Jon Stewart, activists urge veterans to apply for exposure benefits
Veterans and the families of veterans who have contracted certain illnesses are eligible for benefits via the PACT Act, and the deadline is coming.
LEARN MOREPosted: 7:50 a.m. EDT Jul 10, 2023
There is an important deadline for those who have served in the military and have an illness — Aug. 9 — and you may be eligible for benefits even if you were denied them in the past.
Last year President Biden signed the PACT Act, which gives veterans benefits and retroactively pays them if they believe their illness is due to burn pits, agent orange or other toxic substances.
The act added more than 20 conditions that could be caused by the toxins. For example, if you suffer from high blood pressure and served in the Vietnam War, you could receive benefits without any further questions. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will assume it is linked.
Those who file a claim before the Aug. 9 deadline could be eligible for thousands of dollars of backdated benefits for both veterans and their surviving families.
Even if you do not think your illness is linked to your service or that you're eligible, it is recommended that you go ahead and apply. The VA is experiencing a backlog in processing the claims, but it is important to get your application in and get the process started. You can apply on the Department of Veterans Affairs website.
This story was originally published by Brianna Hamblin at Scripps News Nashville.
