VA DISABILITY INFORMATION FOR AGENT ORANGE EXPOSURE
During the Vietnam War in the 1960s to early 1970s, a group of herbicides nicknamed Agent Orange were sprayed over jungle and vegetation of Vietnam for the main purpose of deforestation. The herbicide was intended to give the U.S. the upper hand during the war by depriving the enemy of food and vegetation cover. Although the act may have had some tactical advantages, it has since caused untolled physical harm to those who were exposed to the highly toxic compound.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO FILE AN AGENT ORANGE CLAIM?
Agent Orange has been proven to cause serious and often life-threatening illnesses, diseases, and defects in exposed veterans. These diseases include:
- Birth defects in children
- Chloracne
- Hairy cell leukemia
- Hodgkin’s disease
- Ischemic heart disease
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Porphyria cutanea tarda
- Prostate cancer
- Respiratory cancers
- Soft tissue sarcomas
- Type 2 diabetes
Vietnam War veterans who were in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, including on board a military ship that operated on the inland waterways of Vietnam, or who were in or near the Korean demilitarized zone between April 1, 1968 and August 31, 1971 need no further proof of exposure to Agent Orange to file a VA disability claim. If they have one of the diseases listed above that arose any time after their military service, they can file a claim for compensation through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Other military individuals who served in the Vietnam War, but did not set foot on the landmass of Vietnam, must provide evidence to prove that their disability is the direct result of exposure to Agent Orange. Surviving family members of veterans who died as a result of diseases related to Agent Orange exposure can also file a claim. Many Agent Orange claims are denied, but appeals can be made with the VA in order to fight for fair compensation. Those who wish to apply for benefits can file an Agent Orange claim online, work with a representative or attorney, or visit their local VA office.