Faster OK sought for Agent Orange claims

[unhappycamper]

Faster OK sought for Agent Orange claims
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Nov 8, 2007 13:09:00 EST

The chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee has a radical idea to cut the huge and seemingly intractable backlog of veterans’ benefits claims.

To focus on handling new claims from Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., says the Department of Veterans Affairs should approve — with minimal questioning — claims filed by Vietnam veterans, especially those whose claims deal with exposure to the toxic herbicide Agent Orange.

In an interview Thursday, Filner said he sees no way for VA to make headway in reducing the backlog of more than 400,000 claims without “radical” reforms that must include eliminating an adversarial process that puts veterans in a defensive position.

“We know Agent Orange is a carcinogen, and that people could be exposed directly or indirectly in Vietnam,” he said. “We don’t need to be demanding scientific proof any longer.”

Expanded compensation would include paying the disputed claims of Navy veterans who served in the waters off Vietnam and never came ashore but think they still have herbicide-related health problems.

Filner’s idea would require an act of Congress. He envisions linking it with other disability legislation.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/11/military_filnervets_071108w/



uhc comment: It's only been 40 years, what's the rush?

FWIW, if you think Agent Orange is bad news, wait another 40 years until the backlogged veteran's claims about depleted uranium hits the news cycle. Depleted uranium is Agent Orange on steroids.

[democrank]

1. The days of needing "scientific proof" are O-V-E-R!

Do whatever needs to be done to help those suffering from Agent Orange. It`s certainly money better spent than a freaking bridge to nowhere!