Post: How Can I Prove I Was Exposed to Agent Orange?

prove exposure to Agent Orange The VA automatically presumes Agent Orange exposure for veterans who served in specific locations during designated time periods. If you fall under this category, you do not need to prove direct exposure. VA’s presumptive list includes Vietnam, Thailand, and other areas where herbicide use was documented. Check here for the full list.

But what if you must prove you were exposed to Agent Orange?

Proving exposure to Agent Orange is essential for veterans seeking VA disability compensation for related health conditions. If you don’t qualify for the presumptive service connection, you must provide evidence of your exposure – and the key to that is thorough documentation of your service and any related health conditions. Is There a Test for Agent Orange?

Unfortunately, no medical test can confirm Agent Orange exposure. Neither the VA nor private medical facilities have a blood test that can definitively prove past exposure. This is due to several reasons:

> The chemicals in Agent Orange break down over time in the body.

Dioxin levels naturally exist in most people’s blood.

Current testing methods cannot differentiate between dioxins from Agent Orange and other environmental sources.

The time gap between exposure and testing is too long to yield reliable results.

However, while you cannot take a medical test to prove exposure, you still have options. The Agent Orange Registry Health Exam The VA provides a free Agent Orange Registry health exam for veterans who may have been exposed. If you served in any of the following capacities, you qualify for this exam: Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975. Near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between September 1, 1968, and August 31, 1971. On boats navigating Vietnam’s inland waterways or within the 12-mile territorial sea between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975. On all U.S. and Royal Thai Air Force Bases between January 9, 1962, and June 30, 1976 At locations where Agent Orange or other herbicides were tested, stored, or disposed of Veterans or reservists who worked on C-123 aircraft between 1969 and 1986 This exam doesn’t […]

How Can I Prove I Was Exposed to Agent Orange?