If you are a veteran with Parkinson’s disease, you may qualify for veterans disability compensation. The key is showing that your condition was caused or made worse by your military service. There are several ways your Parkinson’s disease may be service related. If you served in certain areas, the VA may even presume that your condition is service related. For example, most veterans who served on the ground in Vietnam or on ships in the coastal waters, benefit from the presumption that exposure to Agent Orange has caused their Parkinson’s, along with many other conditions potentially caused by exposure.
Even if you do not fall within one of the VA’s presumptions for Parksinson’s disease, you may still be eligible for compensation. Any significant exposure to chemicals, or even a traumatic brain injury occurring during your military service could have caused your condition. And if your veterans disability claim gets denied, the veterans benefits lawyers of Jackson & MacNichol can help you fight back against the VA. For more information about disability claims appeals, call us today at 1(888) 492-2941 for a free consultation.
The VA May Presume that Your Parkinson’s Is Service Related
In many cases, the VA considers Parkinson’s to be a presumptive condition, meaning that you do not have to prove that the disease was caused or made worse by your military service. This makes the claims process much easier. You may benefit from this presumption if you served in the following places:
- Republic of Vietnam and surrounding seas at any point between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975
- Korean Demilitarized Zone for any length of time between April 1, 1968, and August 31, 1971
- Camp Lejeune, North Carolina for 30 days or more between August 1953 and December 1987
If you did not serve in one of these locations, you don’t get the presumption. But you may still have a good disability compensation claim. The VA has found a service connection with Parkinson’s for veterans who showed that they:
- Served on a military base in Thailand during the Vietnam war
- Served on a Navy or Coast Guard vessel during the Vietnam war
- Were crew members on C-123 transport aircraft formerly used to spray Agent Orange
- Were present at any base or facility where Agent Orange was stored or processed
- Involved in any DOD projects concerning herbicides
- Were exposed to burn pits in South Asia bases after September 11, 2001
- Received a traumatic brain injury (TBI) at any point during their military service
- Were exposed to any chemicals known to cause Parkinson’s during their time in the military
If you think any of these applies to your military service, you may successfully apply for veterans disability compensation. You’ll need a medical opinion from a physician who can explain how your Parkinson’s disease was caused by your service if you do not fall within one of he presumptions. You’ll also need to provide service records and statements that show when and how the TBI or chemical exposure occurred that was the cause of your Parkinson’s disease .
You May Need the Assistance of A Veterans Disability Lawyer
Even if you do everything right in your veterans disability compensation claim, the VA may still deny your claim. Or they may not give you the disability rating that you deserve. At this point, you should seek a lawyer to assist you with the appeals process. At Jackson & MacNichol, we will stand by your side and advocate forcefully for the right outcome at every step of the appeals process. You have only one year to appeal the VA disability claim decision, so call us now at 1(888) 492-2941 for your free consultation.
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