The short answer
If you spent at least 30 cumulative days at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River during the qualifying period and now have one of VA's eight listed conditions, VA generally presumes the illness is connected to service. The claim still needs proof of the diagnosis and proof that you were there.
Calling a claim presumptive can make it sound automatic. It is not. The presumption replaces the usual medical-nexus fight, but a rater still verifies the location, dates, length of service, discharge character, and current diagnosis.
Who qualifies for the compensation presumption
- Service at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River in North Carolina.
- At least 30 total days there between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987.
- A discharge other than dishonorable.
- A current diagnosis of at least one covered presumptive condition.
Active duty, Reserve, and National Guard service can qualify. The 30 days do not have to be consecutive.
The eight covered diagnoses
VA currently lists adult leukemia; aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes; bladder, kidney, and liver cancers; multiple myeloma; Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; and Parkinson's disease. Match the exact diagnosis in the medical record to VA's official list rather than relying on a shortened name from a social-media post.
Read VA's current Camp Lejeune eligibility page before filing. It controls if a list circulating online is outdated.
Build the claim in three folders
- Presence: DD214, orders, unit records, travel vouchers, evaluations, housing records, or personnel records showing the base and dates.
- Diagnosis: pathology, oncology, neurology, hematology, hospital, and treatment records that name the condition.
- Current severity: treatment, residuals, functional limits, recurrence, medication effects, and complications used to assign the rating.
If official personnel records do not make the 30 days obvious, create a one-page timeline. List the unit, building or housing area, arrival and departure dates, and the document supporting each entry.
When a nexus letter helps
Presumptive does not mean evidence-free
A separate nexus letter is usually unnecessary for one of the eight covered diagnoses when qualifying service is established. It may still help if the diagnosis is unclear, the condition falls outside the list, or VA disputes whether the medical record identifies the covered disease.
For a non-presumptive illness, the claim returns to ordinary direct-service-connection rules. A clinician must explain why the veteran's particular diagnosis is at least as likely as not related to the exposure, with the medical history and competing risk factors addressed.
How to label the claim
Name the diagnosed condition and identify Camp Lejeune contaminated-water exposure as the theory. Do not submit a claim titled only "toxic exposure." VA rates diagnosed disabilities, not exposure by itself.
VA also has separate health-care rules for veterans and certain family members. Compensation, health care, and any civil claim are not interchangeable. Filing one does not automatically file the others.
Mistakes that slow these claims down
- Sending evidence of base service without medical proof of the diagnosis.
- Sending medical records without a clear 30-day service timeline.
- Assuming every cancer or neurologic disease is presumptive.
- Paying for a generic nexus letter when the presumption already supplies the link.
- Confusing a VA disability claim with health care eligibility or litigation.
Quick answers
What dates qualify for the Camp Lejeune presumption?
You must have served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 cumulative days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987.
Do I need a nexus letter for a presumptive Camp Lejeune condition?
Usually not when you meet the service requirements and have one of the eight listed diagnoses. You still need evidence of the diagnosis and qualifying service.
What if my illness is not on the presumptive list?
You can still file, but the presumption does not supply the medical link. The claim generally needs competent evidence connecting the diagnosed condition to the exposure.
Is the Camp Lejeune lawsuit the same as a VA claim?
No. A VA disability claim, VA health care eligibility, and a Camp Lejeune Justice Act lawsuit are separate paths with different rules.
Built by a veteran. The condition guides are free, forever.
Get the free Secondary Conditions Checklist PDF
A one-page printable map of every secondary condition the VA rates, grouped by primary. Plus weekly tactical breakdowns. No spam.
Educational information only. Confirm current eligibility and evidence rules with VA or a VA-accredited representative before filing.