Burn Pit Presumptive Conditions that Qualify you for VA Benefits
If you are a veteran suffering from the ill effects of toxic burn pit fumes, there’s a good chance you qualify for VA benefits.
Burn pits were used in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other areas overseas by the U.S. military to dispose of waste such as chemicals, paints, medical waste, and unused ordinance.
Many of our service members exposed to the toxic fumes from these burn pits are now facing long-term health problems, some of them life-threatening.
In the past, qualifying for VA benefits for illness caused by burn pit exposure was difficult due to the burden of proof required.
But thanks to the passage of the PACT Act (Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics) the claim process has been greatly simplified through the use of presumptive conditions and presumptive service locations.
What is a Presumptive Condition?
In order to get a VA disability rating, your condition must be connected to your military service.
In most cases, you must prove that your service caused your illness.
In some instances, however, the VA automatically assumes that your condition was caused by your service without specific proof. This is called a presumptive condition.
Burn Pit Presumptive Conditions
The following illnesses are considered presumptive conditions caused by burn pit exposure.
- Adenocarcinoma of the Trachea
- Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Lung
- Asthma
- Large Cell Carcinoma of the Lung
- Rhinitis
- Salivary Gland Type Tumors of the Trachea
- Salivary gland type tumors of the lung from Burn Pit Exposure
- Sarcomatoid Carcinoma of the Lung
- Sinusitis
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Trachea
- Typical and Atypical Carcinoid of the Lung
In addition, the following illnesses were added as presumptive conditions with the passage of the PACT Act:
- Brain cancer
- Gastrointestinal cancer of any type
- Glioblastoma
- Head cancer of any type
- Kidney cancer
- Lymphatic cancer of any type
- Lymphoma of any type
- Melanoma
- Neck cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Reproductive cancer of any type
- Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type
- Chronic bronchitis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
- Emphysema
- Granulomatous disease
- Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
- Pleuritis
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Sarcoidosis
How Do I Know if I was Exposed to Burn Pit Fumes?
The VA acknowledges that if you served in any of the following locations you were exposed to a burn pit:
On or after September 11, 2001, in any of these locations:
- Afghanistan
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Jordan
- Lebanon
- Syria
- Uzbekistan
- Yemen
- The airspace above any of these locations
On or after August 2, 1990, in any of these locations:
- Bahrain
- Iraq
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Somalia
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- The airspace above any of these locations
How Do I Apply for VA Benefits?
If you served in any of the locations above and are suffering from a presumptive burn pit condition, apply NOW for your benefits. To get started, click HERE.
For over 30 years it’s been my honor to help veterans like you get the benefits you deserve. If you were a U.S. service member exposed to toxic burn pit fumes and have been denied your benefits, or if your service-connected rating is less than 100%, we can file your appeal or help you increase your benefits.
To get started, fill out our confidential online contact form or give us a call at (866) 282-5260 to speak to an experienced VA disability attorney. At Tucker Disability Law, we don’t settle for less. Neither should you.
