Legal Help for Veterans blog.
News and Press, Veterans Law
On May 18, 2022, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and ranking member Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) announced a bipartisan agreement on comprehensive legislation affecting all generations of toxic-exposed veterans. The bill is known as the SFC. Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022, would afford these […]
READ MORE
Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press
On March 1, 2022, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced their intention of adding nine rare respiratory cancers to the list of presumptive conditions for veterans exposed to burn pits. At the time this was just a proposal, but fast forward to April 26 and VA announced they have added these nine cancers to the […]
READ MORE
Uncategorized
Lawmakers have recently passed a pair of bills that aim to address the military’s use of toxic burn pits. This new burn pit legislation included 2 bills that were signed into law on December 28, 2021, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2022. New Burn Pit Legislation The bills are: H.R. 4397 […]
READ MORE
Medical Issues / Disability, Veterans Law
According to a 2021 VA-funded research proposal by Rajeev Samant: “There is a notably high incidence of breast cancer among younger military women (20-40%). The incident rate of breast cancer for active-duty women is seven times higher than the average incident rate of 15 other cancer types across all service members. An estimated 90 percent […]
READ MORE
Uncategorized
On August 2nd, the VA began processing disability claims for asthma, rhinitis, and sinusitis due to presumed burn pit exposure during military service. This applies to veterans who served in Southwest Asia and certain other areas. To qualify, your conditions must have started within 10 years of your separation from active duty. Asthma is a […]
READ MORE
News and Press
Recently introduced legislation, called the True Cost of War Recognition Act (TCWR), recognizes that numerous respiratory conditions and cancers suffered by veterans of the Persian Gulf and post-9/11 eras are linked to toxic burn pit exposure. The dangers of exposure to burn pits have been discussed for years after many veterans who served in areas […]
READ MORE
Veterans Law
A Tennessee senator has blocked the confirmation of four nominees to Veterans Affairs leadership posts. The move comes over lingering comments about the department’s lack of response on the cost and scope of a pending toxic exposure bill that would grant more generous benefits to victims of toxic exposure. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., made the […]
READ MORE
Uncategorized
A familiar face is back on Capitol Hill fighting for Veterans Benefits. Jon Stewart, former host of “The Daily Show” and notable Veterans advocate; is back in Washington leading a renewed fight for Burn Pit Victim Benefits. At a press conference on Tuesday, Stewart was joined by numerous families of deceased and dying veterans […]
READ MORE
Claims Processing, Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press, Veterans Law
A group of very big names are joining forces this Friday evening to have an open discussion on toxic exposure among veterans and the necessary reforms to get those vets treatment, care, and access to disability resources. The Military Toxic Exposure Conference will feature veterans and organization leaders that have experienced first-hand the effects of […]
READ MORE
Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press
Open-air burning has long been a mainstay of waste disposal during times of war, but new factors, such as electronics and plastic bottles, challenge the safety of these fires. In a report released in September, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) credited the Department of Defense (DOD) with improving practices to mitigate the risks of exposure […]
READ MORE