CLJA Claims Deadline Passes

The window for filing Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) claims has closed, but this ending marks only the beginning for claimants awaiting relief. When the PACT Act was signed two years ago, those harmed by the toxic water at Camp Lejeune thought they were heading toward resolution, but so far, progress has been slower than anticipated.

Nearly 385,000 people filed administrative claims (a number that’s expected to grow as the final submissions are tallied). Yet the Government has resolved fewer than 200 of these, instead choosing to leave hundreds of thousands of people waiting.

Representative Matt Cartwright, a sponsor of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, called the offers “embarrassingly small.’’ This sentiment was echoed by Eric Flynn, an attorney at Bell Legal Group, who heard from clients that the offer “doesn’t capture their experience.”

Though advocates for those harmed by toxic water continue to push for progress, the recent schedule for Track 1 pretrial offers little room for commencement before 2025. Policymakers introduced bipartisan legislation to expedite Camp Lejeune cases to try to alleviate some of the challenges of this process. But these changes take time.