Can you sue for Agent Orange?

If you have a disability caused by Agent Orange, you can apply for and receive benefits. Specifically, if you have certain medical conditions due to Agent Orange exposure, you are entitled to presumptive service connection.

Can you sue over Agent Orange?

Many Vietnam War veterans suffer from devastating illnesses caused by their exposure to Agent Orange and we are gratified that the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized the right of these veterans to sue for the injuries they received when serving our country.”

How much does a veteran get for Agent Orange exposure?

A single veteran can receive up to $39,984 (2022) per year in tax-free benefits from the VA due to their exposure to Agent Orange and resulting medical condition. A married veteran, or veteran with dependents such as a child or dependent parent can receive $42,214 (2022) or more.

How do you prove exposure to Agent Orange?

Unfortunately, there's no medical test or biological feature that can show that someone was exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides, so the health exam cannot confirm that you were (or were not) exposed.

Who is eligible for Agent Orange compensation?

Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam while on active duty are eligible for disability compensation through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as long as they were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

Agent Orange (The Vietnam War)

What is the average disability rating for Agent Orange?

It can also cause the skin to thin and blister when exposed to the sun. Under our rating regulations, this condition must be at least 10% disabling within 1 year of herbicide exposure.

How much money do Vietnam veterans get?

About 1.3 million Vietnam veterans, nearly 25 percent, collected disability compensation from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 2018; their average annual payment was $18,100. Those payments boosted average income for all Vietnam veterans by $4,300.

How long does it take to process an Agent Orange claim?

When you work with an accredited VSO and provide all the necessary evidence with your application, you can get a decision on your claim in 30 days or less.

What are the 14 diseases associated with Agent Orange?

Was everyone who served in Vietnam exposed to Agent Orange?

For the purposes of VA compensation benefits, Veterans who served anywhere in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides, as specified in the Agent Orange Act of 1991.

What benefits are Vietnam veterans entitled to?

Vietnam Veterans may be eligible for a wide-variety of benefits available to all U.S. military Veterans. VA benefits include disability compensation, pension, education and training, health care, home loans, insurance, vocational rehabilitation and employment, and burial.

Can Vietnam veterans get disability?

Vietnam War veterans are eligible for benefits that are open to all U.S. military veterans, including but not limited to disability compensation for service-connected disabilities, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and amputations; pension; health care; loans; and insurance.

What are the long term effects of Agent Orange?

Unfortunately, Agent Orange exposure has led to long-term health effects in many Vietnam era veterans, including multiple myeloma, Parkinson's Disease, and various types of cancer.

How can you prove you served in Vietnam?

To verify service in the RVN, review the veteran's DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, to determine if appropriate service, such as “Foreign Service: Republic of Vietnam,” is shown.

Can a child of a Vietnam veteran get benefits?

In addition to monthly tax-free disability compensation benefits, biological children of a Veteran who served in Vietnam, Thailand, or the Korean DMZ during these qualifying time periods are also eligible for certain VA-covered healthcare benefits, and for “vocational rehabilitation” paid for by the VA, providing ...

How long does Agent Orange stay in the ground?

Agent Orange has a short half-life of days and weeks after application to vegetation, and has not been found to persist, after 50 years, in the water or soils of southern Vietnam.

How many generations does Agent Orange affect?

The Vietnam Red Cross estimates that Agent Orange has affected 3 million Vietnamese people, including at least 150,000 children. Babies in Vietnam are still being born with birth defects due to Agent Orange—some extremely severe.

Where was the most Agent Orange sprayed in Vietnam?

Phu Cat Airbase

Over 3.5 million liters of Agent Orange were located on the Phu Cat base during the American war in Vietnam. Several areas of the Phu Cat base were found to have elevated levels of dioxin requiring remediation (above 1000 ppt in soil or 150 ppt in sediment).

What is the VA 5 year rule?

The VA disability rating 5-year rule states that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) cannot reduce a veteran's disability rating if it has been in place for five years or more unless the condition shows sustained improvement over time. In this situation, the veteran's rating is considered a stabilized rating.

Does the VA pay back pay for Agent Orange?

Blue Water Back Pay Errors

VA has been awarding benefits to Vietnam veterans for any conditions related to Agent Orange for decades. When Congress passed new legislation that expanded coverage to the veterans who served on offshore ships, VA did not award retroactive benefits beyond the passage of that law.

What percentage of VA disability claims are approved?

Percentage of Vets Claims Approved

The number of veterans claims approved in 2018 was around 35.75 percent. In that 35.75% , 19.61% were approved with zero remand issues, and 16.14% were allowed with at least one remand issue. If 2018 is any indication, less than half of service member's disability claims are approved.

Do all military veterans get a pension?

To receive Pension, a veteran must have served on active duty at least 90 days, during a period of war. There must an honorable discharge or other qualifying discharge. Single surviving spouses of such veterans are also eligible.

What is the average lifespan of a Vietnam veteran?

Death rates from disease-related chronic conditions, including cancers and circulatory system diseases, did not differ between Vietnam veterans and their peers, despite the increasing age of the cohort (mean age, 53 years) and the longer follow-up (average, 30 years).

What years qualify for a Vietnam era veteran?

In association with (A) above, the Commemoration uses the term "Vietnam veteran" to describe those who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time during the period of November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of duty location.