# Plain Language Summary: Protect Camp Lejeune VETS Act

This bill limits how much lawyers can charge veterans and their families who are seeking compensation for illnesses caused by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, a major Marine Corps base in North Carolina. For decades, the base had serious water contamination problems that caused serious health issues for people who lived or worked there. In 2022, Congress created a program allowing these affected people to sue the government for compensation. This new bill puts a cap on attorney fees for those cases.

Here's what the limits mean in practical terms: If someone settles their case outside of court (through an administrative claim), their lawyer can take no more than 12 percent of the payment. If the case goes to trial and results in a judgment, the lawyer can take no more than 17 percent. These percentages apply to the final payment amount after any other deductions are made. Lawyers are also prohibited from charging additional fees or costs on top of these percentages. If a lawyer violates these limits, they can be fined up to $5,000.

The bill also requires lawyers to certify in writing that they're following these fee limits and requires the government to track and report annually how much money is being paid out and how much of it is going to lawyers. Additionally, the bill asks the Navy to create clear guidance within 30 days about what documentation people need to file claims, and to develop a compensation schedule within 180 days that specifies how much different injuries are worth. The fee limits apply to all cases—even ones that were already settled before this bill becomes law.

Protect Camp Lejeune VETS Act

Issa, Darrell

Protect Camp Lejeune Victims Ensnared by Trial-lawyer's Scams Act or the Protect Camp Lejeune VETS Act This bill limits attorney's fees for claims involving individuals who were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. Specifically, it caps attorney's fees at <ul type="disc"> <li>12% of a payment made in an administrative claim, and</li> <li>17% of a payment for a judgment rendered or a settlement entered in a judicial claim. </li> </ul>