The Department of Veterans Affairs will be reviewing the disability benefits claims of the so-called “Brown Water” veterans from the Vietnam War.

Generally, a “Brown Water” Veteran is a Navy veteran of the Vietnam war that never set foot on Vietnamese soil, instead serving on ships that operated outside Vietnam.  Why is this distinction important? Because either or both of these types of veterans may have been exposed to Agent Orange, and their classification as a “Blue Water” or “Brown” Water Vet may drastically impact their ability to secure veterans benefits and disability compensation for diseases and/or medical conditions related to Agent Orange exposure.

Recently, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee published, on its website,  a list of the ships that the VA has acknowledged traveled in inland waters, as well as evidence about other ships that the committee has received.

Clicking on the following hyper-text link will open a Brown Water Ships_in_Vietnam-1.  If you have evidence of service on one of these ships, and have previously been denied service-connection as a  Blue Water Navy Veteran, then you should contact the VA Regional Office or an attorney representing U.S. Veterans and ask for a review of your claim.

Clicking on the following hyper-text link will open a Tracking_List_Ships.  If you have evidence of service on one of these ships, and have previously been denied service-connection as a  Blue Water Navy Veteran, then you should contact the VA Regional Office or an attorney representing U.S. Veterans and ask for a review of your claim.

Finally, here is the current (as of October 2010)  list of conditions which are presumed to be connected to Agent Orange exposure and for which certain Vietnam veterans are entitled to presumptive service-connection:  If you have one of these conditions, and served on the ground in Vietnam, served on a post in Thailand during the Vietnam War, or are a Blue Water or Brown Water Navy Veteran of the Vietnam era, you may be eligible for service connected disability benefits from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Please file a claim for benefits with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs immediately and then contact an  attorney representing U.S. Veterans.

It is very important that we note that each and every Veteran’s claim is different. Just because we were able to secure substantial past-due benefits for one Veteran does not mean or imply that we will be able to do so for you.   In some cases, we may not be able to secure you any financial compensation due to the facts of your particular case.

It is best to consult with a lawyer familiar with VA Disability claims and benefits or a Veterans Service Organization to examine your particular case.  If you would like to discuss your VA claim with a lawyer who handles VA Benefits and Disability Appeals, contact the Attig Law Firm, PLLC, for a free consultation with a VA Benefits attorney.

The Attig Law Firm, PLLC, represents Veterans in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma (and all around the nation) in their claims for disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs.