Agent Orange Attorneys

In the 1940’s, an herbicide was developed for use by the military primarily in the tropics. In the early 1960’s, testing of this herbicide for military purposes began in earnest. The intention was to deny enemy cover and camouflage in thick terrain by defoliating trees and shrubs that the enemy could hide under. The product was given the code name "Agent Orange" for the orange band that was used to mark the storage drums. It was principally effective against broad-leaf foliage, such as the dense jungle-like terrain found in Southeast Asia. Although the product had been tested in Vietnam in the early 1960’s, it was used most heavily during the height of the war (1967-1968). After that, use of the product was tapered off and was discontinued in 1971.

Low-flying planes persistently spraying huge areas in a short amount of time spread the product. In just minutes, not only did the trees and shrubs of the jungle begin to die, but so did crops that were planted in these areas. Soldiers that were in the sprayed areas began to complain of rashes at the same time.

There is now sufficient evidence to link several specific cancers to the herbicide product Agent Orange used in Vietnam during the war. These include soft-tissue sarcoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Hodgkin’s Disease. Lung and throat cancer are also associated with “Agent Orange” exposure, in addition to many skin diseases. Some studies also show that offspring of soldiers exposed to “Agent Orange” have developed symptoms connected with the product.

A federal court recently ruled that Vietnam veterans who contracted prostate cancer and diabetes related to Agent Orange exposure should receive retroactive disability benefits dated to the time they first filed a claim with the VA. This ruling overturned the VA's interpretation denying retroactive payments to veterans who filed claims after early 1994 and could apply to a wide range of illnesses associated with the toxic herbicide, providing veterans millions of dollars in additional compensation.