August 31: Kaptur Urges Eligible Vietnam Vets, Survivors to Apply for Retroactive Benefits for Agent Orange Exposure

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur today again urged Vietnam War veterans and their survivors to apply for retroactive benefits if they suffer from three new Agent Orange presumptive conditions.

Almost 90,000 Vietnam veterans and their survivors nationwide have applied for the benefits since the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amended its regulations last year to add ischemic heart disease, Parkinson's disease, and hairy cell leukemia and other chronic B-cell leukemias to the list of diseases that are presumed to be related to exposure to Agent Orange.

"Hundreds of Vietnam vets and their families in our area might qualify for medical care and disability benefits under the new rules," Kaptur said. "They are entitled to these benefits and we want to make sure that everyone who is eligible applies as soon as possible."

For new claims, the VA may authorize up to one year of retroactive benefits if the veteran can show he or she has experienced one of those conditions since the date of the regulatory change.

Kaptur noted that the new rules also apply to Vietnam vets who had their claims denied in the past. VA continues to review previously-filed claims that may qualify for retroactive benefits under a longstanding court order in the case of Nehmer vs. U.S. Veterans Administration.

Survivors of veterans whose deaths might have been caused by one of the three diseases, Kaptur said, should file claims for dependency and indemnity compensation.

She said potentially eligible veterans include those who were exposed based on duty or visitation in three locales: in Vietnam on its inland waterways between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975; along the demilitarized zone in Korea between April 1, 1968, and August 31, 1971; or at military bases where herbicides were tested or stored, both in the United States and overseas.

Kaptur urged Vietnam veterans or survivors and family members to contact her office at 419-259-7500 or (800) 964-4699 if they have questions about the Agent Orange claims processing process. "I urge any Vietnam veteran from our area who is suffering from a medical condition due to Agent Orange exposure to contact the VA or my office," she said.

Claims based on the three new presumptive conditions can also be filed on the Internet at https://www.fasttrack.va.gov/AOFastTrack/.