PFAS Exposure (Firefighting Foam) — 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 PFAS Exposure (Firefighting Foam), 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 PFAS Exposure (Firefighting Foam) 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 PFAS Exposure (Firefighting Foam) 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 Research, 2023 · PMID 36584840
Finding: This review documents that firefighters have elevated serum levels of long-chain PFAS, most notably from Class B aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), and that studies of firefighters show elevated risk for thyroid, kidney, bladder, testicular, prostate, and colon cancer. It concludes PFAS-containing AFFF exposure may contribute to firefighter cancer risk.
Why it helps: Directly links AFFF firefighting-foam exposure (the same foam used at military airfields and by military firefighters) to elevated serum PFAS and a spread of cancers, supporting an association between service exposure and these conditions.
Frontiers in Materials, 2023 · PMID 38074949
Finding: This review identifies AFFF, turnout gear, and fire-station air and dust as PFAS exposure sources, notes elevated PFAS in firefighters' blood serum, and reports that firefighters have a higher cancer risk than the general population, suggesting occupational PFAS exposure could be a contributing cancer risk.
Why it helps: Reinforces that occupational firefighting exposure (including AFFF) raises serum PFAS and is associated with higher cancer risk, helping support a service-connection nexus for military firefighters.
Environment International, 2021 · PMID 33360412
Finding: Among 3,297 residents whose drinking water was contaminated by firefighting foam used at a nearby military airport, geometric mean serum PFHxS, PFOS and PFOA were 114, 135 and 6.8 ng/mL respectively, which were 135, 35 and 4.5 times higher than an unexposed reference group.
Why it helps: Demonstrates that AFFF used at a military airfield can drive dramatically elevated body PFAS levels through contaminated water, supporting an exposure pathway for service members and families on or near bases.
Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 2021 · PMID 33780327
Finding: Using random-effects meta-analysis with modified Hill's criteria, the average relative increase in cancer risk per 10 ng/mL rise in serum PFOA was 16% (95% CI 3-30%) for kidney cancer and 3% (95% CI 2-4%) for testicular cancer, which the authors judged most likely causal.
Why it helps: Provides quantitative meta-analytic support that higher serum PFOA (the dominant PFAS in AFFF exposure) is associated with kidney and testicular cancer, two cancers central to PFAS-related claims.
Environmental Health Perspectives, 2013 · PMID 24007715
Finding: In a cohort of 32,254 PFOA-exposed adults with 2,507 validated cancers, cumulative serum PFOA was positively associated with kidney cancer (HR 1.10, 95% CI 0.98-1.24) and testicular cancer (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.00-1.79); testicular cancer HRs rose across exposure quartiles to 3.17 (trend p=0.04).
Why it helps: Large human cohort showing a dose-response association between PFOA exposure and kidney and testicular cancer, strengthening the basis for linking PFAS exposure to these diseases.
- Review: Evolution of evidence on PFOA and health following the assessments of the C8 Science Panel.Direct
Environment International, 2020 · PMID 32950793
Finding: The C8 Science Panel determined a 'probable link' (more probable than not) between PFOA and high cholesterol, thyroid disease, kidney and testicular cancer, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and ulcerative colitis; this follow-up review found continued supportive evidence especially for kidney/testicular cancer, cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, and immune effects.
Why it helps: Identifies the specific conditions with the strongest probable-link evidence to PFOA exposure, useful for framing which diagnoses are most supportable in a PFAS exposure claim.
Environmental Research, 2021 · PMID 33385391
Finding: Reviewing 16 cohort/case-cohort studies, 10 case-control studies, and others, the cancer sites with the most evidence of an association with PFAS were testicular and kidney cancer, with some suggestion of a prostate cancer link.
Why it helps: A CDC-coauthored synthesis confirming testicular and kidney cancer as the PFAS-associated cancers with the strongest epidemiologic evidence, supporting their relevance to exposure-based claims.
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.
Secondary Conditions Linked to PFAS Exposure (Firefighting Foam)
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to PFAS Exposure (Firefighting Foam). A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Filing a PFAS Exposure (Firefighting Foam)claim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for PFAS Exposure (Firefighting Foam) should also be looking at:
Quick calculator
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Health care
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Where you live
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Home buying
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Draft your PFAS Exposure (Firefighting Foam) 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 PFAS Exposure (Firefighting Foam) VA Claim
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to PFAS Exposure (Firefighting Foam).
PFAS Exposure (Firefighting Foam) Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
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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.