The Long Road to Recovery: Compensating the Veterans Impacted by Toxic Exposures

Imagine this: you have served your country with honor, facing danger head-on for years. However, the fight doesn’t always end when you put down your uniform. Many veterans are up against a new kind of battle—one waged by unseen forces lurking within their bodies.
This hidden war has resulted from exposure to toxic substances during military service.
If you’re a veteran reading this and something feels off—unexplained coughs, strange skin conditions, nagging fatigue—you are not alone. Through this blog post, we will try to highlight the realities of toxic exposure, how to recognize the signs, and, most importantly, where to find the support you deserve.
The Unseen Threat: Understanding Toxic Exposures in Military Service
The battlefield isn’t always a place of gunfire and explosions. It may also be your regular life where every day is a struggle for survival. Exposure to hazardous substances during military service is a hidden threat, a silent enemy that can take years to reveal its impact.
For the veterans, these toxins originated from various sources, creating a complex web of potential health risks. Some of them are:
Burn Pits
Imagine billowing toxic smoke rising from open-air trenches, filled with burning waste from military operations. In the aftermath of post-9/11 conflicts, open-air burn pits emerged as a convenient waste disposal method. However, soldiers faced exposure to toxic substances from burning plastic and metal wastes.
Despite veterans’ complaints, the authorities did not address this issue. A study of over 100 bases in Iraq and Afghanistan revealed prolonged burn pit exposure in around 80% of the over 450,000 veterans studied.
Research has identified increased occurrences of immune disorders and neurological decline associated with levels of exposure to burn pits.
Agent Orange
Developed in the late 1940s, Agent Orange was a herbicide used not only for military defoliation but also in some industrial agricultural applications. While its intended purpose was to clear vegetation, its long-term consequences proved far more insidious.
Agent Orange was found to contain dioxin, a potent toxin. Veterans exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, and potentially through industrial means, now face a heightened risk of various severe health issues.
Studies have established a correlation between exposure to Agent Orange and a higher incidence of leukemia, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and various other types of cancer.
Contaminated Water
Military bases should be safe havens, but for some veterans, the very water they relied on turned into a source of harm. Take the crisis in Camp Lejeune for example.
Between the 1950s and 1980s, testing of the Camp water sources revealed alarming levels of industrial solvents, specifically trichloroethylene (TCE). These contaminants exceeded safety standards by a staggering degree, ranging from 240 to a shocking 3,400 times the permissible limits.
Despite these discoveries, the Marine Corps’ response lacked the urgency that the situation demanded. This delay in addressing the contamination resulted in prolonged exposure for over a million residents of the base.
According to TorHoerman Law, there are correlations between military service toxin exposure and veterans experiencing rare cancers, neurological disorders, and birth defects in their offspring.
Moving on, we will explore the veterans’ ongoing, painful, and arduous journey to compensation.
The Fight For Compensation: Camp Lejeune Example
For several years, before 2022, veterans were unable to file claims against Camp Lejeune-induced toxic exposure. But with the introduction of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, there was newfound hope. People who lived at the Camp for a minimum of 30 days from 1953 to 1987 could claim compensation.
However, many of these claimants were excluded from the government’s faster payout options. The reason was the limitations in the initial data collection process, which inadvertently omitted some potentially eligible individuals.
This situation was further compounded by the sheer volume of claims received by the Navy. According to the recent Camp Lejeune lawsuit update, close to 150,000 claims have been filed on behalf of veterans, civilian workers, and dependents, who resided at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987.
The traditional legal process for such cases has been lengthy and complex, raising concerns about the well-being of many claimants. A majority of those seeking compensation are older adults, suffering from life-threatening conditions. For these individuals, the time it takes to resolve their claims can be a critical factor.
Filing a VA Benefits Claim
To file a successful claim for VA benefits related to toxic exposure, veterans must navigate a complex set of legal requirements and forms. Comprehending these prerequisites is vital in guaranteeing that your claim is processed with optimal efficiency.
Regardless of the specific type of toxic exposure claim, you must complete VA Form 21-526EZ. In this form, you are required to furnish details regarding your military experience, any diagnosed medical conditions, and the correlation between the two.
Moreover, to be eligible for VA disability benefits, veterans must meet specific criteria demonstrating the connection between their current health condition and their military service.
Establishing the Connect
Firstly, you must currently have a diagnosed illness or injury affecting your physical or mental well-being. Moreover, you must have served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training.
In addition to these fundamental requirements, the veteran’s condition must be linked to their military service in one of three ways.
The first is an in-service disability claim. Here you claim that your current medical condition is a direct cause of your illness during your service period.
The second type is applicable if you had a health issue or injury before and your service exacerbated or worsened the condition.
Third, a post-service disability claim can be made if you develop a disability after you have ended your service.
Presumptive List of Medical Conditions
In certain cases, it is automatically inferred that the military service led to your condition. These are known as presumptive conditions.
For Camp Lejeune veterans, the Camp Lejeune Family Member Program covers a specific list of illnesses. Similarly, Agent Orange claims rely on a presumptive list of illnesses that mention various cancers and other conditions like chloracne, ischemic heart disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
Burn pit claims, lacking a presumptive list, require evidence of proximity to burn pits and a medical nexus opinion linking the condition to the exposure.
Conclusion
In conclusion, remember that, when you are dealing with the effects of toxic exposure, you have the right to seek the benefits and support you deserve.
Act now to understand the claims process, gather vital evidence, and connect with supportive advocates. For a lot of you, your well-being depends on navigating settlement benefits effectively.
The journey may be challenging, but with the right support and determination, you can secure the care and compensation you’ve earned through your service and sacrifice.