Agent Orange Compensation Eligibility for Vietnam & Korea

Legal assistance for veterans suffering from dioxin exposure

Exposure to Agent Orange began during the Vietnam War, but its effects are not limited to Vietnam combatants. If you are a veteran suffering from an illness that’s been associated with Agent Orange exposure, it’s possible you came into contact with the chemical without even knowing it. You may be eligible for the Agent Orange Registry Exam to determine if you can receive veterans disability benefits and healthcare benefits through the Veterans Administration. Our law firm, Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban, is dedicated to protecting veterans’ rights. We can help you manage the process and challenge denials of benefits so that you can receive the help you deserve.

Criteria for Agent Orange eligibility

If you want to qualify for VA disability benefits for dioxin exposure, you should be able to show three things:

• A medical diagnosis of a disease presumed to be caused by Agent Orange
• Proof of service in Vietnam from January 1962 to May 1975 or the Korean DMZ from September 1967 to August 31, 1971
• Evidence that your illness began within the time the VA has specified for your particular disease

Veterans who meet these three criteria do not have to prove they were exposed to Agent Orange; the VA presumes that Agent Orange caused their illness. If you do not meet all three of these criteria, you may be able to qualify under the Blue Water criteria, if your circumstances suggest a strong enough association between your illness and Agent Orange.

Diseases presumed to be related to Agent Orange

The VA presumes Agent Orange to be the cause of the following diseases, so that veterans and their survivors may be eligible for benefits:

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 Porphyria cutanea tarda Prostate cancer Respiratory cancers of the lung, larynx, trachea, and bronchus Soft tissue sarcomas

Children of veterans of the Vietnam era who suffer from birth defects such as spina bifida can also qualify for benefits.

Making a “non-presumptive” case for Agent Orange exposure

If you did not serve in Vietnam or Korea at the times indicated, you may still have served on some detail that has become associated with Agent Orange exposure. These include:

• Blue Water veterans — Service members aboard U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships off the cost of Vietnam may have been exposed.
• Thailand military bases — Agent Orange was used around the perimeter of bases from February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975.
• Herbicide tests and storage outside Vietnam — Service members who handled Agent Orange supplies could have been exposed.
• C-123 planes flown after the Vietnam War — The dioxin in Agent Orange has a very long half-life, and the C-123 was the primary aircraft engaged in aerial spraying of the chemical.

Veterans can also make a case for disability and healthcare benefits by demonstrating that they are suffering from a non-presumptive disease associated with Agent Orange.

We help veterans qualify for Agent Orange exposure

Even if you have a strong, presumptive case for Agent Orange exposure, you can still face an unreasonable denial of benefits. If you’ve been denied or feel you need help to assemble the evidence to make a stronger case, contact Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban We always have someone available to talk to you, even if you can’t see us in person. Call us today at 866-866-VETS or contact us online. We charge nothing upfront, and you pay no attorney fees unless we win your claim for benefits.