Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act of 2025

Key Points

• This bill makes it easier for veterans and their families to win lawsuits over toxic water at Camp Lejeune. It clarifies that they only need to show that the water was "at least as likely as not" the cause of their health problems, including future health risks that haven't shown up yet.
• It allows victims to request a trial by jury and lets cases be moved to different courts across the region to speed things up. Currently, many cases are stuck in one specific court, which has caused long delays for aging veterans waiting for their day in court.
• The plan sets a strict limit on how much lawyers can take from a victim's payout. Attorney fees would be capped at 20% of the money if the case settles early, or 25% if it goes to court, ensuring that more of the money stays with the families who were harmed.
• It changes how government benefits affect the money victims receive. If a family settles their claim before filing a formal lawsuit, the government cannot reduce their payout based on the VA or Medicare benefits they already receive for their illnesses.
• These changes would apply to all current and future claims, going back to when the original law was first passed in 2022. This ensures that people already waiting for help can benefit from the new rules and faster processing immediately.