Guide series
VA Presumptive Conditions: Complete Guide Series
Plain-English guides to VA presumptive service connection: what a presumption is, which exposures and service periods create one, and what the VA's own regulations say about Agent Orange, burn pits, Gulf War illness, Camp Lejeune, radiation, chronic conditions within one year of discharge, and former prisoners of war.
Overview
Start here: presumptive conditions basics.
For most claims, a veteran has to show a medical link between a current condition and something that happened in service. For some conditions and some service periods, the VA presumes that link instead. These are called presumptive conditions.
Every guide in this series is built strictly from the VA's own published guidance at VA.gov and the federal regulations in Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Each article links to the exact source it relies on.
These guides are educational. They explain what the VA's rules say - they are not legal or claims advice, and they are not a substitute for an accredited representative, who can advise you about your specific claim.
VA Presumptive Conditions, Explained
What presumptive service connection means, which exposures and service periods create a presumption, and what the VA's regulations actually require - with every rule linked to its VA or 38 CFR source.
Read the main guideIn this series
Go deeper on your situation.
8 min readGulf War Illness and Undiagnosed Illnesses, Explained
What 38 CFR 3.317 says about undiagnosed illnesses and chronic multisymptom illnesses in Gulf War veterans: qualifying service, qualifying symptoms, and the timing requirement.
Read article
7 min readCamp Lejeune Water Contamination: The VA's Presumptive Rules
The service dates, locations, and conditions the VA presumes are connected to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River, drawn from VA.gov and 38 CFR 3.307.
Read article
8 min readRadiation Exposure and VA Presumptive Conditions
How the VA handles ionizing radiation claims: the radiation-risk activities and listed diseases in 38 CFR 3.309(d), and the separate dose-based path in 38 CFR 3.311.
Read article
7 min readThe VA's One-Year Rule for Chronic Conditions
How 38 CFR 3.307(a)(3) and 3.309(a) presume service connection for listed chronic diseases that appear to a degree of 10 percent within one year of discharge.
Read article
6 min readFormer Prisoner of War Presumptive Conditions
The conditions the VA presumes are service connected for former prisoners of war under 38 CFR 3.309(c), including the separate list for veterans held 30 days or more.
Read article
8 min readWhen a Presumptive Claim Still Needs Medical Evidence
Presumptive service connection removes the need to prove a link - but not always. The situations where the medical record still decides a presumptive claim, drawn from VA.gov and 38 CFR.
Read article
Guides on Presumptive Conditions
You have taken the first step - keep going.
You now know more about presumptive conditions than most veterans filing a claim. When you are ready to see what your records support, phone discussions are always free.