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Welcome to The Veterans Disability Nexus, where we provide unique insights and expertise on medical evidence related to VA-rated disabilities. Leah Bucholz, a US Army Veteran, Physician Assistant, & former Compensation & Pension Examiner shares her knowledge related to Independent Medical Opinions often referred to as “Nexus Letters” in support of your pursuit of VA Disability every Tuesday & Wednesday at 7AM Central.
Take control of your medical evidence related to your benefits and visit https://podcast.prestigeveteranmctx.info/veteran/ for more information and to connect directly with us!
Hey guys, it's Leah B from Prestige Veteran Medical Consulting. I am a US Army veteran, physician assistant and former compensation and pension examiner. So welcome back. I wanted to come on today and break down some important topics that impact the veteran community. And today we're gonna dive into a critical issue that has affected many veterans and countless service members and their families, and that is PFAS exposure on military bases.
Leah Bucholz:So these forever chemicals have been linked to serious health effects that we're gonna go over in a little bit and many veterans may be eligible for VA disability. So we're gonna talk about what PFAS are, health concerns and how you can file a VA disability claim with your accredited legal professional if you believe you have a disorder related to this exposure. So what is PFAS or what are PFAS? So PFAS or Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances are a group of manmade chemicals that have been used in various industrial and consumer products since the 1940s. They're commonly found in firefighting foams, nonstick cookware, water resistant clothing and more.
Leah Bucholz:Because they don't break down in the environment, they've been, given that name forever chemicals. So for military members, we see, the biggest concern coming from AFF or aqueous firefighting foam, which was widely used on military bases for fire suppression. This foam has contaminated water supplies on many bases leading to long term exposures. So some of those health risks of PFAS exposure include a variety of cancers. So there have been a lot of studies out there that have linked PFAS exposure to things like kidney cancer, testicular cancer, prostate, bladder, things like that, liver damage, thyroid diseases, weakened immune systems, reproductive issues, high cholesterol, heart disease risks.
Leah Bucholz:Many veterans who served at bases with known PFAS contamination are now experiencing these conditions. And the question is, does VA recognize these conditions and these health effects and can you get compensation for PFAS related illnesses? So let's talk about the VA claims process in just a minute. But if you're looking for a more in-depth information, there are several key research articles and official resources that you can look at to help you explore, more about PFAS exposure in veterans. So let me get my list out here.
Leah Bucholz:So the VA's official PFAS exposure page gives a breakdown of affected basis and current efforts, and that's at www.www.publichealth.va.gov/exposureppass. Veterans guide has an excellent summary of how veterans are exposed in the push for new legislation. DAV or disabled American veterans issue a brief outline that calls for legislative changes to help veterans affected by PFAS and that's at dav.org. So VA is actively studying the link between PFAS and kidney cancer. And there's a good article on news.va.gov about that.
Leah Bucholz:So you definitely have some things that you can look out for VA wise. So PFAS water experts also provide context on long term health risks tied to military related PFAS exposure, which is that article can be found at pfaswaterexperts.org/healthrisk-four veterans exposed to toxic PFAS. So these sources are a great place to start if you're researching or preparing to file a claim. So how do veterans file a claim? So that's a really great question as well.
Leah Bucholz:So if you suspect that your condition is related to PFAS exposure, you certainly can start by talking to your doctor about it to see if they agree that this your testicular cancer or whatever is related to PFAS exposure. If they're certainly willing to document that in your medical records that would be helpful. You can look up to see on va.gov if you were at any of the bases with PFAS contamination or if you had an MOS that handled AF quite frequently. So you can gather that medical evidence to include any treatment records, any in service documentation. Maybe you had some training records that showed that you handled PFAS or you handled AFF quite a bit.
Leah Bucholz:So if you wanna file a VA disability claim, va.gov has a great help doc that lets veterans step by step instructions on how to file their own claim and different things on the appeals aspect. Or you can get with a accredited legal professional. So you can get with a VSO, if you've been denied before you can get with a accredited legal, accredited agent or an accredited attorney. They may be able to help you with the appeal or new filing depending on who you're talking with and what they do. Va.gov has a big list of a searchable list for you to find someone that can help you with that.
Leah Bucholz:So for current policies and future changes right now PFAS related illnesses are not yet on the VA's presumptive list, but that could change. So Congress and veteran advocacy groups have been pushing for greater recognition of PFAS related disabilities. And it's important to stay informed and up to date on that so it can make it easier for you as veterans and you advocates that are watching. I know a lot of VSOs have told me they've watched this, our content for you guys to stay up to date on this. So if you filed a claim and you've been denied for, do not give up.
Leah Bucholz:So many veterans are still winning their claims with the support of those great legal advocates out there. So PFAS is really serious. And if you have cancer or another disorder related to that, I'm very sorry. If your health hasn't been impacted, take action and don't just sit around and say, well, don't deserve these benefits, etcetera. File a claim or appeal if you've been denied, if you believe that it's related to your service.
Leah Bucholz:And if you need assistance, reach out to those professionals. Again, va.gov has a great list of searchable contacts that you can look for that are accredited by the Office of General Counsel. So I hope you guys liked this video. Please like and subscribe. Please drop some comments if you guys have any questions.
Leah Bucholz:And as always, thank you for watching and I will talk to you guys soon.