FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A major announcement from the Department of Veterans Affairs: A significant number of medical conditions are now presumed to be caused by Burn Pit Exposure.

April 29, 2022 the Department of Veterans Affairs added nine respiratory cancers to the list of medical conditions which are automatically presumed to have been caused by Burn Pit exposure in Southwest Asia, or specific countries in the Middle East.  This change will make it easier for Veterans – with these conditions – to qualify for Service Connected Disability Benefits. 

Veterans who served in Southwest Asia beginning Aug. 2, 1990, to the present, or in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Syria or Djibouti beginning Sept. 19, 2001, to the present will qualify for the presumption if they have one of the listed conditions. This includes all veterans who served in the Gulf War, the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan. Although the VA deemed these conditions “rare” in their press release, they identified the following nine types of cancers as presumed to be connected to burn pit exposure: 

•        Squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx; 

•        Squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea; 

•        Adenocarcinoma of the trachea; 

•        Salivary gland-type tumors of the trachea;

•        Adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung;

•        Large cell carcinoma of the lung; 

•        Salivary gland-type tumors of the lung; 

•        Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung, and; 

•        Typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung.

Veterans diagnosed with one of these conditions who had burn pit exposure during service in Southwest Asia or the Middle East will now be able to qualify for Service Connected Disability Benefits without having to prove a causal link between their service and their condition. The presumption will also be applied to cases of veterans who currently have an application pending for benefits. 

You can read the VA’s press release here for more information on the addition. To learn more about applying for VA benefits, visit the VA’s  website at https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/, or visit https://www.qrglaw.com/veterans-disability/

Veterans Disability Compensation is a full-time practice area at the Quatrini Law Group. Michael V. Quatrini, Esq. is accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans‘ Affairs (VA) to represent Veterans of the armed services who suffer from service-connected disabilities or diseases.

If you have applied for Service Connected Disability Benefits and have been denied, Quatrini Law Group can assist you with your appeal.  Call for a free consultation:  888-534 6016