Service-Connected Conditions And Presumptive Disability Benefits

To obtain disability benefits from the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, veterans must establish that their disability is connected to their service.

Although, in some exceptional cases, the VA will assume that your condition is service-connected. The condition the veteran assumes is connected to their military service, and you can read it on the presumptive disability list given by VA.

Conditions That Qualify You For A Presumptive Service Connection

Veterans diagnosed with chronic disease can apply for a presumptive service connection after one year of their retirement from their service. Some of the chronic diseases are:

• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Arthritis

Veterans recently diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can apply for a presumptive service connection soon after discharge.

Additionally, there are some specific rules for previous war prisoners for recent veterans. Vietnam veterans, Gulf War veterans and Atomic veterans can receive a presumptive service connection if they have Type 2 diabetes because of Agent Orange exposure. Also, veterans with conditions linked to a fixed period can be identified with a disability at any time. For this, veterans are not required to wait one year to apply like those who have served recently.

Radiation Exposure During Service

Military veterans exposed to radiation while on duty can get VA benefits. The eligibility for such conditions highly depends on the area where the veteran served.

POWs near Nagasaki or Hiroshima during World War 2 or anyone serving in areas near the bombing sites during an operation can also get VA benefits.

Conditions of veterans, when they get exposed to radiation, are:

• Small intestine cancer
• Liver cancer
• Bone cancer
• Pharynx cancer
• Pancreas cancer
• Breast cancer
• Salivary gland cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Brain cancer
• Colon cancer

All these conditions are excluded from any time limit, and the 10 per cent disability rating isn't in effect. If you were exposed to radiation and are now diagnosed with cancer, there is a greater chance that you will receive disability benefits from VA.

Vietnam Veterans And Agent Orange

If a Veteran of Vietnam has any of the below-mentioned conditions, the VA will assume that the disability was due to exposure to Agent Orange.

• Acute and Subacute Peripheral Neuropathy
• Hodgkin's Disease
• Prostate Cancer
• Soft-tissue Sarcoma
• Multiple Myeloma
• Respiratory Cancers
• Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
• Diabetes (Type II)
• Chloracne
• Parkinson's Disease
• Ischemic Heart Disease
• Hairy Cell Leukemia
• AL Amyloidosis
• Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
• Gulf War Illness

In 2009, three presumptive Gulf War illnesses were recognized. Besides this, Gulf War Veterans also benefit from the VA for chronic diseases from medically unexplained illnesses, like skin disease, migraine, pain in joints or muscles, respiratory and gastrointestinal issues etc.

Gulf War veterans with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also called Lou Gehrig's Disease, can also receive benefits from VA.

Atomic Veterans

Veterans exposed to radiation from fallout, atomic weapons and nuclear reactors, such as during World War 2, have presumptive conditions. There are almost 12 different types of cancer that can be linked to exposure to radiation. We recommend that any veteran exposed to radiation and later diagnosed with cancer apply for Disability Compensation.