Agent Orange and VA Benefits for Presumptive Exposure.

January 2022



Survivor Benefits for Family Members
If you’re the surviving spouse, child, or parent of a service member or Veteran who died from a service-related injury or illness, you may be eligible for VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). DIC is a tax-free monthly financial benefit. Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply.



VA Benefits for Presumptive Exposure
If you are a Veteran or survivor who may be eligible for the newly established military exposure presumptive conditions, VA encourages you to apply for benefits. Even if the illness or injury is not a presumptive, we still want every Veteran to file a claim for benefits they've earned and deserve.

HK> Just got in and noticed the tidbit above in my email.
Now understand AO may be a bit old to some as a disability but the fact is Vets are passing every day from their Vietnam exposure to AO. Old age is impacted by long term health issues as I found out suddenly in 2009 when I had a pain in my upper right quadrant of my abdomen. It was lesions on my liver and a condition presumptive to AO. Now understand I am still fighting for my presumptive rights for AO but being in special ops I was screwed in being able to prove the connection until the Blue Water Sailor Act of 2019. None the less I did file and added this to my list of disabilities. No they were not "legal" at that time, so denied by the VA but the lab work and facts went on my disability file even though I never expect to benefit from the claim.

The sad part is Vets often leave a spouse alone and broke because they did not claim the connection in their list of disabilities. Most figure if it is on their list of medical problems the vets assume it will be considered when they die as a supplemental income for their spouse.

Just a few months ago a Vet suddenly died and the spouse was devastated because not only had she lost her husband of 50 years they had not discussed how his benefits worked.

So ask for help from a Service Officer from any organization and get your loved ones involved

A vet must make the connection/nexus and file a claim even if they are at 100% for any new disability to be considered. It may be what kills them and if not on record as a problem their wife may not receive any benefit.