Important News Regarding Burn Pit Exposure

Written By Wesley McCauley

After many years, the VA has finally recognized a published list of medical conditions that are related to veterans who served in certain areas and were exposed to open air burn pits or burning oil fields. 

If you served in Afghanistan, Djibouti, Syria, and Uzbekistan during the Persian Gulf War, from September of 2001, to the present, or the Southwest Asia theater from August of 1990, to the present, and have one of the following conditions, you are now thankfully covered under the presumptive list, which includes: asthma, rhinitis, or sinusitis. If you previously had a claim denied for one of the listed conditions but served in the covered areas, you should contact the VA to ensure they reopen the claim.

While the listed conditions are now presumptive, many other conditions can be (and have been) linked to burn pit exposure and oil field fires. If you believe you now suffer from a condition as a result of exposure and have been denied, please contact us to discuss your options. 

A sample list of other conditions includes:

  1. Asthma

  2. Autoimmune disorders, such as Lupus

  3. Bladder Cancer

  4. Chronic B-Cell Leukemias

  5. Constrictive Bronchitis

  6. COPD

  7. Diabetes, Type II

  8. Hodgkin’s Disease

  9. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

  10. Ischemic Heart Disease

  11. Lung Cancer

  12. Multiple Myeloma

  13. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

  14. Parkinson’s Disease

  15. Prostate Cancer

If you had a claim denied for one of the non-presumptive conditions, contact us to discuss filing an appeal.

Wesley McCauley

While working as the Operations Lieutenant for his local fire department during college, Wesley found his love for veteran’s law. Wesley was born and raised in rural south Georgia, where he continues to enjoy living. While attending Valdosta State University, a community also home to Moody Air Force Base, Wesley saw the lack of quality representation available to Veterans and their families—even in a military community. This led him to become a VA accredited representative, seeking to serve Veterans and their families. Following his time in the Fire Department, he founded United Veteran’s Disability in September of 2021.

Wesley has represented some of our nation’s finest, including a World War II POW, combat Veterans, Camp Lejeune Veterans, submariners, Vietnam widows, Coastguardsmen, Infantrymen, FBI agents, and even VA employees. Wesley says each have a common thread “love of country.” He has successfully recovered millions in benefits for veterans and their families. His largest single recovery totals over $525,000 in backpay. Wesley has represented Veterans and their families at the Regional Office level, the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. He has handled both medically and legally complex claims. Wesley believes in the importance of maximizing benefits for veterans, and his clients are regularly awarded SMC to help compensate veterans above the 100% rate.

While Wesley represents a wide range of Veterans and survivors, a large part of his practice includes veterans exposed to toxic burn pits. “What we saw with Vietnam veterans and Agent Orange is playing itself over again, but with burn pit Veterans. As we continue to learn more about the diseases associated with burn pit exposure, it is important to hold the VA accountable and push for many more diseases to be presumptive, just as the Vietnam Veterans had to fight decades for.”

Wesley is a sustaining member of the National Organization for Veterans’ Advocates, a member of the CAVC Bar Association, Military-Veterans Advocacy, and is a lifetime member of the National Eagle Scout Association.

Outside of his practice, Wesley enjoys traveling with his wife, especially visiting our U.S. National Parks. Together, they plan to visit all 63 U.S. National Parks. They also enjoy exercising together, as well as nature photography.

https://unitedforvets.us
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