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Post being replied to

Presumptive Conditions Definition from VA by Raoul

On their website, under a section title: "Am I eligible for VA disability compensation?"

"For some conditions, we automatically assume (or “presume”) that your service caused your condition. We call these presumptive conditions.

If you have a presumptive condition, you don’t need to prove that your service caused the condition. You only need to meet the service requirements for the presumption.

Find out more about these categories of presumptive conditions:

A chronic (long-lasting) illness that appears within 1 year after discharge

An illness caused by contact with contaminants (toxic chemicals) or other hazardous materials

An illness caused by your time spent as a prisoner of war (POW)"


As you correctly point out, this is a political conclusion not a scientific one. As recently as last year, the NYT stated that the president has long "speculated" on this linkage. There is no scientific conclusion to match his speculation. Maybe one will arise in the future. Maybe it will be proven to have no basis whatsoever. But in the absence of either, we have politically determined to cover and treat those conditions as though there is direct causation.