VA to Pay Benefits to Veterans Suffering from Agent Orange Exposure
Aug 10, 2015
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) August 10, 2015 – Ending years of contention between Air Force veterans and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the agency on June 19 agreed to provide millions of dollars in disability benefits to former service personnel who might have been exposed to the toxic herbicide Agent Orange on aircraft used in the Vietnam War.
Veterans who flew contaminated C-123 airplanes after they were used in Vietnam from 1962 to 1971 to spray Agent Orange are now allowed to seek medical care and file for financial compensation with disability claims for illnesses related to exposure to the toxic herbicide. The new federal rule covers a group of between 1,500 to 2,100 veterans who are suffering from various Agent Orange-related illnesses as a result of working and sleeping on the planes.
“The VA’s acknowledgement of the dangers of Agent Orange is long overdue. Having served their country honorably, these veterans deserve compensation for years of suffering,” said David Magann, a Florida-based veterans attorney.
Earlier this year, the Institute of Medicine produced a VA-ordered report on the issue, which found a link between Agent Orange exposure and 14 medical conditions including diabetes, leukemia and prostate cancer. The VA now faces an onslaught of cases and an expected cost of $47.5 million over 10 years, along with separate health care coverage. The agency already issues one out of six disability checks for Agent Orange-related cases.
For years, the VA has denied the dangers of Agent Orange and questioned the validity of research by multiple consultants and the Institute of Medicine, which was paid more than $1 million to conduct studies on the issue. The agency also disregarded a 2012 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that indicated a 200-fold risk of cancer due to the presence of dioxin on the Vietnam planes.
“Plenty of evidence from multiple sources has pointed to the toxic nature of Agent Orange. It is hard to believe that the VA has ignored it for so long. Veterans who have been exposed to Agent Orange should avail themselves of the benefits as soon as possible in order to cope with their illnesses,” said Magann.
Learn more at http://www.tampaveteranslawyer.com/
David W. Magann, P.A.
Main Office:
156 W. Robertson St.
Brandon, FL 33511
Call: (813) 657-9175
Tampa Office:
4012 Gunn Highway #165
Tampa, Florida 33618
- PTSD, "Post" Means After And At Any Time
Government analysis finds Veterans with PTSD can suffer for decades before acknowledging the disorder. The year 2014 marks the 100th-year anniversary of the beginning of World War I, the so-called war to end all wars. And in a bit of irony, a study was released on August 8 that has found that, like the consequences of the “Great War,” the after-effects of combat stress among veterans, just like the after-effects of old wars upon conflicts years later, seems to linger for decades. The study, which was commissioned by the Department of Veterans Affairs, tracked veterans from as far back as the Vietnam […] - Attorney Fees in VA Compensation are Contingent Upon You Winning
Attorney fees in VA Compensation claims are contingent upon winning benefits. The VA’s General Counsel office and regional offices must approve of all fee agreements, which allows 20% of the veteran’s BACK benefits, not future benefits, to be withheld to pay the representative. The attorney does not collect the fee directly from the veteran, but reasonable costs may be collected directly from the veteran claimant. By law, an individual must be accredited by VA as an agent, attorney, or representative of a VA-recognized veterans service organization to assist in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of a claim for VA benefits. […] - Camp Lejeune Tainted Water Claim? New Rules You Can Use: Justice Delayed
For decades there has been medical complications statistically abnormal for those who were based in Camp Lejeune. Recently there has been considerable media and Congressional attention to the past contamination of the water supply at Camp Lejeune. From 1953 to 1987, the water supply was contaminated with TCE, PCE, benzene, vinyl chloride and “other compounds.” see https://clnr.hqi.usmc.mil/clwater/Site/background_information.html. Because of legislation passed in 2012, the VA now recognizes the medical problems caused by the Camp LeJeune water contamination. There are two areas that a Veteran may be awarded benefits listed below: (1) VA health care benefits may be available. These are […]
