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New Jersey Military Burn Pit Exposure Lawyers
Military Burn Pit Attorneys in Clark, NJ Advocating for Veterans Affected by Burn Pits in Essex County, Hudson County, Middlesex County, Union County, and Throughout NJ
Exposure to airborne hazards via military burn pits overseas has left Veterans across New Jersey suffering from respiratory problems, skin lesions, and cancers, among other serious medical issues. You’re eligible for disability compensation and other benefits, such as health care services, through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). To secure the full benefits available to you, the guidance of experienced New Jersey military burn pit exposure lawyers is invaluable.
At Team Law, we’re familiar with the intricacies of VA disability claims and the impact recent legislative changes have had on injured Veterans’ rights to benefits. We have decades of experience assisting Veterans with getting the disability benefits they deserve, and we’re prepared for the meticulous work of documenting the full extent of your disability due to burn pit exposure.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation case review.
Veterans’ Rights to Benefits for Military Burn Pit Exposure Injuries
Disabled Veterans have a long-established right to disability compensation for injuries connected with their military service, but these benefits didn’t always extend to the full range of injuries arising out of exposure to airborne toxins through proximity to the open-air incinerators known as burn pits.
The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, more widely known as the PACT Act, was signed into law in August 2022. Through provisions like the following, the VA reported, the PACT Act made it possible for more Veterans to receive benefits for injuries arising out of military burn pit exposure:
- Eliminating obstacles that prevented Veterans from proving that their injuries were linked to environmental exposures
- Providing for toxic exposure screenings for Veterans
- Including Veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras in eligibility criteria for VA health care services and benefits arising out of toxic exposure while serving
- Adding more than 20 new health issues to the list of presumptive conditions
Medical issues listed as presumptive conditions can be assumed to have resulted from toxic exposure in Veterans who were in close proximity to military burn pits. This makes the claims process easier for these injured Veterans, as they don’t have to prove the link between their exposure and a medical issue that constitutes a presumptive condition.
Injuries and Illnesses Associated With Burn Pit Exposure
According to the VA, the numerous types of injuries and illnesses now considered presumptive conditions include the following:
Cancers From Exposure to Military Burn Pits
More than 20 types of cancer are now recognized as presumptive conditions for burn pit exposure claims:
- Brain cancer
- Head cancer (any type)
- Glioblastoma (a cancer generally found in the brain)
- Neck cancer
- Adenocarcinoma of the trachea
- Salivary gland-type tumors of the trachea
- Squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea
- Squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx
- Adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung
- Large cell carcinoma of the lung
- Salivary gland-type tumors of the lung
- Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung
- Typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung
- Respiratory cancer (any type)
- Gastrointestinal cancer (any type)
- Kidney cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Reproductive cancer (any type)
- Lymphoma (any type)
- Lymphatic cancer (any type)
- Melanoma (skin cancer)
Non-Cancer Presumptive Conditions for Burn Pit Exposure
In addition to the numerous forms of cancer linked to toxic exposure, presumptive conditions for burn pit exposure include chronic lung diseases, inflammatory diseases, and other illnesses:
- Asthma (must be diagnosed after service)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
- Emphysema
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Pleuritis
- Chronic bronchitis
- Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
- Chronic rhinitis
- Chronic sinusitis
- Sarcoidosis
- Granulomatous disease
Each of these conditions has the potential to seriously affect your life, including your ability to work and provide for yourself and your family. Our New Jersey military burn pit exposure lawyers are dedicated to securing Veterans harmed by airborne toxins the full benefits they’re entitled to.
How Team Law Can Help
When you’re dealing with a debilitating illness, the last thing you need is more stress. Trying to navigate the claims process yourself can make seeking disability benefits a time-consuming, challenging ordeal. What if you had professional guidance and claims-handling services?
Team Law’s New Jersey military burn pit exposure lawyers can take over this hassle for you and document the full extent of your disability through our thorough gathering of evidence. We will handle the entire process and advocate tirelessly for maximum benefits for you.
Why Choose Team Law as Your New Jersey Military Burn Pit Exposure Lawyers?
Team Law’s military burn pit attorneys in Clark, NJ, bring to your case our:
- Extensive experience: Our firm has helped Veterans and other injured NJ claimants secure compensation for more than 60 years.
- Personalized approach: We ensure your claim and the documentation we gather paints the full picture of your unique medical situation and its impact on your life, your health, and your ability to work.
- No upfront cost for legal assistance: You need help getting the benefits you’re entitled to, not another financial burden. Team Law assists Veterans who are injured due to burn pit exposures with disability claims at no upfront cost.
Contact the New Jersey Military Burn Pit Exposure Lawyers at Team Law Today for a Free Consultation
You don’t have to look far to find guidance for a complex VA disability claim. For help from military burn pit attorneys in Clark, NJ, contact Team Law online or call us today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Military Burn Pit Exposure Claims in New Jersey
Military burn pits were used to dispose of a wide array of materials, including human waste, medical waste, chemicals, tires, plastics, metal, and more. Unfortunately, burning such materials pollutes the air with toxic chemicals like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, and furans. Because burn pits are open, the chemicals released by burning waste in them could expose service members in the immediate area and even those who lived or worked nearby to significant health risks, including the risk of many different types of cancer and respiratory diseases.
Under current law, Veterans can generally qualify for VA disability benefits for burn pit exposure if they meet the following conditions:
-Service and discharge requirements
-Diagnosis of a presumptive condition for burn pit exposure injuries
-The extent of disability due to such injury
To review your eligibility and begin putting together a strong claim for maximum compensation, count on Team Law’s military burn pit attorneys in Clark, NJ.
Under the VA, disability benefits are awarded based on your disability rating, which establishes the extent to which your injuries have caused you to be disabled. The number and type of dependents you are responsible for supporting can also affect your eligibility for benefits.
The VA doesn’t award a specific disability rating for burn pit exposure injuries but rather considers the severity of your specific injuries. If assigned the least severe disability rating, 10%, your monthly payment (based on data effective December 2023) would amount to $171.23. With the most severe 100% disability rating, a disabled Veteran with a spouse, one child, and two parents to support could receive $4,433.39, plus additional compensation for additional dependent children.
Getting maximum benefits requires you to provide compelling evidence of the extent of your disability.
While not required to undertake the claims process, experienced New Jersey military burn pit exposure lawyers can add considerable value to your claim. Team Law’s military burn pit attorneys in Clark, NJ, can assist you by meticulously documenting your injuries to ensure the disability rating you receive reflects the true severity of your condition.
By managing the claim for you, we also make the process of securing the benefits you deserve less stressful, allowing you to focus on your health rather than filling out paperwork and compiling medical records.
Team Law is outstanding. Everyone is courteous and knowledgeable and I felt that I got the personal attention that I needed.
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