DISABILITY COMPENSATION

“PRESUMPTIVE” DISABILITY BENEFITS 

Disabilities determined by VA to be related to your military service can lead to monthly non-taxable compensation, enrollment in the 

VA health care system, a 10-point hiring preference for federal employment and other important benefits. Ask your VA 

representative or Veterans Service Organization representative about Disability Compensation, Pension, Health Care, Caregiver

Program, Career Services, Educational Assistance, Home Loan Guaranty,Insurance and/or Dependents and Survivors’ Benefits.

WHAT IS “PRESUMPTIVE” SERVICE CONNECTION? 

VA presumes that specific disabilities diagnosed in certain veterans were caused by their military 

service. VA does this because of the unique circumstances of their military service. If one of these 

conditions is diagnosed in a Veteran in one of these groups, VA presumes that the circumstances of 

his/her service caused the condition, and disability compensation can be awarded.

WHAT CONDITIONS ARE “PRESUMED” TO BE CAUSED BY MILITARY SERVICE?

Veterans in the groups identified below: Entitlement to disability compensation may be presumed 

under the circumstances described and for the conditions listed.

Veterans within one year of release from active duty: Veterans diagnosed with chronic diseases (such 

as arthritis, diabetes, or hypertension) are encouraged to apply for disability compensation.

Veterans with continuous service of 90 days or more: Veterans diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral 

sclerosis (ALS)/Lou Gehrig's disease at any time after discharge or release from qualifying active 

service is sufficient to establish service connection for the disease, if the veteran had active, 

continuous service of 90 days or more.

Former Prisoners of War Vietnam Veterans

(Exposed to Agent 

Orange)

Atomic Veterans (Exposed 

to Ionizing Radiation)

Gulf War Veterans

(Undiagnosed Illness)

(1) Imprisoned for any 

length of time, and 

disability at least 10 

percent disabling:

 psychosis

 any of the anxiety 

states

 dysthymic 

disorder

Served in the Republic 

of Vietnam between 

1/9/62 and 5/7/75:

 acute and subacute 

peripheral neuropathy*

 AL amyloidosis 

 B-cell leukemias

 chloracne or other 

acneform disease 

similar to chloracne*

 chronic lymphocytic 

leukemia

Participated in 

atmospheric nuclear 

testing; occupied or was a 

POW in Hiroshima or 

Nagasaki; service before 

2/1/92 at a diffusion plant 

in Paducah, KY, 

Portsmouth, OH, or Oak 

Served in the Southwest 

Asia Theater of 

Operations during the 

Gulf War with condition at 

least 10 percent disabling 

by 12/31/11. Included are 

medically unexplained 

chronic multi-symptom 
Compensation and Pension Service –February 2015 

 organic residuals 

of frostbite

 post-traumatic 

osteoarthritis

 heart disease or 

hypertensive 

vascular disease 

and their 

complications

 stroke and its 

residuals

(2) Imprisoned for at least 

30 days, and disability at 

least 10 percent disabling:

 avitaminosis

 beriberi

 chronic dysentery

 helminthiasis 

 malnutrition (including 

optic atrophy) 

 pellagra

 any other nutritional 

deficiency

 irritable bowel 

syndrome

 peptic ulcer disease

 peripheral neuropathy

 cirrhosis of the liver

 diabetes type 2

 Hodgkin's disease

 ischemic heart disease

 multiple myeloma

 non-Hodgkin's 

lymphoma

 Parkinson's disease

 porphyria cutanea 

tarda*

 prostate cancer

 respiratory cancers 

(lung, bronchus, 

larynx, trachea)

 soft-tissue sarcoma 

(other than 

osteosarcoma, 

chondrosarcoma, 

Kaposi's sarcoma or 

mesothelioma)

*Must become 

manifest to a degree 

of 10 percent or more 

within a year after the

last date on which the 

veteran was exposed 

to an herbicide agent 

during active military, 

naval, or air service.

Ridge, TN; or service 

before 1/1/74 at Amchitka 

Island, AK:

 all forms of leukemia 

(except for chronic 

lymphocytic leukemia)

 cancer of the thyroid, 

breast, pharynx, 

esophagus, stomach, 

small intestine, 

pancreas, bile ducts, 

gall bladder, salivary 

gland, urinary tract 

(kidneys, renal pelves, 

ureters, urinary 

bladder and urethra), 

brain, bone, lung, 

colon, ovary

 bronchiolo-alveolar 

carcinoma

 multiple myeloma

 lymphomas (other 

than Hodgkin's 

disease)

primary liver cancer 

(except if cirrhosis or 

hepatitis B is indicated)

illnesses defined by a 

cluster of signs or 

symptoms that have 

existed for six months or 

more, such as:

 chronic fatigue 

syndrome

 fibromyalgia

 irritable bowel 

syndrome

 any diagnosed or 

undiagnosed illness 

that the Secretary of 

Veterans Affairs 

determines warrants a 

presumption of 

service connection

Signs or symptoms of an 

undiagnosed illness 

include: fatigue, skin 

symptoms, headaches, 

muscle pain, joint pain, 

neurological symptoms, 

respiratory symptoms, 

sleep disturbance, GI 

symptoms, cardiovascular 

symptoms, weight loss, 

menstrual disorders