Particularly Vietnam veterans, but also other veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War are presumptively service-connected for several illnesses known to be caused by AO exposure. Veterans who served in Vietnam which includes in land waterways and in the Korean demilitarized zone during the Vietnam era are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange.
What presumption means in practical terms is that veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and to have a “presumed” illness don’t have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service. This speeds up the process of getting veterans with particular illnesses that are listed below to be found service-connected for these conditions. It is known that over 100,000 veterans were exposed to herbicides while serving in Vietnam and other areas. To better understand what presumptive service connection means you can visit my page on VA service connection.
List of Diseases for Agent Orange Presumption
Illnesses or diseases recognized under the VA’s presumption rule as being caused by exposure to herbicides during the Vietnam War are: AL Amyloidosis, Acute and Subacute Transient Peripheral Neuropathy, Chloracne or other Acneform Disease consistent with Chloracne, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, (now being expanded), Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2), Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Porphyria Cutanea Tarda, Prostate Cancer, Respiratory Cancers (cancers of the lung, bronchus, larynx, or trachea) and Soft Tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma,Chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or Mesothelioma).
New Added AO Presumptive Illnesses
A regulation change has added three new illnesses found to be related to Agent Orange and other herbicide exposures. The three new illnesses that have been added to the list above are B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia; Parkinson’s disease; and ischemic heart disease. The connection between AO exposure and these conditions was determined by an independent study by the Institute of Medicine. As more studies are done on the connection between Agent Orange exposure and illnesses there is always the possibility that additional medical conditions will be added to the list of AO presumptive diseases. If you are a veteran who served in Vietnam or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone during Vietnam and you suffer from ischemic heart disease, B cell leukemia, Parkinson’s, AL Amyloidosis, Acute and Subacute Transient Peripheral Neuropathy, Chloracne or other Acneform Disease consistent with Chloracne, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2), Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Porphyria Cutanea Tarda, Prostate Cancer, Respiratory Cancers (cancers of the lung, bronchus, larynx, or trachea) and Soft Tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma,Chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or Mesothelioma) and you were denied in the past or have a current claim pending and would like to speak to a lawyer for a VA Compensation Evaluation of your claim you can call me at 1-877-527-5529.
How Will VA Handle New Agent Orange Presumptions?
Many claims for service connection based on the three new illnesses were put on hold by the VA until the new regulations were released. Unfortunately, I anticipate there may be a slowdown in all VA compensation cases being decided because the Department of Veterans Affairs will have to adjudicate all the claims that were put on hold and still adjudicate other VA compensation claims causing at least some backlog. I also anticipate many new claims being filed by veterans who have these three new presumptive conditions who previously may not have applied or they had been denied in the past because these conditions were not on the presumptive list for Agent Orange. Overall, this is good news for the veterans who suffer from these conditions as they can now get the VA compensation they deserve. If you want to find out more about Agent Orange and VA benefits you can visit the Veterans Administration website.
