VA Disability after Burn Pit Exposure

If you are one of the approximately 4 million U.S. military veterans who were exposed to burn pits during your military service, you probably have questions. Here’s what you need to know about burn pits, how exposure can harm you, and which veterans have a presumptive service connection for burn-pit-related conditions.

Table of Contents

What Are Burn Pits?

Burn pits were exactly what they sound like–large, open-air areas where burning took place. What exactly was burned depends on the time and location, but it’s clear that many of the materials incinerated in burn pits have the potential to cause serious medical conditions.

Some of those materials include:

Unexploded ordnance
Bio
Metals
Rubber
Petroleum and other chemicals
Food waste
Paint
Plastics
Wood

Call 1-888-373-4722 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form

VA Disability Benefits for Conditions Caused by Burn Pit Exposure

For decades, veterans who got sick from burn pit exposure struggled to get the VA disability benefits they deserve. Fortunately, that tide turned in 2022, when the PACT Act expanded access to benefits for veterans who had suffered toxic exposures, including burn pit exposure.

Under the PACT Act, a veteran has a presumed service connection if they served in a listed location during the listed time period and their condition appears on the list of medical problems presumed connected to burn pit exposure.

Call 1-888-373-4722 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form

Service Areas that Qualify for Presumptive Service Connection for Burn Pits

The service areas and time periods qualifying for a presumption of burn pit exposure are:

On or after August 2, 1990:

Bahrain
Iraq
Kuwait
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Somalia
The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The airspace over these areas

On or after September 11, 2001:

Afghanistan
Djibouti
Egypt
Jordan
Lebanon
Syria
Uzbekistan
Yemen
The airspace over these areas

Call 1-888-373-4722 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form

Conditions Presumed Connected to Burn Pit Exposure

For purposes of VA disability benefits eligibility, the following conditions are presumed service-connected if the veteran was exposed to burn pits:

Asthma diagnosed after service
All types of head cancer
All types of neck cancer
All types of respiratory cancer
All types of gastrointestinal cancer
All types of reproductive cancer
All types of lymphoma cancer
All types of lymphatic cancer
Kidney cancer
Brain cancer
Melanoma
Pancreatic cancer
Chronic bronchitis
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Constrictive bronchiolitis
Obliterative bronchiolitis
Emphysema
Granulomatous disease
Interstitial lung disease
Pleuritis
Pulmonary fibrosis
Sarcoidosis
Chronic sinusitis
Chronic rhinitis
Glioblastoma

What if My Condition Isn’t Presumed Service Connected?

There are still some unknowns about burn pit exposure, and the VA may add to the list above as researchers learn more. As with any type of VA disability claim, you can still pursue a claim without a presumptive service connection. However, you will need to provide more and different types of evidence, including evidence that your condition is likely connected to your military service.

Get Help with Your Burn Pit Exposure Claim

Even if your exposure and service connection are presumed, you’ll still have to ensure that your claim is properly constructed and you have provided all necessary documentation. That includes evidence of the extent of your disability, which determines your disability rating (and so, the amount of VA disability benefits you receive).

You don’t have to figure it out on your own. At Disabled Vets, our advocates know what the VA is looking for in a claim for burn pit exposure or other service-related disability. They put that knowledge to work for people like you every day. To learn more, call (888) 373-4722 right now, or fill out our contact form.