If you served in any era below and your service-connection criteria match, you qualify for VA disability compensation without submitting a nexus letter. Service connection is presumed. West Virginia CVSOs (County Veterans Service Officers) can file your claim for free.
How to file:
Submit VA Form 21-526EZ (Application for Disability Compensation). Include your DD-214, medical records showing the diagnosis, and proof of service in a qualifying era/location. No nexus letter required for presumptives.
Post-9/11 service in Iraq/Afghanistan/SW Asia. Expanded 2022 to cover 24+ conditions including all respiratory cancers and 11+ chronic respiratory illnesses.
Marine Corps base 1953-1987 — drinking-water contamination. 30+ cumulative days of service required. Civil suit also available under Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022.
Presumptive condition lists sourced from VA's official lists (PACT Act 2022 + 2024 hypertension expansion) and consolidated by Wounded Warriors / Warriors Fund. Always verify the most current list at va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure before filing. CVSO and VA-facility data verified against state directories and VA Lighthouse Facilities API on a rolling cadence.