Veterans may be eligible for disability compensation and healthcare benefits for diseases associated with Agent Orange, an herbicide widely used in Vietnam. More than 100,000 veterans were exposed to herbicides while in Vietnam, according to the VA.
To obtain disability compensation for Agent Orange exposure, a veteran must present a medical diagnosis of a disease that the VA recognizes as associated with Agent Orange and show evidence of service in Vietnam. There is a long list of veterans’ diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure, including:
· Peripheral Neuropathy, a nervous condition that causes numbness, tingling and motor weakness
· Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
· Hodgkin’s Disease, a malignant cancer
· Prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers among men
· Respiratory cancers including lung cancer
· Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2).
The VA recently proposed adding three more diseases — Parkinson’s disease, ischemic heart disease and B-cell leukemias — to the list of those presumed to be related to Agent Orange exposure. Even though the additions to the list haven’t been finalized, veterans with these diseases should submit applications for compensation so they can receive compensation from the date of their application once the rule becomes final. Veterans who served in Vietnam and have a presumed disease don’t have to prove a link between their disease and military service, which speeds up the process for claiming benefits.
If you were exposed to Agent Orange, the experienced staff of Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, can help. Call us toll-free at 877-526-3455 or use our online contact form to schedule a free initial consultation.
