PACT Act Claims Attorney

The PACT Act — the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act — represents one of the largest expansions of VA health care and benefits in history. N. Albert Bacharach, Jr. PA helps veterans and survivors pursue PACT Act claims for toxic-exposure related conditions.

What the PACT Act Does

The PACT Act expands VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to: burn pits; Agent Orange; radiation; and other toxic substances during military service. Under the Act, many conditions are now presumed to be service-connected — meaning a veteran, who has a PACT Act claim, does not have to prove a direct medical link between the exposure and the current disease.

Who Is Eligible

Under the PACT Act, all veterans exposed to toxins and other hazards during military service — at home or abroad — are now eligible for VA health care. Eligibility extends to:

• Post-9/11 combat veterans who served in designated locations
• Vietnam-era veterans exposed to Agent Orange, with expanded presumptive locations and conditions
• Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans exposed to burn pits and airborne hazards
• Veterans exposed to radiation in designated cleanup or testing operations
• Surviving spouses, children, and dependents in certain cases

Presumptive Conditions Under the PACT Act

The PACT Act added more than 20 presumptive conditions for burn pit and airborne hazard exposure, including:

• Brain cancer, glioblastoma
• Head cancer of any type
• Neck cancer of any type
• Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type
• Gastrointestinal cancer of any type
• Reproductive cancer of any type
• Lymphoma of any type
• Kidney cancer
• Melanoma
• Pancreatic cancer
• Chronic bronchitis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
• Emphysema
• Granulomatous disease
• Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
• Pleuritis
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Sarcoidosis
• Asthma diagnosed after service
• Chronic rhinitis
• Chronic sinusitis
• Hypertension (high blood pressure) for Agent Orange–exposed veterans
• Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) for Agent Orange–exposed veterans

How We Help With PACT Act Claims

We assist veterans and survivors at every stage:

• Filing initial PACT Act disability compensation claims
• Appealing PACT Act denials to the BVA, CAVC, and Federal Circuit
• Pursuing earlier effective dates where exposure or diagnosis pre-dated the Act
• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) claims for surviving spouses and children
• Filing for VA health care eligibility under the PACT Act

What to Do If You Were Exposed

1. Get a VA toxic-exposure screening — these are now offered at VA facilities to all enrolled veterans.
2. Gather service records that document deployment locations and dates.
3. Document your current diagnosis and symptoms.
4. File a claim for VA disability compensation. If you’re unsure whether your condition qualifies, contact our office for a free evaluation.

Related Resources

See our Resources for Veterans page for government portals and support services, and our VA Disability page for broader information on service-connected claims.