MDS, Agent Orange and the VA
Working with a 60 year-old Veteran who was routinely sprayed with the herbicde Agent Orange in Viet Nam 40 years ago, and now has been diagnosed with MDS. Title 38 C.F.R. 3.309(e) lists the diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents, and grants presumptive "service-connection" for VA benefits. MDS is not specifically listed, but many closely related diseases are, and it would appear that there might be a simple definitional disconnect versus overt decision to keep MDS off of the list. Has any reader gotten a rating official to acknowledge MDS as a "related disorder" for a favorable service-connected decision? Thank you for your time on this query. DougH
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