Vietnam: Agent Orange
Exposure to Agent Orange, the herbicide used to kill off dense plant life, caused multiple conditions in veterans of the Vietnam War. All Veterans who served a single day in Vietnam, are presumed exposed as a matter of law. Some veterans who served in Korea along the DMZ during the Vietnam War were also exposed. The following conditions have been identified as service-connected by the Veterans Administration:
- Acute and Sub-acute Peripheral Neuropathy
- AL Amyloidosis
- Chloracne (or Similar Acneform Disease)
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
- Hodgkin’s Disease
- Multiple Myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
- Prostate Cancer
- Respiratory cancers
- Lung
- Bronchus
- Larynx
- Trachea
- Soft-tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s Sarcoma or Mesotheliorna)
On March 10, 2010, the VA published a proposed regulation to establish B-cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia, Parkinson’s disease, and Ischemic heart disease, as associated with Agent Orange exposure. Any updates to this legislation or any new related legislation will be posted to www.AlphaDisability.com.
Apply for Benefits with an Alpha Advocate – Vets Helping Vets
If you think you have a condition that qualifies for Veterans Disability Compensation, the Alpha team can help you get started with your initial application to the VA.
If you do not receive a fully favorable decision from the VA, or you disagree with the percentage given to your disability, we can help you appeal for more.
It can take months, in many cases, years, for the VA to grant benefits. If you think you have a service-connected disability, or need help to prove that you do, the Alpha team is ready to help you.
Contact us to get started on your claim.
Note: All representation coordinated by Alpha is provided by our employees, the Advocates, who are accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). No private organization that trains and employs accredited agents has been legally recognized by the VA for the purposes of preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims. This work must be done by the Advocates themselves and not organizations.
Sharon,
That’s not how we feel at Alpha. It is possible that service in Vietnam caused his diabetes. If service connection can be proved he could be entitled to compensation benefits from the VA. There are too many Vietnam veterans who don’t even realize that their illnesses could be service-connected. We’d like to help if we can so please have him call us at 877-611-7724 to talk to one of our Alpha advocates. It’s worth a try.
Ronald,
If you are the executor of your brother’s estate you can use his funds to pay his bills. Also, if he was receiving any Compensation or Pension payments from the VA, the check that was received on September 1, 2011 was for the month of August and does not need to be returned. However, the check that he will get on October 1, 2011 will need to be returned and you should notify the nearest VA Regional Office at 1-800-827-1000 to tell them that your brother has passed away.
hello my name is leo. my dad had served in Vietnam and was given %100 Veterans Disability. he pass away in sept 24, 2007. at the time of his passing me and my mom had went to the VA in victorville ca and filed for benefits. this was 2 weeks after his passing. my mom now had to pay a $2600 house payment by herself so i picked up 2 more jobs to help make it happen. anyway we were told it could take over a yr before we knew if we would get approved for benefits. well 4 months go by and now its jan 5 ,2008. i find my mom dead in her room. about 4 weeks after that a letter from the VA states that she was entitled to the benefits and that a check with 6 weeks would be mailed out. so six weeks go by. the check comes. me my dad and my mom were all on one account. check was deposited and sat in the bank for 2 months. then one day i look online at our account and its being deducted back out of the account and the reason the VA says is cause my mom had passed away before the payment was made to her. my question is after filling out all paper work and being approved would’nt i being next of kin to my parents be entitled to that payment still? thank u leo
Leo,
We’re so sorry about your parents. If you are under the age of 18 you could be entitled to benefits. But if you are older then you are not considered a dependent child. From what you describe, it sounds like your mom passed away before the VA made a decision on her benefits. They aproved her for spousal benefits and deposited the first benefit. However, the VA did not know she had passed away during the time they were making their decision. Because she died, the benefit had to be returned. And if you are not a dependent child under the age of 18, unfortunately the benefit is no longer available to the estate. If you have any questions and want to talk further about this please give us a call.
thank you for your reply you nailed it perfect thank you ! have a great weekend leo
my husband was in vetnam in 1967 he was a gunner for a duster.he now has heart problems and he had bypass surgery.we have filed for hearing and ptsd, hypertention secondary to ptsd, sleep disorder,with skin problem due to hypertention. we were told he not eligible for agent orange he has no health problems seen by va. why do va take so long when these men served with out complaint and fought for their country.we filed in 2010
Mary,
We have helped many Vietnam veterans get the benefits they deserve for their service to our country. Here’s just one of those stories from a veteran we helped. We would like to review your husband’s case. Maybe we can do more for your husband, and get things moving for him. If interested please call in to talk to an Alpha advocate at 877-611-7724.
my husband was drafted into the veitnam war. He saw much combat,saw people he got to know killed that were right next to him. It took many years for him to talk about it and im sure much was left out. when he got out of the army he applied for disabillity for ptsd,he was ignored. He has been treated for ptsd from then until now.He has never recieved any benifits or compensation. is there any thing he can do to recieve his well deserved compensation and benifits?
Ouida,
We would like to help your husband get the most in disbability benefits he is entitled. Please call us at 877-611-7724. Our Alpha advocates are here for you both.
My husband was denied compensation back in 1998 and since he has passed, do i need to bring this up to my service officer or it only applies when i appealed the case after the fact.
Connie,
I’m going to try and answer your question the best i can. If the veteran was denied in 1998, appealed the case and won at anytime during that appeal he would be awarded benefits back to the 1998 claim and the clock would start ticking towards the ten years. If he did not win at appeal and submitted a claim to reopen and won, benefits the date of that claim is where the ten year period would start. Hope this helps.
I want to give God and Alpha disability, Dr. Clayman and internet the praise for helping me to get the benefits for my husband’s death which the VA approved for service-connected. It took from 1973 to 2011 to prove my husband’s death was service-connected. The VA turned me down for years. I found Alpha and Dr. Clayman on the internet and they truly help me to get the benefits that I deserved.
hey to all ,well it’s time we got help if you are like me you held on to it long enough sick half your life pains in my chest and you name it we had it please help us ,to die for your freedom is why we sign on the dotted line,but to die of a slow death is just not right thank you
Eddie,
Let us try and help. Call Alpha at 877-611-7724.
My husband passed away on July 22,2011 from lung cancer. I have a case pending with the VA but they keep telling me that it is in the works. He had heart bypass in 1986 and has had hypertension, both ankles broken from being shot off the wall during Viet Nam with no disability given for this. Heretired after 20 years of service fighting and possibly dying for our country. The VA has not been very helpful and I had to pay all expenses related to his death, which I have filed for reimbursement. I need the help as i am about to lose my home and cannot pay my bills on the amount of SS I receive and there is no one else willing to help me. Could you please let me know if you can be of any help to me. Thanks and waiting or your reply. 281-593-2541
Catherine,
Verysorry to hear about the loss of your husband to lung cancer. We will have someone call you shortly. We would like to help you.
My Father died in 1996 with lung cancer, (small cell) and brain cancer. We recently found documents that say he also had a brain tumor in1957. He served in ww2 and vetnam. Our family and some of his doctors believe all his illnesses was caused from the Radiation Exposure where he was stationed. My father suffered terrible through his life after serving. It makes me SICK to think what all the service people have to suffer…The thing is also some doctors tell us that the illnesses that my father got from the service is heriditary to his children..We are having alot of the illness our Father had.. Has this ever been checked into. We need help..My Father suffered already and I dont think his children should. Thank you
Sherri,
Radiation exposure certainly is known to contribute to the development of several types of cancer. During Vietnam, any vet that served in-country was exposed to Agent Orange, which is also known to contribute to the development of several conditions including cancer. As far as AO affecting offspring of male veterans serving in Vietnam, the VA recognizes Spina Bifida (except occulta form). There are ongoing studies into the lasting effects of radiation and AO exposure. You can find some information on this research by visiting the VA’s website (www.va.gov).