The PACT (The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics) Act helps veterans get disability benefits by expanding and extending the eligibility for some of these benefits.
Essentially, the PACT Act makes it possible for veterans to get benefits for toxic exposures, and it adds over 20 presumptive conditions and additional presumptive-exposure locations. It also addresses several other long-term concerns of veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras.
A Houston Veterans Disability claims lawyer can tell you more about this act and how it can affect your benefits.
How Can the PACT Act Help Veterans Get Disability Benefits?
The PACT Act helps veterans get disability benefits by increasing the number of presumptive conditions that allow veterans to secure benefits. Basically, if you have a presumptive condition, the VA automatically assumes that your service was the cause of the health condition.
You can only get Veterans Disability benefits and a VA disability rating if you have a disability connected to military service. So, by expanding the list of presumptive conditions, the VA has made it easier for you to get the benefits you earned without proving that your service caused your health condition.
A lawyer can tell you more about the PACT Act and your VA benefits.
Presumptive Conditions Added by the PACT Act
The presumptive conditions added by the PACT Act will vary based on when you served. Depending on your circumstances, these conditions could include the following cancers:
- Brain cancer
- Neck cancer
- Pancreative cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Head cancer
- Gastrointestinal cancer
- Melanoma
- Lymphoma
- Glioblastoma
- Respiratory cancer
- Reproductive cancer
The following conditions could also qualify as presumptive, based on when you served:
- Asthma
- Chronic bronchitis, rhinitis, or sinusitis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
- Emphysema
- Pleuritis
- Sarcoidosis
- Granulomatous disease
- Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- High blood pressure (also called hypertension)
- Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)
An attorney can give you more information about the conditions that could allow you to secure benefits.
For a free legal consultation, call (800) 562-9830
The PACT Act Also Makes it Easier to Get Healthcare
The PACT Act also helps veterans by extending and expanding eligibility for healthcare through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The act makes it possible for you to qualify for VA health care, even without applying for disability benefits.
You can apply as long as you meet discharge and service requirements and:
- You served in the military during the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, or in any combat zone post 9/11, OR
- You were deployed as part of the Global War on Terror, OR
- You faced exposure to toxins and other hazards during your military service.Some of the specific hazards addressed by the PACT Act include herbicides, particulates, burn pits, sulfur fires, radiation, chemicals, and warfare agents. An attorney can provide you with a complete list of these hazards.
The PACT Act Requires the VA to Offer Toxic Exposure Screenings
The PACT Act forces the VA to provide all veterans who enroll in VA health care with toxic exposure screenings. You may also receive a screening if you meet eligibility requirements. You get an initial screening and follow-ups every five years at a minimum.
The screening works to identify veterans who may have faced exposure to hazards during their time in the service. If the screening identifies a point of concern, the VA can provide resources and information about potential benefits.
How to Get Veterans Benefits if You Qualify Through the PACT Act
You can work with an attorney to apply for Veterans Disability benefits. You can file your claim online, by mail, in person, or by getting help from a trained professional. You’ll need to provide proof that you qualify for these benefits, often including your service record and medical records.
Once you file your claim, the VA will assess your application. If you meet the VA’s eligibility requirements, you’ll begin receiving benefits.
Note that the VA denies many initial benefit applications. In this situation, an attorney can help you appeal the decision, potentially getting the VA to overturn the initial denial. Your attorney can assist you with each step of the process of securing the benefits you earned through your service.
Talk to Us About the PACT Act and Veterans Disability Benefits
So, how does the PACT Act help veterans get disability benefits? This act helps veterans get benefits by extending and expanding the eligibility of veterans to seek benefits and by adding to the list of presumptive conditions that make it easier to go through the benefits application process.
Our team at Marc Whitehead & Associates can tell you more about the PACT Act and how it could impact your ability to secure Veterans Disability benefits. We have over 120 years of combined legal experience, and we’re ready to address your concerns right now.
You can rely on us to help with your benefits application or an appeal if the VA denies your initial request.
Call or text (800) 562-9830 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form