Vietnam veterans have claimed for years that their exposure to Agent Orange damaged their health as well as their childrens’ health. Agent Orange was a tactical herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. It is not a condition or disease itself.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has acknowledged that U.S. service members who served from 1962 to 1975 in the Republic of Vietnam were potentially exposed to Agent Orange and other tactical herbicides. Veterans that were presumably exposed to the herbicide are entitled to a presumption of service connection for a number of conditions. This means that a veteran does not need to establish a link between the condition and the incurrence in service. Notably, the VA recently extended Agent Orange service-connection presumptions to Blue Water Navy Veterans.
The VA has linked Agent Orange exposure to a host of diseases in Vietnam veterans. Individuals with valid Agent Orange claims may also be affected by secondary diseases and conditions that stem from the first disability.
Below, our VA disability attorneys explain why secondary service connection is important to consider. We also provide information about Agent Orange secondary diseases.
Secondary Service Connection: What Vietnam Veterans Need to Know
If you are a disabled veteran with service-connected conditions caused by Agent Orange exposure, it is important that you understand what a secondary service connection is and how it may help you.
Watch as attorney John V. Tucker explains what you need to know about secondary service connections in our latest video.
- Direct Service Connection. Normally, a veteran’s disability is rated based on a direct service connection. This means that the veteran proves to the VA that something happened to him or her when in service, the veteran has a current condition and those two things are connected. This connection is called a medical nexus, or the connection between a condition and service.
- Secondary Service Connection. Secondary service connection is a way to receive service connection through the VA for a disability that is a result of a condition already rated with the VA. Proving nexus is especially important in claims for secondary service connection. In cases for secondary service connection, medical opinion for nexus must connect the veteran’s secondary disability to the disability that has a direct service connection.
Agent Orange Secondary Diseases
Many veterans have questions about Agent Orange secondary diseases or conditions. It is important to realize that to have an eligible claim for secondary service connection, you must first have a service-connected disability.
Presumption Conditions of Agent Orange Exposure
The VA has identified a list of presumptive diseases and conditions associated with Agent Orange. Veterans and their survivors can seek service-connected benefits through direct service connection for the following conditions:
- AL Amyloidosis
- Chronic B-cell Leukemias
- Chloracne
- Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
- Hodgkin’s Disease
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Multiple Myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Peripheral Neuropathy, Early-Onset
- Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
- Prostate Cancer
- Respiratory Cancers
- Soft Tissue Sarcomas
If you believe you have a secondary disease or condition as a result of a disease or condition listed above, consider filing a claim for secondary service connection. If your claim is denied, speak with an experienced VA disability attorney at our firm. We help veterans nationwide.
Denied VA Disability Compensation for Agent Orange? Contact Our Law Firm
The VA disability lawyers at Tucker Disability Law can help you fight for the benefits you deserve. We know you need help after a VA disability claim denial, which is why our firm will work aggressively for you from the start.
Call us today at (866) 282-5260 or contact us online to discuss the specifics of your claim denial. Our VA disability lawyers have the resources and expertise to fight for veterans across the country.
