You Can Still File for Agent Orange Disability Benefits
It has been nearly 50 years since the Vietnam War concluded, but veterans of that conflict are still struggling with the physical and mental impacts of the war to this day. No matter if you were recently diagnosed with a health condition or you have struggled for years with an illness, it is not too late to file for VA disability benefits.
Specifically, veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War and who later developed certain specified health complications may be entitled to benefits. The recent passage of the PACT Act expanded eligibility for Agent Orange claims, so that veterans who were denied benefits in the past may be entitled to receive them now along with back pay.
Explaining Agent Orange Exposure
Agent Orange is a herbicide that the U.S. military used during the Vietnam War to kill vegetation in the thick jungles of Vietnam. The mixture that comprised Agent Orange contained the dangerous chemical dioxin which has been linked to numerous health complications and birth defects. During the Vietnam conflict, the mixture was sprayed at concentrations up to 20 times greater than what the manufacturer recommended.
The Aspen Institute reports that millions of Americans and Vietnamese, and as many as 150,000 children, have been impacted directly and indirectly by this chemical mixture.
Conditions to which Agent Orange is Linked
There are over a dozen listed qualifying medical conditions that the VA considers linked to Agent Orange exposure. These include:
- Soft-tissue sarcoma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Multiple myeloma
- Prostate cancer
- Type II diabetes
The PACT Act, passed in 2022, added two additional conditions to the list: high blood pressure and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). These are considered presumptive conditions, meaning that if you served in Vietnam in an area where you were exposed to Agent Orange and you have any one of these conditions, the VA will presume you are entitled to benefits.
Although there is no time limit for filing a claim, but the date on which you file your claim will determine the start date for when your benefits will begin to accrue.
How the PACT Act Impacts Agent Orange Claims
Veterans who applied for Agent Orange VA disability benefits in the past for high blood pressure or MGUS and were denied prior to the PACT Act should reapply. Not only are these conditions now recognized as being connected to Agent Orange exposure, you could be entitled to benefits back to the time you initially filed your claim.
Speak to Girard & Centonzio Today About Your Benefits
No matter how long ago you served, you are entitled to the benefits you have earned. GC will help you access them. This includes veterans of the Vietnam War who are struggling with the effects of exposure to the physical toxins and harmful, traumatic experiences of that war.
