Agent Orange esophageal cancer

linpick
linpick Member Posts: 1 Member
edited May 2023 in Esophageal Cancer #1

My husband had stage 4 esophageal cancer. He was a Vietnam veteran confirmed to be in agent orange spray zones. He also was VA disabled 70%. When he claimed the esophageal cancer he was turned down by the VA. I feel they let our Vietnam veterans down by denying this as an agent orange disability. He was physically sprayed with the agent orange while out in the jungle. He drank water from the streams and rivers, sometimes filling his water bottle from rain water dripping from the foliage. The barrels the agent orange were delivered in were used to burn feces from the outhouses. He told me of the barrels being used for burning wood and grilling meat. The VA recognizes esophageal cancer for gulf war veterans but not Vietnam. I believe these veterans with esophageal cancer have been ignored. Many Vietnam veterans exposed to agent orange have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Our vets were spit upon and called baby killers. They risked their lives and were not honored for their sacrifices. This is a shame they cannot get VA benefits.

Comments

  • wwjd23
    wwjd23 Member Posts: 2 Member
    #2

    My husband was just diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer. He too was in contact with agent orange as an Army Infantry Officer in VN for 12 months.This is all so new but we will submit to the VA asap. Is it possible to appeal this decision? Or any other way to heighten the awareness of this? It is disgraceful. There is plenty of research connecting agent orange as a causal factor. Please keep me abreast.

    Thank you

  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,392 Member
    #3

    I would apply again or appeal the last refusal. Things have changed in this area recently.

    https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=ar_pact_fy23_veterans&gclid=CjwKCAjww7KmBhAyEiwA5-PUSjXnvIkSTZ5nR48URSW1DOgmGbLUAa-LgEYTO3zpbWRR66C2nVBJiBoCEcYQAvD_BwE

  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,034 Member
    #4

    linpick and wwjd23,

    To add to Paul61's suggestion, I would also suggest that you search the VA's Board of Veterans Appeals for Agent Orange Esophageal cancer. If you have been denied you have the right to appeal several times. You should also try to get Expert Opinions ( Your treating Doctors to write letters for you). When all else fails, you can also request an in person hearing in Washington DC at the VA Building.

    Not knowing how you filed your claim, I would suggest that you contact a Veteran's Organization such as the VFW, DAV, American Legion or Vietnam Veterans of America. Ask who has a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) in their organization. VSO's do not charge for their service to the Veterans, if they ask for money, walk away.

    Back to searching the VA site. Click on the link I have posted here.

    https://www.bva.va.gov/

    Scroll down a little bit and on the right hand side under RESOURCES you will see (Search Decisions) click on that. Once that window opens you will see a long blank box with the magnifying glass. Type in your search such as < Agent Orange Esophageal cancer> . Before hitting enter. Select the year you wish to search for appeal results above the blank box, it is better to view the appeals one year at a time unless you want to see the results of all the years.

    I suggest you glance at the beginning of each appeal you want to check out, then scroll down to the bottom for the results, denied or granted. A lot of legal stuff is in between those two things I mentioned. Make note of each to get a feel for why they were denied or granted and work from there. We have to be our own advocates so a lot of hard work will be involved with winning your claim. As Paul61 mentioned, a lot has changed recently with the passing of the new PACT ACT.

    My Best to You Both and Everyone Here

  • wwjd23
    wwjd23 Member Posts: 2 Member
    #5

    Many thanks for all of the replies and information. I appreciate the time you took to give us help.

    I will post about our experience asap.

    Regards.

  • jwkelly
    jwkelly Member Posts: 26 Member
    #6
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/326522/agent-orange-esophageal-cancer

    Its saddening that he's suffering, also saddening that numerous innocent Vietnamese were poisoned too by an uncaring or hateful foreign power. May all their suffering end.

  • jergal82
    jergal82 Member Posts: 1 *
    #7

    My husband just died of esophageal cancer and the doctor even said it was because of his time in Vietnam and they still denied him benefits. He could not go to their doctor because he was dying, and they just denied it. I am getting a lawyer to fight this. They say there is no scientific evidence to link it to agent orange. My husband had other issues as well, that men that were not sprayed with that stuff do not get. The United States needs to take accountability for this travesty.

  • adawn
    adawn Member Posts: 6 *
    #8
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/326522/agent-orange-esophageal-cancer

    My husband painted aircraft and the VA agreed he was exposed to carcinogens, and yet denied him VA benefits. Social Security deemed him disabled but the VA still has not done the right thing.

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