Since the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act was passed in August 2022, victims of Camp Lejeune water contamination have been able to file lawsuits and seek justice for their injuries.
However, Camp Lejeune scams — like services promising quick money or requiring fees to pursue benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — have left some wondering, “Is the Camp Lejeune lawsuit legitimate?”
The answer is: Yes, Camp Lejeune lawsuits are legitimate. Despite some trying to take advantage of injured veterans, an established law firm can help civilian workers, veterans, and their families pursue meaningful compensation after being exposed to contaminated water on base between 1953 and 1987.
As of May 2024, more than 190,000 Camp Lejeune administrative claims and over 1,700 federal lawsuits have already been filed. The government is actively evaluating claims — but families only have a small window of time remaining to take action.
At Sokolove Law, our compassionate lawyers have over 40 years of experience helping veterans file legal claims for compensation and pursue VA benefits.
We’ve already helped over 30,000 families with Camp Lejeune claims. See if we may be able to help with your Camp Lejeune lawsuit now.
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Understanding Camp Lejeune Scams
It’s estimated that 1 Million military service members and their families were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. Instead of seeing a vulnerable and exploited population in need of help, scammers saw new opportunities to profit.
A 2022 survey found that 71% of veterans or active-duty military personnel have been victims of digital scams. This is often due to their ties to government data, VA benefits, and data breaches that may have released personal information.
As Camp Lejeune litigation picks up, scammers are continuing to target victims of the contaminated water who are seeking justice. The main process behind these scams is requiring victims to pay fees or give out personal information for the promise of money or services that are never provided.
Some examples of Camp Lejeune scams include:
- Phishing emails: These emails may appear to be real by imitating trusted organizations like the VA to steal personal information, including passwords, phone numbers, and even social security numbers from unknowing victims, that they can later sell or use for other fraud schemes.
- Robocalls: Pre-recorded telephone calls or voicemails may promise veterans or their families thousands of dollars from a lawsuit if they pay the initial “filing fees.” Unfortunately, scammers collect these fees without giving the promised money to veterans.
- VA claims services: Some scammers have resorted to promising veterans help in filing their claims for VA benefits — for a fee. They will continue collecting fees without being accredited with the VA to help with these claims.
"America is facing an onslaught of digital crime that is only gaining momentum,” said Hari Ravichandran, the founder of cybersecurity company Aura. “It's disheartening to see that the individuals who sacrifice to protect our country are seeing disproportionate impact as a result of this crisis.”
Unintended Consequences: Is the Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Real?
An unfortunate result of these Camp Lejeune scams is that they leave many veterans and their families unsure about whether or not the Camp Lejeune lawsuit is real.
Rest assured, Camp Lejeune lawsuits are a real way for those impacted by the contaminated water to seek justice.
In fact, the government has set aside an estimated $21 Billion for Camp Lejeune settlements between 2022 and 2031. This compensation can help victims and their families cover medical bills and other expenses.
That said, money may not appear overnight for Camp Lejeune veterans like so many scammers claim. The legal process may take several months or years to resolve — but the compensation is real and available.
In an attempt to streamline the claims review process, the Department of Justice and Department of the Navy announced an “Elective Option.” This option divides Camp Lejeune health issues into two tiers that can pay up to $550,000 more quickly to veterans and their families, depending on their illness and extent of exposure.
However, results from a Camp Lejeune lawsuit could award even more compensation to victims and their families than the Elective Option for administrative claims.
Need help filing a Camp Lejeune claim? Sokolove Law can help with a free, no-obligation case review today.
How to Avoid Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Scams: 6 Tips
On January 8, 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of the Navy warned anyone filing Camp Lejeune claims against "unscrupulous" parties and fraudulent schemes.
It can be hard sifting through which compensation options may be reputable and which may be predatory, but the following 6 tips can help you avoid Camp Lejeune scams:
- Always be sure you are on safe and secure websites by looking for “https” at the beginning of a website’s link. Some web browsers will display a padlock symbol before the link to indicate that the site is safe.
- Avoid responding to pre-recorded calls or voicemails. Instead, hang up or delete the voicemail and call the Camp Lejeune Claims Unit directly rather than the number provided in the pre-recording.
- Don’t click on links from unsolicited emails or text messages. You can determine if an email is trustworthy by ensuring it is coming from the official Navy Camp Lejeune Claims Unit or your lawyer.
- Don’t pay any filing charges or upfront costs for Camp Lejeune-related claims. Filing a VA benefits claim should always be free. Trusted Camp Lejeune lawyers can provide a free legal consultation to confirm if you are eligible for money.
- Never pay fees to access an alleged Camp Lejeune settlement. In their warning this week, the DOJ and Navy reminded veterans involved in Camp Lejeune litigation that they will never request money from Camp Lejeune claimants.
- Beware any promise of instant payouts or compensation. Camp Lejeune lawsuits are new and complex. Litigation may take some time to resolve successfully.
Learn more about the Camp Lejeune payout timeline and what may be more realistic to expect.
Find a Trustworthy Camp Lejeune Lawyer
An experienced lawyer can help you through the complex Camp Lejeune legal process, but it can feel overwhelming trying to sift through scams to find the best law firms to work with.
Some qualities of a trustworthy Camp Lejeune lawyer include:
- Access to a dedicated team of real people: Dependable lawyers often work at a well-known or established law firm that’s dedicated to their clients.
- History of success and positive client reviews: The best law firms will be open about their case history and provide testimonials from past clients.
- No upfront costs or hidden fees: Camp Lejeune lawyers shouldn’t require any filing fees or payments to start your case.
- VA-accreditation: VA-accredited Camp Lejeune lawyers can help veterans access compensation from a lawsuit as well as VA benefits.
Get the latest updates on Camp Lejeune litigation and settlements.
Sokolove Law: Over 40 Years of Fighting for Veterans & Their Families
At Sokolove Law, a real person is available to answer your questions or concerns throughout the legal process, so you don’t have to decipher robocalls or automated messages.
For over 40 years, we’ve fought hard to get our clients the results they need, recovering more than $9.4 Billion total for clients across the country. We have VA-accredited attorneys on staff and have helped thousands of veterans secure compensation after an injury.
There are no hourly fees or out-of-pocket costs to work with our Camp Lejeune lawyers. We provide all clients with free case evaluations, so there’s no financial risk to working with us.
The deadline to file a Camp Lejeune lawsuit is August 10, 2024. Call us at (800) 995-1212 or get started with a free case review now, so you don’t miss your chance for justice.
