Chemical Exposure — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Chemical Exposure, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Toxic Exposure
General rating schedule for toxic exposureconditions. Your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Painful motion or limitation of motion that is compensable
Moderate limitation of motion or functional impairment
Severe limitation of motion or significant functional loss
Unfavorable ankylosis or severe impairment
Extremely unfavorable ankylosis
Will adding Chemical Exposure raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Chemical Exposure claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
Environmental Health, 2024 · PMID 38961410
Finding: In a cohort of 159,128 Camp Lejeune Marines/Navy personnel exposed to trichloroethylene and other solvents in drinking water (1953-1985), compared with unexposed Camp Pendleton personnel, adjusted hazard ratios were elevated for cancers of the kidney (aHR 1.21), esophagus (aHR 1.24), and female breast (aHR 1.20), with additional elevations for Parkinson disease, myelodysplastic syndrome, and testicular, cervical and ovarian cancers; exposed civilian workers showed elevated chronic kidney disease (aHR 1.88) and Parkinson disease.
Why it helps: Large military cohort study that supports an association between Camp Lejeune solvent-contaminated water exposure and multiple cancers, Parkinson disease, and kidney disease, directly relevant to veterans filing presumptive Camp Lejeune chemical-exposure claims.
Industrial Health, 2003 · PMID 12916744
Finding: In a cross-sectional study of 1,224 Vietnam and 154 non-Vietnam Korean veterans, Vietnam service was associated with increased frequency of eczema (OR 6.54), radiculopathy (OR 3.98), diabetes (OR 2.69), peripheral neuropathy (OR 2.39) and hypertension (OR 2.29); higher Agent Orange exposure levels were associated with ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease and retinopathy (all p < 0.01).
Why it helps: Supports an association between Agent Orange/herbicide exposure during military service and several presumptive conditions (type 2 diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, ischemic heart disease), useful for veterans connecting these diagnoses to herbicide exposure.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2024 · PMID 39337247
Finding: This review synthesizes evidence that military burn pits release particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that cross the blood-brain barrier; veterans exposed to burn pit toxins show higher rates of neuroinflammatory markers, accelerated cognitive decline, and increased risk of neurodegenerative disease alongside respiratory and mental health conditions.
Why it helps: Supports a biological-mechanism association between airborne burn pit chemical exposure and neurological/cognitive conditions in veterans, relevant to PACT Act burn-pit chemical-exposure claims beyond the respiratory presumptives.
US Army Medical Department Journal, 2016 · PMID 27215888
Finding: This review documents that Southwest Asia deployment exposures (geologic dust, burn pit smoke, vehicle exhaust, industrial air pollution) are associated with both acute respiratory symptoms and chronic lung disease, including well-documented acute eosinophilic pneumonia and asthma exacerbation, with controversy remaining over rare disorders such as constrictive bronchiolitis.
Why it helps: Military pulmonary-medicine source supporting an association between deployment airborne chemical/particulate exposure and respiratory disease, useful background for burn-pit and deployment chemical-exposure respiratory claims.
Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, 2019 · PMID 30470793
Finding: This review notes that PFAS groundwater contamination is repeatedly discovered next to airports and military bases from aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) use, and reports significant associations between PFAS exposure and adverse immune outcomes in children, with dyslipidemia the strongest metabolic outcome and cancer evidence limited to extremely high-exposure settings.
Why it helps: Supports an association between PFAS/AFFF firefighting-foam exposure on military bases and immune and metabolic (cholesterol) effects, relevant to service members exposed to PFAS-contaminated base water or firefighting duties.
Journal of Parkinson's Disease, 2024 · nexus to Parkinson's disease · PMID 38217613
Finding: This review argues that exposure to environmental toxicants is the principal driver of the rising incidence of Parkinson's disease, detailing three likely major causes that all impair mitochondrial function: certain pesticides, the solvent trichloroethylene (TCE), and air pollution.
Why it helps: Supports an association between chemical exposure, especially the solvent TCE (the contaminant at Camp Lejeune), and Parkinson's disease, useful where Parkinson's is claimed as secondary to documented solvent or chemical exposure.
Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2024 · nexus to kidney disease, hyperuricemia (gout) · PMID 38640681
Finding: In a national study of 13,979 US adults (NHANES 2003-2018), individual and mixed PFAS exposures (PFOA dominant) were positively associated with uric acid and hyperuricemia risk with no apparent safe threshold, and causal mediation analysis showed kidney function decline mediated 19% to 57% of these associations.
Why it helps: Supports a pathway in which PFAS chemical exposure contributes to kidney function decline that in turn raises uric acid and gout risk, relevant to secondary claims linking hyperuricemia/gout to PFAS-related kidney impairment.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
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Related Guides
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Draft your Chemical Exposure personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
Start Your Chemical Exposure VA Claim
Use our free Claims Builder to organize your Chemical Exposure evidence, track your claim status, and prepare for your C&P exam. No coaching fees — just tools.
Chemical Exposure Claim Guide by State
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Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.