13 Nov 2023
Ask An Expert: How Medical Experts Look at Toxic Exposure Diagnoses

Ask An Expert: How Medical Experts Look at Toxic Exposure Diagnoses

Toxic Exposure
We've partnered with experts in VA disability to answer your most pertinent questions. This month, we spoke with Dr. Danielle Kelvas about Toxic Exposures. It's important to note that we sometimes enlist the expertise of professionals like Dr. Kelvas to rectify issues arising from VA examiners, including for conditions related to toxic exposures. If the expert supports our stance, they will directly address any adverse VA decisions and medical opinions present in your VA file. About Our Expert Dr. Danielle Kelvas, MD, earned her medical degree from East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine and initially specialized in Emergency…
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14 Sep 2023
Understanding PFAS Exposure and Its Impact on Health

Understanding PFAS Exposure and Its Impact on Health

Toxic Exposure
Americans are exposed to toxic chemicals at low levels for most of our lives. Research bodies like the Environmental Protection Agency set limits for what levels of toxic exposure are acceptable to the human body. However, some chemicals, like PFAS, are not fully understood by our governing bodies. Veterans in particular are still exposed to these chemicals at dangerous levels. The VA is making compensation available to veterans dealing with health effects from PFAS exposure.  What is PFAS? PFAS stands for both perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These are groups of chemicals used in fire suppression agents and other substances.…
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29 Aug 2023
VA Benefits for Exposure to Jet Fuel

VA Benefits for Exposure to Jet Fuel

Toxic Exposure
Military service can have a lasting impact on a person's health. In addition to the physical and psychological stresses of war, many veterans are exposed to toxic chemicals and other hazardous materials. One such exposure is jet fuel, a common fuel used in aircraft and other military vehicles. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recognized the dangers of jet fuel exposure and offers a number of benefits to veterans who have been affected. These benefits can include compensation for medical expenses, disability payments, and vocational rehabilitation. In this article, we will discuss the dangers of jet fuel exposure and…
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30 Mar 2023
Does the PACT Act Cover Vietnam Veterans?

Does the PACT Act Cover Vietnam Veterans?

Agent Orange, Presumptive Disease, Toxic Exposure
Passed in 2019, the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act helps veterans obtain disability compensation for illnesses commonly linked to certain periods and geographic areas of service. We’ll explain the PACT Act and what it means for Vietnam veterans.  What is the PACT Act? The PACT Act makes it easier for veterans to obtain benefits for illnesses caused by exposure to toxic substances like Agent Orange. It can also be called the veteran “burn pit bill” because it expanded access to compensation for veterans who served in areas near burn pits during the Gulf War and post-9/11…
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01 Mar 2022

Expand Benefits For Veterans

Toxic Exposure, VA Benefits, VA Disability Attorney, VA Disability Claims, VA Disability Compensation
Congress To Expand Benefits For Veterans Exposed To Toxins   In a move that would expand benefits for veterans of Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War, and the Global War on Terror, House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano (D-CA) has set up an online survey for individuals to report toxic exposure symptoms related to their military service.   The intention of Rep. Takano's survey is to support his proposed Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act which has at least 67 co-sponsors as of February 21, 2022. Therefore, Rep. Takano has encouraged veterans to share via the survey.…
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06 Apr 2021

Burn Pits: The Next VA Class Action?

Toxic Exposure
In the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein set Kuwait’s oil fields on fire. Most of us have seen pictures of the thick, black, toxic smoke blanketing the region. In the Iraq War, a similar danger emerged. Toxic smoke, this time from our own large burn pits, claimed thousands of victims in Iraq and Afghanistan.    One of them may have been President Biden’s son Beau Biden, who succumbed to brain cancer after serving two tours in the JAG corps in Iraq. His family, including President Biden, believes those fumes were at fault.   If you or a…
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07 Jan 2021

Top Five Presumptive Agent Orange Conditions

Agent Orange, Hodgkin's disease, Presumptive Disease, Radiation Exposure, Toxic Exposure
Top Five Presumptive Agent Orange Conditions Here we present five of the most prominent presumptive Agent Orange conditions. The most important component of a VA disability claim is normally a service-related connection. In most cases, Veterans must use a combination of service records, medical records, and buddy statements to establish this connection. This process requires lots of work, as considerable evidence must be produced. Most Agent Orange cases are different. Generally, if the Veteran served in the Vietnam theater between 1961 and 1971, and that Veteran later developed a certain illness, there is a conclusive presumption that service-related Agent Orange…
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29 Dec 2016

VA Appeals for Prostate Cancer

Agent Orange, Presumptive Disease, Toxic Exposure, Veterans' Appeals
VA Appeals for Prostate Cancer - Who's At Risk This article covers VA Appeals for prostate cancer.  Cancer of the prostate is one of the most common cancers among men. The prostate is a small gland in the male reproductive system. Symptoms and Risk Factors Some men may have urinary problems, but some men don't have symptoms early on. The greatest risk factor for prostate cancer is increasing age. Other risk factors include having a father or brother with the disease and being African American. Prostate cancer is often first detected with a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test or digital…
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20 Dec 2016

VA Appeals for Peripheral Neuropathy

Agent Orange, Presumptive Disease, Toxic Exposure
VA Appeals for Peripheral Neuropathy, Early-Onset This article covers VA Appeals for Peripheral Neuropathy, Early-Onset, what it is and who is eligible for benefits. Peripheral Neuropathy and Agent Orange VA presumes Veterans' early-onset peripheral neuropathy is related to their exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during service when the disease appears within one year of exposure to a degree of at least 10 percent disabling by VA's rating regulations. About Peripheral Neuropathy Peripheral neuropathy is a condition of the peripheral nervous system, which consists of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms include numbness, tingling or prickling in…
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18 Nov 2016

VA Appeals for Multiple Myeloma

Agent Orange, Presumptive Disease, Toxic Exposure, Vietnam Veterans
VA Appeals For Multiple Myeloma And Agent Orange This article covers VA Appeals for Mutiple Myeloma claims that have been denied. Are you a veteran who developed multiple myeloma? And did you develop the disease after being exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service? If so, you do not have to prove a connection between your disease and service to be eligible to receive VA health care and disability compensation. It is now considered a presumptive disease. There has been a lot of research on multiple myeloma and herbicides. The Health and Medicine Division of the National Academy…
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