Camp Lejeune Water
Camp Lejeune Water Cancer Nexus Letters
From 1953 to 1987, drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune was contaminated with TCE, PCE, benzene, and vinyl chloride. If you developed cancer after serving or living there, a specialty oncology opinion can clarify the medical connection your VA or Justice Act claim needs.
- Board-Certified Radiation Oncologist
- Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel
- Enlisted Former NBC / CBRNE Specialist
- Board-Certified Radiation Oncologist
- Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel
- Enlisted Former NBC / CBRNE Specialist
Led by Dr. C.M. Williams, MD
Your Claim, Reviewed by a Cancer Specialist Who Served
Dr. Williams is a board-certified radiation oncologist and a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel. She has spent her career treating cancer and translating complex medicine into plain language — and she understands military service and toxic exposure from the inside.
That combination is rare in the nexus-letter world, where many opinions come from clinicians who never treated cancer. Your case is reviewed by a specialist physician who can speak to your cancer type, stage, and biology with authority — and write the medical reasoning the VA needs to see.
How a Nexus Opinion Helps
How a Nexus Opinion Helps Your Camp Lejeune Claim
Camp Lejeune cases run on two tracks — VA presumptive claims and the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. A specialty nexus opinion clarifies the medical connection that both paths can call for.
Connects contaminated water to your cancer
Dr. Williams reviews your diagnosis alongside the solvents documented in the Camp Lejeune water supply and explains, in medical terms, how that exposure relates to your specific cancer.
Supports VA and Justice Act claims
Contaminated-water exposure can be relevant both to VA presumptive claims and to the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022. A clear medical opinion gives both paths the causation reasoning they may require.
Addresses eligibility and evidence questions
Eligibility depends on your dates and cumulative time at Camp Lejeune and your diagnosis. A specialty review helps interpret those facts medically and answers the questions a reviewer needs resolved.
Exposure by Branch & MOS
Who Was Exposed at Camp Lejeune
Camp Lejeune exposure reached well beyond a single MOS. Anyone who drank, cooked with, or bathed in the base water during the contamination window may be affected.
Marine Corps & Navy
Marines and sailors stationed at Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River who drank and bathed in the contaminated water for at least 30 cumulative days.
Military families
Spouses and children who lived on base during the 1953–1987 contamination window.
Civilian workers
Civilian employees who worked on base may have a path under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.
Camp Lejeune Cancers We Review
The VA recognizes several cancers as presumptive for qualifying Camp Lejeune service. Dr. Williams reviews these and related diagnoses.
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Adult leukemia
- Multiple myeloma
Non-Presumptive Cancers
Beyond the Presumptive List: TCE, PCE & the Justice Act
The VA's presumptive list is short, but the contaminants at Camp Lejeune are linked to more cancers than the list names. A medical opinion connects the specific solvent to your diagnosis for both VA and Justice Act claims.
Trichloroethylene (TCE)
Kidney (renal) cancer
TCE was a primary Camp Lejeune contaminant linked to renal cancer — a nexus opinion connects the exposure window to the diagnosis.
TCE, PCE, benzene, vinyl chloride
Esophageal, breast & prostate cancers
Outside the VA's core presumptive list — often pursued through the Camp Lejeune Justice Act with supporting medical evidence.
Industrial solvents in base water
Bladder & liver cancers
Reviewed against your dates on base and your diagnosis for both VA and Justice Act paths.
The VA's presumptive list for Camp Lejeune is short, but the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 opened a separate path for many other cancers — and both paths can call for a medical opinion connecting the contaminated water to your diagnosis.
Understanding Camp Lejeune Water Contamination
From 1953 to 1987, drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune was contaminated with industrial solvents — including trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene, and vinyl chloride. Veterans, family members, and civilian workers who were there during that period may have been affected.
The VA recognizes several conditions as presumptive for those who served at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 cumulative days during that window, and the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 created an additional path for affected individuals. A specialty opinion can clarify the medical connection between contaminated-water exposure and an oncologic diagnosis when a claim or claim type calls for it.
An Honest, Evidence-Based Opinion
A nexus letter never guarantees approval, and Dr. Williams will tell you candidly whether the medical evidence reasonably supports a connection in your case. A formal opinion is only provided when it does — and final decisions always rest with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Camp Lejeune Water Questions
Who qualifies for a Camp Lejeune claim?
Eligibility generally turns on serving, living, or working at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 cumulative days between 1953 and 1987, along with a qualifying diagnosis. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 also opened an additional path for affected individuals, including some family members.
My kidney cancer may be from TCE in the Camp Lejeune water. Can you help?
TCE was one of the primary contaminants in the Camp Lejeune water supply and is associated with renal (kidney) cancer. A nexus opinion can connect your exposure window and diagnosis for a VA claim or under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.
My cancer isn't on the VA's presumptive list. Is there still a path?
Yes. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 opened a separate path for many cancers beyond the VA's presumptive list. Both paths can call for a medical opinion connecting the contaminated water to your diagnosis.
My family member was also at Camp Lejeune. Can they be reviewed?
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act extended a path to certain affected individuals beyond service members. Whether a specialty opinion is appropriate depends on the diagnosis and the exposure facts, which a consult can help assess.
Does a consult guarantee a nexus letter?
No. The VA Case Strategy Consult helps determine whether a nexus opinion may be medically supportable. A formal opinion is only provided when the medical evidence reasonably supports a connection, and final decisions rest with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Get in Touch
Have a Question About Your Case?
Send us a message and we’ll get back to you. If you’re ready to begin, you can also schedule a consult directly.