VVA'S GUIDE TO AGENT ORANGE

The purpose of this guide is to assist you, the veteran or survivor, in presenting your claim based on the veteran's exposure to herbicides in Vietnam in the best way possible to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). To accomplish this, it is best that you work with a trained veterans service representative. This guide describes the VA's current programs for compensating exposed veterans and their survivors. Additional resources are available to help you understand whether other VA programs are available to you. There have been many changes in the VA's rues involving Agent Orange over the past several years and some additional changes are likely as a result of on-going studies and lawsuits. One important change is that you no longer have to prove that you were exposed to herbicides ... as long as you served in or near Vietnam. Keep in touch with your representative for additional changes that occur after the publication of this guide. Even if you decide not to file a formal claim for VA benefits based on exposure to herbicides, you should at least contact the Agent Orange coordinator at the nearest VA medical center to obtain a free physical examination. You may also be entitled to free medical treatment at the VA medical center. Finally, if you are disabled but do not think your condition is due to exposure to herbicides, there may be other reasons that the VA pays you monthly disability benefits.

For more information, please visit the VVA's Agent Orange homepage or the VA's Agent Orange homepage.