Comprehensive Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions List (2024 Update)

Agent Orange exposure during military service has led to severe health issues for many Veterans. To address these challenges, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has established a list of presumptive conditions linked to Agent Orange exposure. Recent updates under the PACT Act have expanded this list and eligibility criteria, offering more Veterans access to the benefits they deserve. If you believe your illnesses or injuries were caused or aggravated by Agent Orange exposure, you may be eligible to receive disability benefits from the VA if your injuries are on the presumptive conditions list.

What Is Agent Orange?

Agent Orange was a U.S. military herbicide sprayed by the Air Force over forests in Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, Laos, and Cambodia. Agent Orange contained a harmful chemical called dioxin, which was later discovered to have caused severe physical and mental injuries and illnesses in Veterans who had significant herbicide exposure.

What Is a Presumptive Condition?

A presumptive condition is a medical condition that is presumed to be connected to your military service if you developed that condition while you were serving as active-duty military personnel. 

For instance, if you served in Vietnam as a Blue Water Navy member and developed bladder cancer, your bladder cancer will be a presumptive condition. When you file a VA claim, VA healthcare providers will assume you developed it because of Agent Orange exposure.

A presumptive condition can make acquiring disability benefits easier or faster. You need three things to prove a presumptive service connection:

• A current and medically diagnosed disability
• An in-service event that could have caused or aggravated the disability
• A nexus letter that presumes a connection of the event to your current disability

Updated List of Presumptive Conditions for Agent Orange Exposure (2024)

Veterans exposed to Agent Orange may qualify for disability compensation if diagnosed with one or more of the following conditions:

Cancers:

• Respiratory cancers (lung, larynx, trachea, and bronchus)
• Hodgkin’s disease
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Prostate cancer
• Multiple myeloma
• Chronic B-cell leukemias (including hairy cell leukemia)

Other Conditions:

• Hypertension (added under the PACT Act)
• Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) (added under the PACT Act)
• Diabetes mellitus type 2
• Parkinson’s disease
• Peripheral neuropathy (early-onset)
• Ischemic heart disease
• Chloracne
• Porphyria cutanea tarda

Who Is Eligible for Agent Orange Benefits?

Veterans who served in the following locations and timeframes may qualify for presumptive benefits:

• Vietnam: January 9, 1962, to May 7, 1975.
• Thailand: At any U.S. or Royal Thai military base from January 9, 1962, to June 30, 1976, regardless of MOS or location on the base.
• Guam, American Samoa, and Territorial Waters: From January 9, 1962, to July 31, 1980.
• Johnston Atoll: From January 1, 1972, to September 30, 1977.

These additions under the PACT Act simplify the claims process by presuming exposure for Veterans who served in these areas.

What if You’ve Been Previously Denied Your VA Claim?

The PACT Act allows Veterans to reopen claims for conditions that are now considered presumptive. You only need to file a supplemental claim with supporting evidence.

Contact Veterans Law Attorneys Today

The updated Agent Orange presumptive conditions list under the PACT Act is a significant step forward for Veterans seeking the benefits they’ve earned. Whether you’re filing a claim for the first time or reopening a denied claim, navigating the VA process can be overwhelming. That’s where Berry Law comes in. Contact us for a free consultation. Our team of experienced attorneys will fight for your rights and help you secure the compensation you deserve.