The PACT Act & Asbestos Exposure

Help with VA Benefits

What Is the PACT Act?

The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 was passed to significantly expand access for U.S. veterans facing serious illnesses connected to their military service.

Specifically, the PACT Act allowed veterans with cancers and serious illnesses to automatically qualify for VA benefits if they were exposed to specific toxins, like burn pits or Agent Orange, during their service.

Here’s what to know about the PACT Act & asbestos:

• Presumptive PACT Act diseases: Bladder cancer, COPD, thyroid cancer, brain cancer, glioblastoma, pleuritis, and more
• Toxic exposures covered: Agent Orange, radiation, burn pits, and more
• Asbestos connection: Mesothelioma and asbestos exposure aren’t explicitly covered, but some provisions could help (like expansion of VA toxic screening programs)

Though mesothelioma isn’t considered a presumptive condition under the PACT Act, we’re here to help affected veterans more easily get benefits.

Major Jonathan Nelson (Ret.) can explain whether any part of the PACT Act may apply to your case and help you file for VA mesothelioma benefits for free. Get started right now with his help.

Does the PACT Act Cover Asbestos Exposure?

No, the PACT Act does not cover exposure to asbestos. Despite what other sources may claim, the VA’s official publications around the PACT Act do not explicitly mention asbestos exposure or mesothelioma.

The PACT Act covers exposure to toxins such as:

• Agent Orange during the Vietnam War and other herbicides
• Contaminated drinking water at USMC Camp Lejeune
• Burn pits, like those in Middle Eastern countries
• Radiation on cleanup missions between 1966 and 1980
• Sand, dust, and other particulate agents

Additionally, you need to have served at specific military locations and have a qualifying illness in order to automatically qualify for VA benefits, per the PACT Act’s requirements.

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  “The key benefit of the PACT Act is that it creates a presumption of service-connectedness for certain conditions. This means that veterans don’t have to prove that there’s a connection. It allows you to skip that step, just not for asbestos-related diseases.”

  – Major Jonathan Nelson (Ret), VA-accredited attorney & Marine Corps veteran

How Does the PACT Act Work?

The PACT Act supports U.S. veterans with service-related health problems in several ways. The most significant benefit is that it automatically allows some U.S. veterans to get VA disability compensation.

Typically, veterans need to file a claim and provide supporting evidence to receive VA disability benefits. But under the PACT Act, dozens of illnesses are considered “presumptive,” meaning the VA automatically recognizes they’re service-related. This makes it much easier for veterans to get benefits.

Other benefits of the PACT Act include:

• Establishing toxic exposure screenings for more U.S. veterans
• Expanding VA health care coverage to those who served in combat after 9/11 or who were exposed to toxins
• More easily receiving VA benefits for presumptive conditions if a previous claim was denied
• Processing your VA PACT Act claim more quickly so you can access benefits sooner

However, U.S. veterans with mesothelioma don’t automatically qualify for VA benefits through the PACT Act. They still must submit documentation proving when, where, and how they were exposed while serving.

At the Mesothelioma Veterans Center, we can make the process easier by handling the VA claims process for veterans at no cost. Call (877) 450-8973 for help pursuing mesothelioma VA benefits.

PACT Act Asbestos Presumptive Conditions

Right now, there are no PACT Act asbestos presumptive conditions. All of the health issues under the act are directly correlated to other toxins that U.S. veterans may have been exposed to at different periods during military conflicts.

The 23 illnesses considered PACT Act presumptive conditions include:

• Asthma that formed after serving
• Brain cancer
• Chronic or constrictive bronchitis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Chronic rhinitis
• Chronic sinusitis
• Emphysema
• Gastrointestinal cancer (any type)
• Glioblastoma
• Granulomatous disease
• Head cancer of any type
• Interstitial lung disease
• Kidney cancer
• Lymphoma of any type
• Melanoma
• Neck cancer of any type
• Obliterative bronchiolitis
• Pancreatic cancer
• Pleuritis
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Reproductive cancer (any type)
• Respiratory cancer (any type)
• Sarcoidosis

A few of these conditions may also occur in veterans exposed to asbestos. These include pleuritis (inflammation of the lung lining) and an interstitial lung disease called asbestosis.

However, in the context of the PACT Act, veterans won’t automatically qualify for benefits if asbestos is the cause of these issues. They still need to document when, where, and how the exposure occurred through a standard VA claim.

How Does the PACT Act Help U.S. Veterans With Mesothelioma?

While the PACT Act doesn’t directly cover mesothelioma or asbestos, affected veterans can still potentially benefit from some of its provisions.

The PACT Act may help mesothelioma veterans by:

• Covering co-occurring health issues: If veterans with mesothelioma have another health problem from exposures listed under the PACT Act, they can more easily get benefits for it. This includes Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange and asbestos or those who participated in biowarfare studies aboard U.S. Navy ships in the 1960s and 1970s. They’d still need to provide evidence of asbestos exposure to claim for mesothelioma.
• Expanding VA medical care: Under the act, the VA will establish 31 health care facilities across the country, allowing more veterans to get the care they deserve.
• Offering toxic exposure screenings: Any U.S. veteran enrolled in VA health care will receive a toxic exposure screening, with follow-ups every 5 years. These screenings help veterans understand the risk of mesothelioma after asbestos exposure and recommend next steps.
• Promoting research: The act encourages more research and training so VA care providers can provide the highest-quality care for veterans suffering from toxic-exposure-related illnesses.

All of these initiatives broadly help U.S. veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma or other service-related health problems by expanding the level and scope of care that the VA provides.

The PACT Act & VA Benefits for Mesothelioma

Since mesothelioma isn’t a presumptive condition under the PACT Act, you’ll need to show when, where, and how you were exposed to asbestos during your service.

At the Mesothelioma Veterans Center, we can help you throughout the VA benefits process at no cost to you. Major Nelson is VA-accredited, meaning he understands how to guide you through getting your benefits.

He can help you file for mesothelioma VA benefits by:

• Helping you fill out VA forms
• Gathering asbestos exposure documents and evidence
• Requesting nexus letters (medical proof of diagnosis)
• Filing your claim to help you get benefits as soon as possible

Mesothelioma is almost always considered a 100% disability by the VA, awarding $4,158.17 monthly in many cases.

Also, if you were previously denied benefits for a condition now covered under the PACT Act, the VA encourages you to re-file since you may automatically qualify. It’s possible to get benefits for both a PACT Act condition and mesothelioma at the same time.

Questions about mesothelioma benefits and the PACT Act? Ask Major Nelson now.

Help Navigating the PACT Act & Mesothelioma VA Benefits

While the PACT Act doesn’t cover asbestos, the fact is that thousands of U.S. veterans risked exposure. Asbestos was used by the military through the early 1980s, and roughly 1,000 U.S. veterans are diagnosed with mesothelioma per year.

These brave veterans are entitled to and deserving of VA benefits, including monthly disability compensation, health care coverage, and more.

At the Mesothelioma Veterans Center, we’re here to:

• Help veterans file for asbestos VA benefits for free
• Understand how the PACT Act may apply to them
• Pursue other compensation options and resources
• Get support during this uncertain time

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  “I'm here to help make sure that U.S. veterans with mesothelioma get what they're entitled to.”

  – Major Jonathan Nelson (Ret), VA-accredited attorney & Marine Corps veteran

Call (877) 450-8973 or get free help filing for mesothelioma VA benefits now by working with Major Nelson.