The VA presumes that certain disabilities were caused by military service. This is because of the unique circumstances of a specific Veteran’s military service. If a presumed condition is diagnosed in a Veteran within a certain group, they can be awarded disability compensation.
If you served continuously for at least 90 days and are diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) after discharge, you can establish service connection for the disease.
Veterans in the following groups may qualify for “presumptive” disability benefits: - Former prisoners of war who:
- Have a condition that is at least 10 percent disabling
- Vietnam Veterans who were:
- Exposed to Agent Orange
- Served in the Republic of Vietnam or on a vessel operating not more than 12 nautical miles seaward from the demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia between Jan. 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975
- Atomic Veterans exposed to ionizing radiation and who experienced one of the following:
- Participated in atmospheric nuclear testing
- Occupied or were prisoners of war in Hiroshima or Nagasaki
- Served before Feb. 1, 1992, at a diffusion plant in Paducah, Kentucky, Portsmouth, Ohio or Oak Ridge, Tennessee
- Served before Jan. 1, 1974, at Amchitka Island, Alaska
- Gulf War Veterans who:
- Served in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations
- Have a condition that is at least 10 percent disabling by Dec. 31, 2021
- Gulf War Deployed Veterans who:
- Served in the Southwest Theater of Operations during the Persian Gulf War
- Served in Afghanistan, Syria, Djibouti or Uzbekistan on or after September 19, 2001
View the specific presumptive conditions for the above qualifying time-frame
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