Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Agent Orange Link To Parkinson’s

Vietnam Veterans Exposed To Agent Orange Qualify For More Benefits From 2021 Ndaa

Illnesses Caused by and Connected to Agent Orange | Department of Veterans Affairs | theSITREP

ALBANY, N.Y. Its been over 50 years since Emil Baker was eating, sleeping, and fighting on the base known as Rocket City during the Vietnam War. However, the toxic fumes from Agent Orange that filled his lungs at only 19-years-old still continue to impact his health today.

As a kid, Id say, this is great. Theres absolutely no vegetation here. And here I am lying in Agent Orange with no clue that it was there, Baker said.

The newly passed 2021 Defense Authorization Act has recognized three more illnesses stemming from exposure to Agent Orange during service.

Baker is one of the more than 34,000 Veterans who will now be eligible for benefits for Parkinsonism, Bladder Cancer, or Hypothyroidismconditions now acknowledged as service-connected presumptive conditions.

I have tremors. My balance is off, I trip and fall, Im unsteady. And now, my memory. I have certain words I cant come out with, Baker said.

Baker suffers from ParksonsismParkinsons-like symptoms without the diagnosis of the disease. Parkinsons Disease was already acknowledged as one of the 14 diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure however, that still left Baker without benefits for his Parksons-like symptoms.

Baker made his claim for his Parkinsonism on New Years Day after the defense bill passed. He said, its progress, but its come a bit late for many Vietnam Veterans in need.

Baker agrees that Veterans, especially from the Vietnam War, dont like asking for help.

Work Use Of Pesticides Linked With Parkinson’s

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WASHINGTON, Sept 14 – U.S. researchers said on Monday they had made more links between the use of pesticides and Parkinson’s disease but said they only found a higher risk for people who use the chemicals as part of their job.

Three compounds, including an ingredient in the Vietnam-era herbicide Agent Orange, the herbicide paraquat and the insecticide permethrin were associated with a more than three-fold increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, they found.

Their study, published in the Archives of Neurology, backs a growing body of research linking the incurable and often deadly brain disease with pesticide and herbicide use.

“Because few investigations have identified specific pesticides, we studied eight pesticides with high neurotoxic plausibility based on laboratory findings,” Dr. Caroline Tanner of the Parkinson’s Institute in Sunnyvale, California and colleagues wrote.

They studied 519 people with Parkinson’s disease and 511 similar people who did not have Parkinson’s.

“We examined risk of parkinsonism in occupations and toxicant exposures putatively associated with parkinsonism,” they wrote.

“Work in agriculture, education, health care, or welding was not associated with increased risk of parkinsonism,” they added.

“Occupational use of pesticides was associated with an almost 80 percent greater risk of parkinsonism. Growing evidence suggests a causal association between pesticide use and parkinsonism.”

Parkinson’s And Agent Orange

herbicidedefoliantherbicidal warfareexposed to herbicides during military servicedisability compensationhealth careVA specialty care for Parkinson’s diseaseAgent Orange registry health examsurvivors’ benefitstooth cracks14 conditions related to herbicide exposurePending Agent Orange legislation for 117th Congress :S.657H.R.2269A bill tH.R.3967The Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, or the Honoring Our PACT Act. Based on 15 individual bipartisan toxic exposure bills, this is the most comprehensive toxic exposure bill ever considered in Congress.H.R.8585

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Environmental Factors In Parkinsons Disease

Here are environmental factors that may play a role in the development of Parkinsons disease:

Although environmental exposure to these and other toxins is of continued research interest, its hard to determine if any one substance is a culprit. Most often, individual cases of Parkinsons disease result from a complex interplay between genetics and environmental and other factors.

Help With Your Va Appeal

Understanding Between Agent Orange and Parkinson

Veterans who were diagnosed with Parkinsons from Agent Orange exposure are entitled to disability compensation. If you applied for disability benefits and were denied or given a lower than expected rating, Berry Law can help you appeal.

As a firm founded by a Vietnam Veteran, we are dedicated to helping fellow Veterans in their fight for disability benefits. Berry Law has been named the Veterans Appeals Law Firm of the Year and was awarded the HIREVets Platinum Medallion Award for their commitment to hiring Veterans.

When you need assistance with your VA disability appeal, contact a team that is dedicated to serving Veterans. Contact Berry Law today for a free case evaluation.

Berry Law

The attorneys at Berry Law Firm are dedicated to helping injured Veterans. With extensive experience working with VA disability claims, Berry Law can help you with your disability appeals.

This material is for informational purposes only. It does not create an attorney-client relationship between the Firm and the reader, and does not constitute legal advice. Legal advice must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case, and the contents of this blog are not a substitute for legal counsel.

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The Right Legal Guidance Can Make The Difference In Getting Disability Benefits For Parkinsons Disease

At Marc Whitehead & Associates, we can help you prepare an initial SSDI or LTD application for the best possible outcome. If youve already been denied benefits for Parkinsons, our attorneys will develop and file a solid appeal to rebut a wrongful claim denial.

Our accredited veterans claims lawyers help vets across the U.S. get their rightful benefit payments approved in the shortest amount of time possible.

We have helped hundreds of claimants with Parkinsons disease get disability benefits. and as we analyze your situation, we identify and fix critical information gaps in any of part of your claim including missing medical data or incomplete vocational and functional evidence. We work in cooperation with your treating physicians and may enlist the assistance of qualified vocational experts, and much more.You must never give up. Call us toll free at or request a Free Legal Consultation to learn how we can help. Parkinsons is a serious disability, and we are able to assist you wherever you live.

About Marc Whitehead

Characteristics Of The Patients

The study included 143 patients exposed to Agent Orange and 500 patients with no exposure to Agent Orange. Information regarding demographics of patients with exposure to Agent Orange versus no exposure to Agent Orange is documented in Table 1. The female prevalence was higher in patients exposed to Agent Orange as compared to patients with no exposure to Agent Orange. The age, onset age, symptom duration, HY stage, and subtypes of PDs were not significantly different between the study subjects .

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The Tragic Link Between Paraquat And Parkinsons Disease And Torhoerman Laws Quest For Justice

EDWARDSVILLE, IL / ACCESSWIRE / December 31, 2020 / Paraquat is putting farmers and farming communities across the nation in danger. The herbicide has been directly linked to Parkinsons disease and has already been banned in many countries, including China, Brazil, and the EU. This begs the question of why farmers in all 50 states are still able to utilize the dangerous chemical. TorHoerman Law is on a mission to bring awareness to this dangerous chemical, the risks involved, and the legal options available to those who suffer from Parkinsons linked to Paraquat exposure.

Paraquat is a chemical agent used primarily as an herbicide in no-till farming. Its most commonly used as a spray, being a less labor-intensive alternative to discing/standard tilling farming. As more weeds become resistant to RoundUp, Paraquats popularity in farming continues to grow across the US. In 2017, the last year in which data is available, use was estimated to be almost 10 million pounds annually in the United States.

The dangers of ingesting the chemical are fairly well-known, as a dose of just 2.5 grams is lethal. For this reason, it has been the cause of death in multiple suicides and accidental deaths. The immediate effects of Paraquat are deadly, but the lasting effects of Paraquat exposure may pose an even more sinister threat to farmers, pesticide applicators, tank fillers/mixers, and the families living in and around farming communities.

Contact Name: Chad A Finley

Common Symptoms Of Parkinsons Disease

How Many Veterans Have Been Exposed to Agent Orange? Department of Veterans Affairs | theSITREP

Because Parkinsons is a progressive disease, the symptoms vary in manifestation and duration. Listed below are signs of Parkinsons at the initial/mild stage, the secondary/moderate stage, and advanced stage. We also cover parkinson-like symptoms.

Initial/Mild Sign of Parkinsons:

  • Resting tremor
  • Rigidity stiffness & inflexibility of the limbs, neck & trunk
  • Postural Instability tendency to be unstable when standing upright
  • Change in posture and facial expressions

Secondary/Moderate Signs of Parkinsons:

  • Freezing the temporary sensation of ones feet being glued to the floor
  • Micrographia
  • Drooling

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Common Medication For Parkinsons Disease

Medications such as Levodopa can be a lifesaver to Parkinsons sufferers, however up to 10% of those medicated by PD medications such as Levodopa, Carbidopa, and Entacapone experience cardiovascular symptoms such as irregular heartbeat, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and stroke. One study found that 2.4% of patients who were taking carbidopa/levodopa had cardiovascular ischemic events, compared to only 1.1% in patients taking a placebo.

A 2013 study found a nearly three-fold increase in the risk of stroke in patients with Parkinsons. There is also a two-fold increase in the risk of heart failure and a 50% increase in the risk of dying from heart failure in Parkinsons patients.

Diseases Caused By Agent Orange

Although there may be other conditions and Agent Orange side effects that stem from your exposure to the herbicide, the following are some of the most common ones that qualify for disability compensation with a presumptive connection from the VA. If you believe your application for disability benefits has been wrongly denied, you should contact a VA disability attorney for help.

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Parkinsons Disease And Long Term Disability Insurance Claims

You may have group disability insurance coverage as part of an employee benefits plan, or you may have purchased an individual disability policy as protection against loss of income.

In either case, to receive these long term disability benefits for Parkinsons disease, you need to meet your plan or policys definition of disability. This generally requires that, due to sickness or injury, you are now unable to perform the duties of your own occupation or another occupation.

Your insurance company may not fully understand the impact that Parkinsons disease can have on a person over time, both physically and cognitively. Claim examiners may not appreciate how is it that you have been able to work for years with PD and now suddenly you cannot.

Our attorneys do understand. We also know what it takes to submit a strong LTD insurance claim to prove disability for Parkinsons or file an appeal that will stand up in court.

We prepare for the tactics insurers use to avoid having to pay monthly benefits. Here are a few:

Is Paraquat Banned In The United States

Review: Agent Orange Linked to Bladder Cancer, Hypothyroidism ...

While many countries in the world have banned paraquat, in the United States, the weed killer is still in use on many farmlands sprayed with the deadly weed and grass killer.

There are no federal or state laws that ban consumers from buying or using paraquat. However, no one can sell the chemical to anyone under 18. In addition, the US Department of Transportation restricts the herbicide to transport on public roadways because of its toxicity.

In the United States, multiple states have issued a ban on paraquat for any agricultural purpose. Using paraquat as an active ingredient against plants and vegetation is illegal.

Two of the states that have banned paraquat:

  • Connecticut
  • Hawaii

Although paraquat has been banned in some states, it is still legal in other states. In the states where paraquat is still legal to use and purchase, federal agencies have restricted its transportation on public roadways due to toxicity concerns.

The paraquat lawyers at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers represent victims harmed by the toxic chemical, including those diagnosed with Parkinsons disease.

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Agent Orange Effects And Presumptive Service Connection

The Agent Orange Act of 1991 established presumptive service connection for veterans who served during certain time periods in specific locations and have been diagnosed with one of the above conditions. In addition, the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021 expanded presumptions related to Agent Orange exposure to include additional locations and time periods.

Presumption of exposure means that veterans who served in these locations, at certain times, do not have to provide the typical elements to establish service connection. Unlike other claimants, they do not need to show evidence of an in-service event or injury leading to their condition.

Disabilities Secondary To Parkinsons Disease

While most people tend to think of Parkinsons disorder as a neurological movement disorder, and it most certainly is, many people do not realize that other systems in the body can also be severely affected by Parkinsons. Often, the same chemical exposure can also cause other disorders, such as ischemic heart disease. However, often it is the Parkinsons itself, or the medication used to treat it that is the causal factor in the development of a new disorder. Whether a veterans Parkinsons was caused by exposure to the TCDD in agent orange, pesticides, trichloroethylene, or its origins are unknown, Parkinsons cause many secondary health effects and disabilities.

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Va Disability Benefits For Agent Orange

How do you qualify for Agent Orange benefits? For the conditions above, you may not need to prove a service connection. However, you will need to provide the VA with medical evidence of your diagnosis so it can evaluate your condition and give you a relevant disability rating.The VA has a long list of illnesses and diseases related to Agent Orange exposure that are eligible for disability compensation. The VA wants to make it easy for Veterans with an approved illness to get the disability compensation they deserve.Update: In May, 2021, the VA made it even easier for veterans to get the help they need.

The VA has added 3 new presumptive conditions related to Agent Orange exposure. Veterans and survivors with these presumptive conditions are now also eligible for benefits:

  • Parkinsonism
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Bladder cancer

The good news is that you don’t have to file anything to claim these new benefits. If the VA denied your claim in the past for any of these conditions, you will receive a notification that your case is once again under review.

Cardiovascular Issues From Parkinsons

Agent Orange Exposure: How VA Can Help | Department of Veterans Affairs | theSITREP

Parkinsons is known as a neurodegenerative disorder that is, it causes neurons to degenerate or decay. The most famous area for PD degeneration is in an area of the brain called the substantia nigra, where Parkinsons causes the death of neurons that generate dopamine, a neurotransmitter which is involved with movement. However, more recent studies have also shown that Parkinsons also attacks nerves in the heart which produce another neurotransmitter, noradrenaline. This typically takes place in the left ventricle and can have many complications.

Noradrenaline is the primary messenger used by the sympathetic nervous system, the system of the body used to control things we dont consciously think about: the beating of the heart, breathing, blood pressure, even how dilated our pupils are at any given time.

The most common cardiovascular problem related to Parkinsons is orthostatic hypotension, which is a sudden drop in blood pressure when standing or sitting upright. Many Parkinsons patients may need to get out of bed or out of a chair extremely slowly to avoid passing out. This can cause FURTHER secondary disabilities, including orthopedic or muscular trauma due to falls.

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Service Connection For Parkinsons Disease

Some former service members may be eligible for direct service connection, meaning something happened in military service that caused your Parkinsons or the disease was first diagnosed or manifested during service. This service connection is not easy to prove and will almost always require an independent medical opinion to show that you were beginning to show signs of Parkinsons during service or a particular chemical you were exposed to caused the condition.

Parkinsons And Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury occurs when brain function is disrupted by a traumatic event such as an IED blast, gunshot, car accident, etc. There has been a substantial increase in TBIs among service members since the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The VA diagnoses a TBI as mild, moderate, or severe based on the severity of their symptoms.

If Parkinsons Disease develops at any point following a moderate or severe TBI, the veteran will be presumptively service-connected for it.

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Parkinson S Disease Farmers And Herbicideuse: New Research Strengthens The Link

In rural Fairfield, Montana Parkinsons disease occurrencesare much higher than the national aver age of 1 in 1000 peopleover the age o! 60, and 1 in 10,000 people under the age of 60.At least 12 people living around the Fairfield area, with apopulation of 650, have contracted the disease. Dick Chalfon isone of them. A lifelong farmer, Chalfon began feeling weakseveral years ego. Two years ego, after he was diagnosed ashaving Parkinsons disease, he quit farming. My legs wouldget tired walking. Its gotten steadily worse, saysChalfon.

Parkinsons disease, a nervous system disorder, decreasesmuscle control and can eventually cripple the patient. Accordingto Dr. William Koller, a Parkinsons expert at the University ofKansas Medical Center, people who handle herbicides, drink wellwater, or are around industrial pollutants, appear more likely tocontract the disease. A new study conducted by researchers fromthe University of Calgary and the University of Saskatchewantests the hypothesis that the occupational use of herbicides isassociated with an increased risk for Parkinsons disease.2

The association between pesticide use and risk of Parkinsonsdisease has been studied for almost ten years, since researchersnoted that users of a drug that is chemically similar to theherbicide paraquat developed Parkinsons disease.

Ecke, Richard. 1992 Parkinsons hits rural Montana Great FallsTribune.

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