Veterans Affairs offices all across the country, including right here in Massachusetts, are stepping up their efforts to help veterans who might have been exposed to Agent Orange many decades ago.
Unfortunately, many veterans don’t know they were exposed to Agent Orange — or they don’t realize that the symptoms they’re experiencing can be traced back to that exposure during the Vietnam or Korean Wars. Many more aren’t aware that benefits are available to Agent Orange victims. Some veterans might also feel dissuaded by the notoriously difficult benefits claims process.
As frustrating as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can sometimes be, though, they are at least seizing the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War as an opportunity to remind vets about the very real impact of Agent Orange.
Among the illnesses known to be caused by Agent Orange exposure are:
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Parkinson’s disease
- Hodgkin’s diseases
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas
- Heart disease (including ischemic heart attacks)
- Prostate cancer
- Lung cancer
- Chronic B-cell Leukemias
- AL Amyloidosis
- Multiple myeloma
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Chloracne / acneform disease
- Certain soft-tissue sarcomas
- Porphyria cutanea tarda
- Certain birth defects in the children of veterans
Additionally, veterans suffering from Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) may be entitled to benefits, even though ALS has not been directly linked to Agent Orange.
If you served our country in the Vietnam War or Korean War and now suffer from any of these conditions, you may be entitled to more assistance than you realize. Our office would like to help you access the financial help you deserve.
Take a look at the VA’s website for veterans exposed to Agent Orange and their list of diseases associated with Agent Orange, but please do not draw any conclusions about your eligibility for benefits without talking to a Middlesex County Massachusetts veteran benefits attorney first. Contact our office today.
