If you were exposed to Agent Orange or other toxins during your military service and have been diagnosed with bladder cancer, you may be eligible for VA disability benefits. This post explains more about the Agent Orange bladder cancer connection.
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You feel a constant urge to urinate, but nothing happens when you go to the restroom. When you are able to pass urine, it has blood in it, which is terrifying. Now, you’ve been diagnosed with bladder cancer. If you were exposed to Agent Orange or other toxins during military service and developed bladder cancer because of it, you deserve VA disability benefits.
In this article about the Agent Orange bladder cancer connection:
What is bladder cancer?
Your bladder is the balloon-like organ in the bottom of your abdomen that holds urine. It works with your kidneys to rid your body of waste. Bladder cancer occurs when cells in the bladder start growing out of control. Like other types of cancer, bladder cancer can spread to other organs if it’s not caught and treated early.
Symptoms of bladder cancer may include:
- Bloody urine
- Painful urination
- Frequent urination
- Difficulty urinating
- Frequent bladder infections
Only about 2.3% of people develop bladder cancer. However, bladder cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer among veterans. More than 3,000 veterans are diagnosed with bladder cancer every year.
While smoking cigarettes is the most common reason people get bladder cancer, veterans are also at risk for this type of cancer if they’re exposed to certain toxins during military service.
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What is Agent Orange?
The military used Agent Orange to remove leaves from trees and plants beginning in the 1960s. It was used widely in the Vietnam and Korean Wars.
The herbicide contained a deadly chemical, dioxin, which is a carcinogen. The U.S. government knew dioxin was dangerous but didn’t think American soldiers would be affected by it as they dropped it from planes. They didn’t consider the service members who would be exposed in Navy ships, on Air Force planes, or even where Agent Orange was stored on U.S. military bases.
Agent Orange can cause a variety of serious health issues, including skin diseases, miscarriages, birth defects, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and neuropathy.
Veterans began fighting for compensation and benefits for Agent Orange-related health issues in 1979. The Agent Orange Act, signed in 1991, mandates that some diseases associated with exposure to the chemical automatically be treated as related to military service. The VA continues to use this act to establish a presumptive service connection for veterans who served during certain times, in specific locations, and have been diagnosed with any of the growing list of conditions associated with Agent Orange exposure.
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Does Agent Orange cause bladder cancer?
Agent Orange is connected with the development of bladder cancer and other types of cancer. That’s why the VA lists it as a presumptive condition for veterans exposed to the chemical. However, Agent Orange exposure isn’t the only reason veterans may develop bladder cancer, nor is that exposure the only way to service connect the condition.
Veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina can claim a presumptive service connection to bladder cancer because of pollutants in the groundwater there. This type of cancer is just one of the disability benefits Camp Lejeune veterans may receive.
Additionally, you may be able to service connect bladder cancer, like any other type of cancer, if you can prove it was caused or worsened by your military service.
The VA rating for bladder cancer and residuals
Because cancer is a life-altering disease that may require treatment even in remission, the VA assigns a 100% disability rating to veterans with active, service-connected cancer. That rating is temporary while your cancer is active, and it continues for six months following the completion of your cancer treatment.
Six months after treatment, the VA will likely schedule a compensation and pension (C&P) exam to determine a new rating for cancer in remission based on the severity of your residual conditions, if any exist.
Residual conditions may consist of:
- Nerve damage
- Lung disease
- Heart problems
- Hearing loss
- Hyperthyroidism
- Blood clots
- Sexual concerns
If the service-connected cancer returns, a new temporary total disability rating will be awarded.
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TDIU and bladder cancer
A veteran may be awarded total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for bladder cancer and Agent Orange exposure in remission if they still experience residual effects from their treatment.
Bladder cancer treatment can have lasting effects, and bladder cancer survivors often still have problems with frequent urination and extreme fatigue. These symptoms can make working a full-time job impossible.
Veterans may seek TDIU if they can’t maintain “substantially gainful employment” due to their service-connected conditions.
TDIU pays at the same level as a 100% disability rating, even when the veteran’s combined rating is below 100%.
Veterans will typically be eligible for TDIU if they have:
- At least one service-connected disability rated at 60% or more disabling OR
- Two or more service-connected disabilities with at least one rated at 40% or more disabling and a combined rating of 70% or more
How our VA-accredited attorneys can help
If you have service-connected conditions that affect your ability to live and work comfortably, you deserve VA disability compensation. Contact Woods and Woods today for a free consultation to see how we can help. You only pay us if we win.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, bladder cancer qualifies for VA benefits if it is connected to your military service. Bladder cancer is a presumptive condition for qualifying veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or stationed at Camp Lejeune.
The VA assigns a 100% disability rating to veterans with active, service-connected cancer, including bladder cancer. That rating is temporary while the cancer is active and for six months after treatment ends. The VA then re-evaluates the condition and assigns a new rating based on any residual conditions.
Neil Woods
VA disability attorney
Woods & Woods
Neil Woods is the firm’s owner and president. He received his law degree from Western Michigan University.
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