Agent Orange Settlement Fund & VA Benefit Extension
Ohio VA Disability Attorney representing injured Vietnam Veterans and assisting in accessing and processing Agent Orange Settlement Fund Claims
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it is now preparing to provide access to Agent Orange exposure benefit claims for Blue Water Navy Veterans. The Agent Orange Settlement Fund will now benefit veterans who served offshore Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975.
The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 was signed into law on June 25, 2019, and will go into effect Jan. 1, 2020. Veterans may qualify for benefits if they have been diagnosed with a disease that is recognized as being associated with herbicide exposure, including:
- AL amyloidosis
- Chloracne or similar acneform disease
- Chronic B-cell leukemia
- Diabetes mellitus Type 2
- Hodgkin lymphoma
- Ischemic heart disease
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Porphyria cutanea tarda
- Prostate cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Bronchial Cancer
- Laryngeal Cancer
- Tracheal Cancer
- Soft-tissue sarcoma
Researchers with the National Academy of Medicine released a report noting evidence that eight other diseases not previously on the above list, including prostate cancer, bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, stroke, early-onset peripheral neuropathy, AL amyloidosis, ischemic heart disease and Parkinson-like syndromes, could be caused by Agent Orange Exposure.
The revised Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act gives VA until Jan. 1, 2020, to begin processing Blue Water Navy veteran injury claims. If you served on a Blue Water Navy vessel offshore Vietnam, or on another U.S. Navy or Coast Guard ship operating in the coastal waterways of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, you may have a viable claim.
Joe Lyon is an experienced Ohio VA Benefits Attorney reviewing Agent Orange Settlement Fund compensation and Toxic Exposure Lawsuits for injured veteran plaintiffs nationwide.
Agent Orange Settlement Fund Benefits
The current VA Secretary, Robert Wilkie, says the VA is dedicated to providing all the proper resources to meet the needs of Blue Water Veterans and all Veterans filing for disability compensation. Veterans over the age 85 or with life-threatening illnesses will have priority in the claim process. Blue Water Veterans previously denied Agent Orange benefits can file a new claim based on the new law.
The Agent Orange Settlement revision affects Veterans who served on a vessel operating not more than 12 nautical miles seaward from the demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia, which could include anywhere from 420,000 to 560,000 Vietnam Veterans.
The Agent Orange Settlement Fund was created by a long crusade of litigation involving the Agent Orange Product Liability class action lawsuit brought by Vietnam Veterans. The case was brought against the major manufacturers of the Agent Orange herbicides and settled out-of-court in 1984 for $180 million dollars. The fund provided compensation to disabled Veterans and survivors of deceased Veterans.
If you or a loved one has suffered from a disease or illness due to Agent Orange exposure and have questions about the legal remedies available to improve quality of life and medical care, contact The Lyon Firm at (800) 513-2403. You will speak directly with Mr. Lyon, and he will help you answer these critical questions regarding Agent Orange Settlement Fund Benefits and Exposure Lawsuits.