NEW VA RULES FOR AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS (ALS) VICTIMS
By www.va.gov
September 23, 2008 - VA rules ALS a presumptive illness for disability compensation. Veterans with ALS may receive badly needed support for themselves and their families after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today, September 23, 2008, that ALS will become a presumptively compensable illness for all veterans with 90 days or more of continuously active service in the military. The report, titled Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Veterans: Review of the Scientific Literature, analyzed numerous previous studies on the issue and concluded, "There is limited and suggestive evidence of an association between military service and later development of ALS." The new interim final regulation applies to all applications for benefits received by VA on or after September 23, 2008, or that are pending before VA, the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, or the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on that date. VA will work to identify and contact veterans with ALS, including those whose claims for ALS were previously denied, through direct mailings and other outreach programs.