What Constitutes a “Presumptive Condition”?

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs assumes that certain medical conditions in certain veteran populations were caused by military service. For this reason, you may be eligible to receive VA disability benefits for what is called a “presumptive condition.”

If you need to appeal a denied claim for VA disability benefits, we recommend hiring one of our attorneys.

If you still have questions or concerns after reading this arcile, please feel free to contact us and we’ll get back to you with an answer as soon as possible.

Understanding Presumptive Conditions

The following groups of people are able to file veteran disability claims for presumptive conditions:

Former Prisoners of War

Former prisoners of war are able to receive benefits for different conditions based on the length of time they were held hostage. For example, all former prisoners of war are able to receive benefits for psychosis, anxiety, or the organic residuals of frostbite as long as the condition is given a VA disability rating of at least 10%.

This holds true for all former prisoners of war, regardless of how long they were held. However, you must have been imprisoned for at least 30 days to get compensation for conditions such as chronic dysentery, irritable bowel syndrome, and cirrhosis of the liver. Your condition must also have been given a rating of at least 10%.

There are many more medical conditions that are considered “presumptive” by the VA that aren’t listed here. To determine your eligibility for benefits, we recommend hiring a lawyer for veteran disability claims. That way, you’ll be able to receive disability benefits as a former prisoner of war.

Vietnam Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange

During the Vietnam War, the United States sprayed a toxic chemical called Agent Orange to destroy agriculture and forest cover in Vietnam and Korea. If you had military exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, you may be eligible to receive VA benefits for presumptive conditions. You must have served in the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975.

Some presumptive conditions include several forms of cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Hiring one of our attorneys will help ensure you receive your benefits for Agent Orange exposure.

Atomic Veterans

You may qualify for benefits if you were exposed to ionizing radiation in the following ways:

The VA assumes that certain medical conditions are related to your radiation exposure during military service. Covered presumptive conditions for atomic veterans include all forms of leukemia (except for chronic lymphocytic leukemia) and various cancers.

Gulf War Veterans with Undiagnosed Illnesses

Medically unexplained illnesses in Gulf War veterans are covered under the VA’s list of presumptive conditions.

However, you must also meet the following requirements for compensation:

Presumptive conditions covered by the VA include chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia.

Learn more: What is Gulf War Syndrome? >>

When to Hire a VA Disability Attorney

Has your claim for VA disability been denied? If so, we recommend hiring one of our attorneys to help with your case. Sometimes, it’s difficult to prove a service-connected disability. Under these circumstances, an attorney can help you gather the documentation you need to prove your service-connected condition.

Call the VA Disability Group

Our VA disability lawyers in Kalamazoo, MI can help you receive the compensation you deserve for service-connected conditions. To request a free case evaluation, call the VA Disability Group at (844) VET-LAWS.

[This blog has been updated.]