who is lawyer for soldiers in agent orange

What does an Agent Orange lawyer do for veterans?

Jun 11, 2021 · Berry Law Firm works with Veterans nationwide who do not receive proper Agent Orange-related disability benefits. Call now for help. Contact Us Now (888) 883-2483

Does Agent Orange cause disease in veterans?

Mar 15, 2016 · If you were exposed to Agent Orange and now have health issues, you may be eligible for Agent Orange VA disability benefits. Woods & Woods Agent Orange VA disability lawyers have helped thousands of veterans and their families. If you need assistance, please fill out the online contact form or call toll-free (866) 232-5777.

How can I get help with Agent Orange VA disability?

Bergmann & Moore specializes in cases of non-presumptive Agent Orange exposure in both service connection claims as well as surviving spouse (DIC) claims. We are dedicated to fighting VA until these conditions are deemed presumptive. You can read about our success with winning service connection for Glioblastoma here.

Did the US military spray Agent Orange in Vietnam?

Joe Lyon is an experienced toxic tort lawyer and VA Attorney reviewing Agent Orange Exposure Lawsuits and personal injury cases for injured veteran plaintiffs nationwide. Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Exposure

What is the compensation for Agent Orange?

During its operation, the Settlement Fund distributed a total of $197 million in cash payments to members of the class in the United States. Of the 105,000 claims received by the Payment Program, approximately 52,000 Vietnam Veterans or their survivors received cash payments which averaged about $3,800 each.

What is the VA disability rating for Agent Orange?

60 percent disability rating: $1,214.03 per month. 70 percent disability rating: $1,529.95 per month. 80 percent disability rating: $1,778.43 per month. 90 percent disability rating: $1,998.52 per month.

How do you prove exposure to Agent Orange?

To be entitled to a presumption of exposure for Agent Orange, you must meet at least one of the following criteria:Service in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975.Service in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone between September 1, 1967 and August 31, 1971.More items...

Who was responsible for Agent Orange in Vietnam?

From 1965 to 1969, the former Monsanto Company was one of nine wartime government contractors who manufactured Agent Orange. The government set the specifications for making Agent Orange and determined when, where and how it was used.

Who is eligible for Agent Orange benefits?

In order to qualify for benefits, the following conditions must become noticeable to a degree of 10 percent or more within one year of the last date of exposure to Agent Orange: Chloracne. Porphyria cutanea tarda. Early-onset peripheral neuropathy.3 Jun 2021

What are the 14 diseases associated with Agent Orange?

Here are the 14 health conditions associated with Agent Orange exposure as of 2020:Chronic B-Cell Leukemia.Hodgkin's disease.Multiple Myeloma.Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.Prostate cancer.Respiratory Cancers.Soft tissue sarcomas.Ischemic heart disease.More items...•2 Jan 2022

Can the effects of Agent Orange be passed down?

There is currently no definitive evidence that a father's exposure to Agent Orange causes birth defects. However, an analysis of Agent Orange registry data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) suggests a link between males' exposure to Agent Orange and having children with certain birth defects.

What does Agent Orange look like on your skin?

Symptoms include excessive oiliness of the skin and the appearance of numerous blackheads, often accompanied by fluid-filled cysts and dark body hair. In mild cases, blackheads may be limited to the area around the eyes, extending along the temples to the ears.7 Oct 2020

Who sprayed Agent Orange?

the U.S. Air Force3The U.S. Military and the Herbicide Program in Vietnam. From 1962 to 1971, the U.S. Air Force sprayed nearly 19 million gallons of herbicides in Vietnam, of which at least 11 million gallons was Agent Orange, in a military project called Operation Ranch Hand.

What did Agent Purple do?

Agent Purple is the code name for a powerful herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. military in their herbicidal warfare program during the Vietnam War. The name comes from the purple stripe painted on the barrels to identify the contents.

What responsibility does the U.S. have to Vietnam due to Agent Orange?

Our government has a moral and legal obligation, under international law, to compensate the people of Vietnam for the devastating impact of Agent Orange, and to assist in alleviating its effects.

Where in Vietnam was Agent Orange sprayed?

Over 3.5 million liters of Agent Orange were located on the Phu Cat base during the American war in Vietnam. Several areas of the Phu Cat base were found to have elevated levels of dioxin requiring remediation (above 1000 ppt in soil or 150 ppt in sediment).

Why are Navy veterans exposed to Agent Orange?

Navy veterans and exposure to Agent Orange. Many U.S. Navy veterans may have been exposed to Agent Orange because their ships were close to Vietnam. Other U.S. Navy veterans may have been exposed to Agent Orange because their ships were transporting the dangerous chemical. If you have further questions about U.S. Navy veterans and Agent Orange exposure, call our law firm to find out if the laws have been made more favorable to Navy vets.

Why did the Air Force expose veterans to Agent Orange?

Some U.S. Air Force veterans were exposed to Agent Orange because they worked on the planes that sprayed the vegetation. Other U.S. Air Force members were exposed because they were transporting Agent Orange in their cargo holds. Agent Orange was common on airbases and some may have been exposed that way.

What is Agent Orange VA disability?

About Agent Orange VA Disability Benefits. Agent Orange was a defoliant used by the military in many locations around the globe. Agent Orange was not only used in the Vietnam War. Agent Orange was also used in the Korean War and also at many military bases.

Why is Agent Orange bad?

The numbers of veterans exposed to Agent Orange is staggering. The health effects have killed and disabled generations of U.S. service members. Agent Orange causes many health problems because it contains a compound called dioxin.

How many gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed during the Vietnam War?

Millions of gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed during the Vietnam War. Countless numbers of American troops were exposed to Agent Orange in the jungles, on airplanes, navy boats, and on military bases. We once had a client who brought us photos of he and his brothers using Agent Orange barrels to catch rain water.

What is the cause of Agent Orange?

Agent Orange causes many health problems because it contains a compound called dioxin. According to the World Health Organization ( WHO ), “dioxins are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer .”.

How long does it take for a VA to disassociate from herbicides?

Under VA’s rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure to herbicides. Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 : A disease characterized by high blood sugar levels resulting from the body’s inability to respond properly to the hormone insulin.

Why was Agent Orange used in the Vietnam War?

During the Vietnam War, an herbicide known as Agent Orange was used to eradicate the heavy jungle forest to make it easier for troops to avoid being ambushed. Veterans who had boots on the ground service in Vietnam, Thailand, or the DMZ in Korea during certain presumptive time periods were susceptible to exposure and thus qualify ...

What is the disease that is found in veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange?

One specific disease, Glioblastoma Multiforme, is a type of malignant brain tumor, often found in veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during service.

What is VA TDIU?

VA awards individual unemployability, often referred to as total disability for individual unemployability (TDIU), when a veteran’s service connected conditions prohibit him or her from maintaining gainful employment. This benefit is separate from Social Security Disability Income. READ MORE. Military Sexual Trauma.

What is the disease of Agent Orange?

One specific disease, Glioblastoma Multiforme, is a type of malignant brain tumor, often found in Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during service.

How long does PTSD last?

Even though the event has passed, many people continue to experience symptoms for months or even years afterward. READ MORE. Retroactive Benefits.

Can a veteran be service connected?

In some cases, veterans may have already been service connected for the condition that caused their death. In other cases, the surviving spouse is required to prove that the cause of death, if not already service-connected, was due to the veteran’s service. READ MORE. Individual Unemployability.

Do veterans experience symptoms after service?

Other times, veterans don’t experience symptoms until many years after service, such as in the form of a mental health condition or cancer due to exposure of hazardous materials like Agent Orange, Burn Pits, or Asbestos. READ MORE. Traumatic Brain Injuries.

Who is the Lyon Firm?

The Lyon Firm aggressively, professionally, and passionately advocates for injured individuals and families against companies due to a defective product or recalled product to obtain just compensation under the law .

How many gallons of herbicide did the US use?

Over a ten-year period, the U.S. military dropped around 20 million gallons of toxic herbicide across 4.5 million acres of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The mission was called Operation Ranch Hand, and used toxic herbicides to defoliate the heavy forest. The most well-known toxin used is Agent Orange, the most common 55-gallon drum of dioxin found regularly on military bases during the Vietnam War.

What is confidential settlement in Ohio?

(Hamilton County, Ohio): Confidential Settlement. Lead Counsel in a case that involved secondary lead exposure to two children. Their father worked at a local recycling plant that routinely recycled computer equipment. The company violated numerous OSHA regulations related to providing safety equipment and clothing to prevent lead particles from being transferred home. As a result, the Plaintiffs father transferred lead dust to his children who then suffered lead poisoning. The case was covered extensively by the Cincinnati news media and referenced in peer-reviewed medical literature. The settlement will provide educational needs to the children who suffered neurological injuries due the exposure.

What diseases did veterans suffer from in the 1960s?

Many veterans who served in Vietnam and the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the 1960s and 1970s suffer from cancer and other adverse health issues. The Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA) presumes that certain diseases were caused by exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides.

When did the VA say that veterans were exposed to Agent Orange?

VA presumes that Veterans were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides if they served: In Vietnam anytime between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, including brief visits ashore or service aboard a ship that operated on the inland waterways of Vietnam.

When was Agent Orange exposed?

When is Agent Orange exposure presumed? VA presumes that Veterans were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides if they served: In Vietnam anytime between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, including brief visits ashore or service aboard a ship that operated on the inland waterways of Vietnam.

How long does it take for a VA to disabling a herbicide?

Under VA’s rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of herbicide exposure. Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
. A disorder characterized by liver dysfunction and by thinning and blistering of the skin in sun-exposed areas.

What is a chloracne?

Chloracne (or similar acneform disease)
. A skin condition that occurs soon after exposure to chemicals and looks like common forms of acne seen in teenagers. Under VA’s rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure to herbicides.

What is the presumptive policy?

The “ presumptive policy ” makes it easier for veterans to prove their disability claims. Specifically, if exposure to Agent Orange is presumed, the veteran does not need to submit evidence of actual exposure to Agent Orange.

Is Lou Gehrig's disease related to Agent Orange?

Veterans with Lou Gehrig’s Disease: VA presumes Lou Gehrig’s Disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS) diagnosed in all Veterans who had 90 days or more continuous active military service is related to their service, although ALS is not related to Agent Orange exposure.

Can you get disability if you don't serve in Vietnam?

Even if you do not serve in Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone during the specified time periods, you can still apply for disability compensation if you were exposed to an herbicide while in the military and believe it led to the onset of a disease.

What is Agent Orange?

Agent Orange was a tactical herbicide the U.S. military used to clear leaves and vegetation for military operations mainly during the Vietnam War. Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange may have certain related illnesses. If you have an illness caused by exposure to Agent Orange ...

What are the diseases caused by Agent Orange?

Other illnesses caused by Agent Orange exposure. AL amyloidosis: A rare illness that happens when an abnormal protein (called amyloid) enters the body’s tissues or organs. These include the organs like the heart, kidneys, or liver.

How long does it take for a herbicide to be disabling?

Under our rating regulations, this condition must be at least 10% disabling within 1 year of herbicide exposure. Diabetes mellitus type 2: An illness that happens when the body can’t respond to the hormone insulin the way it should. This leads to high blood sugar levels.

When did you have to serve in Vietnam?

Between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, you must have served for any length of time in at least one of these locations: In the Republic of Vietnam, or. Aboard a U.S. military vessel that operated in the inland waterways of Vietnam, or.

Can you file a claim for VA disability if you have Agent Orange?

If you have an illness that’s not on our list of presumptive diseases, but you believe it was caused by Agent Orange exposure, you can still file a claim for VA disability benefits. But you’ll need to submit more evidence. Keep reading to learn about service requirements and supporting evidence.

Can Agent Orange cause illness?

When sound medical and scientific evidence shows that an illness is caused by Agent Orange exposure, we add it to our list of presumptive diseases. If you’ve been diagnosed with one of these illnesses, you don’t need to prove that it started during—or got worse because of—your military service.

Is Agent Orange a compensation for offspring?

Agent Orange: Compensation for Offspring. posted on September 22, 2020. Agent Orange has been shown to cause serious health conditions including causing certain birth defects in the children of those veterans who were exposed.

Does the VA require evidence linking a child's condition to service?

Because this is a presumption the VA does not require any evidence linking the condition to service. To qualify to receive VA compensation, healthcare, and vocational training the child must be the biological child of a veteran who: Served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, or.

Can a child with Williams syndrome be eligible for a pension?

Williams syndrome. Children with birth defects not on this list may still be eligible if the other requirements are met. In some cases, dependents may be eligible for a survivors’ pension or disability and indemnity compensation if the Veteran died during the Vietnam War or due to a service-connected disability.

Can a veteran be a mother of a child with a birth defect?

The VA presumes that certain other birth defects are connected to a veteran’s military service if the veteran is the biological mother of the child with a birth defect. In order to qualify for VA benefits such as compensation, healthcare, and vocational training the birth defect must have resulted in a permanent physical or mental disability.

What was the Agent Orange Act?

The Agent Orange Act of 1991 was designed to respond to the many health-related concerns expressed by Vietnam veterans in relation to herbicide exposure. The Act requires VA to presume that veterans who served “boots-on-the-ground” in the Republic of Vietnam during the war were exposed to Agent Orange. Additionally, the Agent Orange Act established ...

How often does the VA have to report herbicides?

Specifically, the Act required VA’s Secretary to contract with the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The IOM must submit a report every two years, at a minimum, that reviews and summarizes the link between exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam and certain diseases.

What is the presumption of service connection?

Additionally, the Agent Orange Act established a presumption of service connection in which certain diseases are presumed to be service-connected and resulting from exposure to herbicides. Presumptive service connection alleviates the burden of providing a nexus between a claimed condition and military service.

What is Agent Orange?

For other uses, see Agent Orange (disambiguation). Agent Orange is a herbicide and defoliant chemical, one of the "tactical use" Rainbow Herbicides. It is widely known for its use by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971.

Why is Agent Orange controversial?

The use of Agent Orange has been controversial in New Zealand, because of the exposure of New Zealand troops in Vietnam and because of the production of Agent Orange for Vietnam and other users at an Ivon Watkins-Dow chemical plant in Paritutu, New Plymouth. There have been continuing claims, as yet unproven, that the suburb of Paritutu has also been polluted. There are cases of New Zealand soldiers developing cancers such as bone cancer, but none has been scientifically connected to exposure to herbicides. A controversial television documentary was broadcast in New Zealand on TV3 called "Let us Spray".

What is the active ingredient in Agent Orange?

The active ingredient of Agent Orange was an equal mixture of two phenoxy herbicides – 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) – in iso-octyl ester form, which contained traces of the dioxin 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD). TCDD was a trace (typically 2-3 ppm, ranging from 50 ppb to 50 ppm) - but significant - contaminant of Agent Orange.

Why was Agent Orange not a chemical weapon?

defeated most of the resolutions, arguing that Agent Orange was not a chemical or a biological weapon as it was considered a herbicide and a defoliant and it was used in effort to destroy plant crops and to deprive the enemy of concealment and not meant to target human beings.

How many litres of Agent Orange were used in Vietnam?

Altogether, over 80 million litres of Agent Orange were applied. The first batch of herbicides was unloaded at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in South Vietnam, on January 9, 1962. U.S. Air Force records show at least 6,542 spraying missions took place over the course of Operation Ranch Hand.

What are the effects of contaminated soil and sediment on Vietnam?

The contaminated soil and sediment continue to affect the citizens of Vietnam, poisoning their food chain and causing illnesses, serious skin diseases and a variety of cancers in the lungs, larynx, and prostate. A person with birth deformities associated with prenatal exposure to Agent Orange.

How many people are affected by Agent Orange?

The government of Vietnam says that 4 million of its citizens were exposed to Agent Orange, and as many as 3 million have suffered illnesses because of it; these figures include their children who were exposed. The Red Cross of Vietnam estimates that up to 1 million people are disabled or have health problems due to contaminated Agent Orange. The United States government has challenged these figures as being unreliable.

Why was Agent Orange used in the Vietnam War?

Agent Orange and other herbicides were used in the Vietnam War for two main purposes: (1) to destroy foliage in the jungle and increase visibility to prevent ambush attacks; and (2) to destroy the enemy’s crops to interrupt their food supply.

Where is Agent Orange stored?

While Agent Orange is most publicly associated with Vietnam, it was also stored, tested, and used in other locations as well, including in or near the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ).

What is the Fairness for Korean DMZ Veterans Act?

In July of 2017, Congressman Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) introduced H.R.3605 – Fairness for Korean DMZ Veterans Act of 2017 . This Act was added in as part of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2017, and proposes to extend the presumptive period for veterans who served in or near the Korean DMZ. Specifically, it recommends beginning the presumptive period on September 1, 1967, six months prior to the previous April date. It is estimated that this change would help between 1,000 and 1,500 Korean DMZ veterans get VA disability benefits based on Agent Orange exposure. The Act cites a declassified January 1969 document that noted the use of herbicide agents in the Korean DMZ for testing purposes that began on October 9, 1967.

How many Korean DMZ veterans get VA disability?

It is estimated that this change would help between 1,000 and 1,500 Korean DMZ veterans get VA disability benefits based on Agent Orange exposure. The Act cites a declassified January 1969 document that noted the use of herbicide agents in the Korean DMZ for testing purposes that began on October 9, 1967.

When did the VA start using herbicides?

Specifically, VA now presumes herbicide exposure for any veteran who served between September 1, 1967 and August 31, 1971, in a unit determined by VA and the Department of Defense (DoD) to have operated in an area in or near the Korean DMZ .

What happens if you serve in the Korean DMZ?

If you served along the Korean DMZ, but not within the specified timeframe, or if you served during the acknowledged timeframe, but not in one of the recognized units, you will not fall under the presumption of exposure. If this is the case, you will have to establish service connection on a direct basis.

Can Agent Orange be used as an in-service event?

If this is the case, you will have to establish service connection on a direct basis. Here, exposure to Agent Orange can still serve as your in-service event, but you must prove that the exposure occurred.