In order to qualify for VA Disability, a condition must be service-connected. But what if a serious condition develops that doesn’t fulfill the normal requirements for service-connection? Enter the VA Presumptive List.
In most cases, conditions that cannot be proved service-connected are denied benefits. Over time, however, the VA began noticing patterns in the types of conditions to develop in veterans who had served in similar circumstances. In other words, a significant number of vets who served in the same place at the same time developed similar conditions in a similar time frame.
Since these conditions were not diagnosed while in the military or do not meet the other requirements for service-connection, they technically cannot be considered service-connected. With the number of vets developing these conditions, however, the VA decided that the evidence was too solid to be coincidental. Military service likely caused those conditions. So, the VA created their VA Presumptive List.
The VA “presumes” that any condition on the VA Presumptive List was caused by military service even though there may be no medical reasoning that definitively proves this connection.
The following link will show you the entire extensive list of Agent Orange related diseases and a much longer list of other conditions resulting from other exposures in all of our recent wars.
http://www.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html
Very few in the civilian medical community seem to be aware of these connections and the potential for substantial financial relief to veteran patients. If you, as a veteran, suffer from any condition on this extensive list, by all means, contact a Veteran Service Officer. You may well be eligible for benefits of which you are unaware. Our Post Service officers, Don Whedon and Paul Russo are a great source. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with them if you need help.