 804). It let people harmed by the base’s contaminated drinking water seek compensation from the United States, and it gave them two years to bring a claim.
That window is now closed. The Department of the Navy states that the filing deadline has passed and that it no longer accepts new claims (Navy CLJA claims page). The last day to file was August 10, 2024. If you did not file by then, no funder can help you open a claim now, and this page is not written for that situation.
This page is for people who filed on time and are still waiting. The Act covers someone who lived, worked or was otherwise exposed to the water at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. Exposure in the womb counts. Veterans, civilian workers and family members who lived on the base can all be claimants.
When the person who was exposed has died, the Justice Department’s guidance says the claim is filed by the executor or administrator of their estate, or by another person that state law allows. Surviving spouses and family members may qualify for our funding, including a relative who is the personal representative filing on behalf of a deceased veteran’s estate.
Every claim had to start with the Navy, because the Act requires the federal agency claim process before any lawsuit. Under the Navy’s guidance, a claimant may go to federal court once the Navy denies the claim or six months pass without a decision. Only one court hears these cases: the federal district court for the Eastern District of North Carolina (the court’s Camp Lejeune page).
A claim filed on time can still reach court after the 2024 deadline. When the Navy denies a claim, the Act allows 180 days from the denial to file suit. Your attorney keeps track of the dates that apply to you.
Two Routes a Claim Can Take
Most pending claims end through one of two routes: a set settlement offer under the Elective Option, or a lawsuit. The comparison below draws on the Act and on the Justice Department’s Camp Lejeune claims guidance. On small screens, the table scrolls left and right.
| Topic | Elective Option | Lawsuit in federal court |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A settlement program the Navy and the Justice Department announced on September 6, 2023, with set offer amounts for a list of qualifying illnesses. | A lawsuit under the Act, filed only in the Eastern District of North Carolina. |
| Who it fits | Claimants who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days and have one of the listed illnesses may be eligible. | Claimants whose Navy claim was denied or went six months with no decision. |
| Who decides | The government sets the offer, and you choose, with your attorney, whether to take it. | The court decides, unless the two sides reach a settlement first. |
| What must be proven | No expert proof of cause. Anyone who lived or worked on the base during the covered period is treated as exposed. | That the water was at least as likely as not to have caused the harm, taking account of the level of exposure and other risk factors. |
| VA, Medicare and Medicaid | Not reduced for VA benefits or by Medicare fee-for-service. Medicare Advantage plans and state Medicaid agencies decide on their own whether to seek repayment. | The Act requires the award to be reduced by VA, Medicare and Medicaid benefits paid for health care or disability tied to the water exposure. |
| Why timing differs | After an offer is accepted and the payment forms are complete, nothing is left to argue over. | Evidence gathering, motions and possibly a trial come first, so timing follows the court’s schedule. |
Where the Elective Option stands today is covered in our Camp Lejeune settlement tracker.
How funding fits the Elective Option route
Once an offer is on the table, the amount is known. That makes the claim easier to review, but it can also mean payment is not far away. Ask your attorney where the paperwork stands before you decide an advance is worth it.
How funding fits the lawsuit route
A lawsuit has no set amount and no set end date. Here, funding is a way to pay everyday bills until the court process ends. Because it is non-recourse, the advance is not repaid if the case is lost.
How America Lawsuit Loans Funds a Camp Lejeune Claim
Our Camp Lejeune pre-settlement funding is built around your attorney. We accept applications only from claimants who have one, and we do not ask you to collect or send us medical records, service records or claim papers. Your attorney already holds that file, so we talk the claim over with them.
- You apply and name the attorney who represents you.
- We contact your attorney to ask about the claim.
- Your attorney shares the case information we need, such as which route the claim is on and whether an offer has been made.
- We make a decision and tell you whether we can fund the claim and for how much.
- You and your attorney sign. You read and sign the funding agreement, and your attorney signs or acknowledges it.
- The funds are sent directly to you.
- Repayment comes from the award. When the claim pays, your attorney repays us out of the award through the firm’s trust account.
What non-recourse means, in plain words
We can only be repaid from the award on your claim. If the claim is denied, you owe us nothing. If the award is less than what you owe, you owe nothing beyond the award, and the shortfall does not turn into a debt. You can also pay the advance off early.
Amounts and stages
Advances run $500 to $250,000+. The amount turns on the claim and on what your attorney shares with us. There is no minimum expected award. We fund Camp Lejeune claims at these stages:
- Filed with the Navy, with no offer yet
- Elective Option offer received
- In active litigation in the Eastern District of North Carolina
- Settled and waiting to be paid
Camp Lejeune claims come from a federal statute, but we handle them alongside our other lawsuit loans on mass torts. Our guide to pre-settlement funding explains the product in general terms. If you also have an asbestos claim, see mesothelioma lawsuit funding, or look through all the cases we fund.
Questions to Ask Before You Sign Any Funding Agreement
Use these with any funder, us included. Write down the answers, and ask your attorney to read the agreement before you sign it.
- Can I see the full written terms first? Ask for the whole agreement, not a summary, and take time to read it. Anything a funder will not put in writing should not count.
- How does the amount I would owe change over time? Ask the funder to show you in writing what you would owe if the claim paid at several future dates. Compare those figures, not only the size of the advance.
- Have I talked to my attorney? Do it before you apply anywhere. Repayment runs through your attorney, and they know whether an offer, a ruling or a payment is coming.
- What will I receive after offsets? Outside the Elective Option, an award or settlement is reduced by related VA, Medicare and Medicaid benefits. An Elective Option payment is not reduced for VA benefits or by Medicare fee-for-service, but a Medicare Advantage plan or a state Medicaid agency may still seek repayment (see Medicaid.gov’s CLJA notice). Any advance comes out of the award, so ask your attorney for a realistic figure after offsets.
- Can I pay it off early? Ask whether early payoff is allowed and how the payoff amount is worked out.
- What if the claim is denied or pays less than expected? Get the answer in the contract. Under a non-recourse agreement, a denied claim means nothing is owed.
- Who will contact me, and how? The Navy and the Justice Department say they will never ask you for money, and that they reach represented claimants only through their attorney. A funder should also work through your lawyer. Be careful with anyone who calls you directly about your claim and wants payment or personal details.
- What about taxes? Questions about how an award or an advance is taxed belong with a tax professional. We do not give tax advice.
When Funding May Not Be the Right Choice
Every dollar you owe is paid out of your award. If you can manage without an advance, you keep more of what the claim pays. These are the situations where we would tell a claimant to think twice.
Your claim is close to paying
If you have accepted an offer and your attorney says payment is near, waiting may leave you better off than taking an advance.
Your expected award is small
We set no minimum, but a small award leaves little room. If the amount you would owe takes a large share of it, a smaller advance or none at all may serve you better.
Other help may come first
Veterans who served at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days in the covered period may be eligible for VA health care, and for VA disability compensation if they have certain conditions. Family members who lived there may get help with health care costs through VA’s Camp Lejeune Family Member Program (VA’s Camp Lejeune benefits page). VA says you do not need a lawyer to apply for its benefits, and a Veterans Service Officer can help with the forms. If the pressure comes from a single bill, ask that creditor about a hardship plan before you take an advance.
Where We Fund Camp Lejeune Claims
We can fund Camp Lejeune claimants in any state. Our rule is that the state where a case is filed decides whether we can fund it, and the Act makes the Eastern District of North Carolina the only court for Camp Lejeune lawsuits. We fund in North Carolina, so your home state does not limit a Camp Lejeune application.
Other kinds of cases are filed in many different states, and there the filing state can rule funding out. Our state-by-state funding guide covers those rules and is updated when they change.
Questions About Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Loans
Can I borrow against my Camp Lejeune claim?
You can get an advance against a pending claim if an attorney represents you. It works differently from a loan. A loan has to be repaid whatever happens, while our advance is repaid only from your award, and you owe nothing if you lose.
Is an attorney required for Camp Lejeune funding?
Yes. We only accept applications from claimants with an attorney. We go over the claim with your attorney, not with you, so you do not need to gather or send any case documents.
What if I lose my Camp Lejeune claim?
You owe us nothing. The same protection applies if the award comes in below what you owe: you owe nothing beyond the award itself.
Can I get funding after accepting the Elective Option?
Yes. We fund claimants who have received an Elective Option offer and those who have settled and are waiting for payment. If payment is close, ask your attorney whether an advance is still worth taking.
Does funding affect my VA benefits?
Ask your attorney before you apply, especially if you receive a benefit that depends on your income or savings. VA’s guidance says filing a Camp Lejeune claim does not change your VA eligibility, and it explains when VA benefits can reduce a court award.
Can family members of a deceased veteran apply?
Yes, they may qualify. That covers a surviving spouse or other relative who is the claimant, and one who is the personal representative filing on behalf of the veteran’s estate. Either way, an attorney must represent the claim.
Applying for Camp Lejeune Funding
An attorney must represent your Camp Lejeune claim before we can review it. Have their name and contact details to hand when you apply. We take it from there with their office, and nothing is final until you have signed the agreement and your attorney has signed or acknowledged it.
Sources and Review
Last reviewed: October 16, 2026. Each legal point on this page was checked that day against these primary sources:
- Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, Public Law 117-168, Section 804 (congress.gov)
- Navy CLJA claims information, Department of the Navy, Office of the Judge Advocate General
- Justice Department CLJA guidance, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division (updated September 22, 2026)
- Information Concerning Camp Lejeune Water Litigation, United States District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina
- Camp Lejeune water contamination health issues, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Claims Under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (medicaid.gov)
America Lawsuit Loans provides non-recourse funding: repayment comes only from your award, and you owe nothing if you lose. We are not a law firm, and this page offers no legal, tax or financial advice. Every application is reviewed before any decision is made. Talk to your attorney about your claim. Read about the company behind this page.