U.S. Navy Warns CLJA Claimants Against Fraudulent Schemes
Despite the sacrifices American veterans have made for our country, too often we tragically see many that are more than happy to victimize them, sometimes more than once. This past Monday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of the Navy (Navy) issued the following fraud alert to inform those filing a claim under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) of 2022 about fraudulent attempts to obtain personal information or money from claimants.
Due to growing concerns over reports that unscrupulous people and companies are seeking to obtain personal information from CLJA claimants (otherwise defraud them), the DOJ and Navy are advising claimants and their attorneys to be cautious of potential exploitation through telephone calls or email solicitations.
If you are a claimant who received/recieves calls or emails attempting to collect money or personal information in connection with your CLJA claim, contact your attorneys to report this activity. If you currently do not have an attorney and receive such a call or email, you should immediately report this activity to the Navy’s Camp Lejeune Claims Unit (CLCU), which has issued the following guidance:
- The Justice Department and the Navy will never request money or payment from you.
- If an attorney is representing you, direct all inquiries to your attorney for verification.
- Authorized emails from the Navy will be sent from CLClaims@us.navy.mil, and you may forward any email message you receive to that address to verify authenticity.
- If you receive a phone call claiming to be from the CLCU or offering assistance with your claim, and you are uncertain, ask for the person’s name and position, then call the CLCU at (757) 241-6020 to verify.
If you are represented by an attorney, the Justice Department and Navy will not contact you directly and will contact you only through your attorney. You might want to consider contacting an attorney that handles CLJA claims, such as us here at Herd Law Firm, to best represent and safeguard your interests in the claim process.
For some background on the CLJA: this is a provision of the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022, signed into law by President Biden on Aug. 10, 2022. This allows those who lived and/or worked at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between Aug. 1, 1953, and Dec. 31, 1987 to file a claim with the U.S. Navy to be compensated for many kinds of cancer and other diseases caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Read here and here to learn more about the conditions the CLJA covers.
Settlements under the CLJA are made pursuant to the Federal Torts Claim Act, 28 U.S. Code 2672 and 28 U.S. Code 2677. Attorneys’ fees for claims handled administratively are capped at 20%, and attorneys’ fees for cases in litigation (which is typically uncommon) should not exceed 25%.
The Justice Department and Navy have stated they are committed to reviewing every claim submitted and resolving every claim as fairly and efficiently as possible. The DOJ and Navy have also jointly developed an “Elective Option” that will expedite the review and resolution of claims filed under the CLJA. Read more about the elective option here and here.
For more information regarding CLJA claims, please visit the Navy’s official CLJA website at www.navy.mil/clja or contact the CLCU at CLClaims@us.navy.mil or (757) 241-6020.
We here at the Herd Law Firm, PLLC, support every man, woman, and child (including civilians) exposed to contaminants at Camp Lejeune, and believe you deserve quality and attentive legal representation. We are a Northwest Houston-based law firm, and are proud to be able to aid our veterans and their families in seeking restitution for their injuries. We are honored to be a part of the BMBF law group entrusted by the VFW to handle these claims on behalf of veterans and their families. Contact us at the Herd Law Firm at 713-955-4299 or at Charles.Herd@herdlawfirm. We would be please to speak with you about the full spectrum of options you have, and make an informed choice.
Please note: with regard to the CLJA claims filed under federal toxic tort law or under the new “Elective Option”, all claims must be filed as separate lawsuits no later than August 10th, 2024.
1/9/2024
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