On February ninth, 2024, the Division of Veterans Affairs issued a proposed rule outlining plans to increase the areas and time frames for which VA presumes publicity to Agent Orange and different herbicides. If this proposed rule turns into closing, VA will implement a brand new presumption of publicity to areas the place herbicides had been examined, used, or saved outdoors of Vietnam. Particularly, this proposed rule would add areas in the US (full listing of US areas the place Agent Orange was examined or saved), Canada, and India to the prevailing presumptives for Agent Orange in Vietnam, Cambodia, Johnson Atoll, Guam, American Samoa, Korea, Laos, and Thailand.
A presumption of publicity signifies that VA robotically assumes that Veterans who served in sure areas had been uncovered to sure toxins. Presumptives decrease the burden of proof required to obtain incapacity advantages, serving to Veterans get the advantages they deserve as rapidly as attainable. This growth of presumptives will assist Veterans who served within the specified areas obtain well being care and advantages for sure cancers and continual circumstances. To be eligible, a Veteran will need to have served within the recognized location(s) throughout a particular time interval and presently have a situation(s) presumptively related to herbicide publicity.
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