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Toxic Exposure Evidence Center shieldToxic ExposureEvidence Center
A veteran and their child seen from behind, looking out over a hazy, contaminated horizon
Family & survivor benefits

It didn’t stop with you.
It reached them too.

Toxic exposure never stopped at the veteran. It can reach children, spouses, and survivors—and those benefits have their own laws, their own eligibility, and their own forms. Most families are never told they exist.

Why this page exists

Exposure is inherited, and so is the paperwork gap

A veteran can spend years fighting for a rating and still never learn that the same service exposure opened doors for a child born with spina bifida, for a family that drank contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, or for a surviving spouse after a service-connected death. These are separate programs. Some do not even require the veteran's own claim to be granted first.

Below is the plain-English map of the family and survivor benefits tied to toxic exposure—who qualifies, what each provides, the exact legal authority, and the catch you need to watch for. Dollar figures change; always confirm the current amount on VA.gov before you rely on it.

A child of a veteran wearing leg braces sitting with a parent while a nurse kneels to talk with them

For children

Spina bifida and covered birth-defect allowances, health care, and vocational training.

A veteran family standing together outside their home

For families

Camp Lejeune reimbursement for 15 covered conditions—and CHAMPVA health coverage.

A surviving spouse seated at a table with a cased burial flag and VA paperwork while an advocate takes notes

For survivors

DIC, Survivors Pension, and Chapter 35 education after a service-connected death.

Most families are never told this

You can file—or appeal—a toxic-exposure claim for your veteran

Whether your veteran is living or has passed away, you may have the right to help them file, sign when they cannot, continue a pending claim, or appeal a denial. Our full guide walks through how these claims are requested, what evidence to gather, how to get a DD-214, and every form—explained in plain English.

Read the filing & appeal guide
A surviving family member laying out a death certificate, a discharge record and medical records side by side on a table
If you already lost your veteran

Find out what he was exposed to — even now

If you lost him to cancer, to his lungs, or to something the doctors never fully explained, you are not too late to learn what he was standing in. The survivors path walks you through rebuilding his exposure history by era, base and duty, shows you why every line of the death certificate matters, and names the claims that belong to you, in your own name.

Open the survivors path
Spina Bifida Monthly Allowance
Children of herbicide-exposed veterans

Spina Bifida Monthly Allowance

Who qualifies

Biological children of Vietnam veterans — and of veterans who served in or near the Korean DMZ between September 1, 1967 and August 31, 1971 — who have spina bifida in any form except spina bifida occulta. The child must have been conceived after the veteran’s qualifying service began.

What it provides

A tax-free monthly monetary allowance paid at one of three levels based on the child’s degree of disability, plus VA health care and vocational training and rehabilitation. The benefit belongs to the child and is paid directly for the child.

Legal authority

38 U.S.C. Chapter 18; 38 C.F.R. § 3.814.

Watch for: This is the one herbicide birth-defect benefit that reaches beyond Vietnam to qualifying Korea-DMZ service. Eligibility turns on the veteran’s qualifying service and the child’s diagnosis — not on whether the veteran’s own disability claim was granted. Confirm the current three-level payment amounts on VA.gov.
Covered Birth Defects — Children of Women Veterans
Children of women Vietnam veterans

Covered Birth Defects — Children of Women Veterans

Who qualifies

Biological children of women who served in the Republic of Vietnam during the recognized period, where the child has one or more covered birth defects that resulted in permanent physical or mental disability.

What it provides

A tax-free monthly monetary allowance based on the level of disability, plus VA health care and vocational training. Spina bifida is handled under its own program; other covered defects fall here.

Legal authority

38 U.S.C. § 1815; 38 C.F.R. § 3.815.

Watch for: This program is specific to the children of women Vietnam veterans and is separate from the spina bifida allowance. Certain conditions are excluded (for example, defects that are familial, or that result from a birth injury rather than the veteran’s service). Verify the covered-condition list and current amounts on VA.gov.
Camp Lejeune Family Member Care
Families who lived at Camp Lejeune

Camp Lejeune Family Member Care

Who qualifies

Family members who lived at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 days (consecutive or nonconsecutive) between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987 — including those exposed in utero.

What it provides

Reimbursement of out-of-pocket health-care costs for 15 covered conditions, including bladder, breast, esophageal, kidney and lung cancer, leukemia, multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Parkinson’s disease, scleroderma, female infertility, miscarriage, hepatic steatosis, and renal toxicity.

Legal authority

38 U.S.C. § 1787. Apply with VA Form 10-10068.

Watch for: VA is the payer of last resort — it reimburses costs your other health insurance does not cover for the 15 listed conditions. This family program is distinct from the veteran’s own presumptive disability claim for Camp Lejeune water exposure. Confirm the current covered-condition list on VA.gov.
Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
Surviving spouses, children, and parents

Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC)

Who qualifies

Surviving spouses, dependent children, and in some cases dependent parents of a service member who died in service or a veteran who died of a service-connected condition — or who was rated totally disabled for a set period before death.

What it provides

A tax-free monthly payment. The base surviving-spouse rate is $1,699.36 per month effective December 1, 2025. Add-ons can apply: an 8-year provision (+$360.85), Aid and Attendance (+$421.00), Housebound (+$197.22), each child under 18 (+$421.00), and a 2-year transitional benefit (+$359.00). The SBP–DIC offset was fully eliminated as of January 1, 2023.

Legal authority

38 C.F.R. §§ 3.5, 3.22.

Watch for: DIC is one of the most under-claimed survivor benefits. A toxic-exposure death can support DIC even years later if the underlying condition is tied to service — the death certificate wording and a well-built nexus matter enormously. Confirm current rates on VA.gov.
Survivors Pension
Low-income survivors of wartime veterans

Survivors Pension

Who qualifies

Needs-based benefit for eligible low-income surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of deceased wartime veterans who meet service and income/net-worth limits.

What it provides

A monthly payment that brings countable income up to a set limit, with higher maximums available for survivors who are housebound or who need aid and attendance.

Legal authority

38 U.S.C. Chapter 15; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.3, 3.23.

Watch for: Survivors Pension is income- and net-worth-tested and is different from DIC, which does not depend on income. A survivor may be eligible for one and not the other — the paths should be checked separately. Confirm current income limits and rates on VA.gov.
CHAMPVA Health Coverage
Spouses and children

CHAMPVA Health Coverage

Who qualifies

The spouse and eligible children of a veteran who is rated permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected condition, or who died from a service-connected condition (and who are not eligible for TRICARE).

What it provides

A comprehensive health-coverage program that shares the cost of covered services and supplies, including doctor visits, hospital care, and prescriptions.

Legal authority

38 U.S.C. § 1781.

Watch for: CHAMPVA eligibility hinges on the veteran’s permanent-and-total rating or a service-connected death — which is exactly why building the veteran’s toxic-exposure claim correctly protects the whole family. Verify current eligibility rules and enrollment steps on VA.gov.
Chapter 35 Education (DEA)
Spouses and children

Chapter 35 Education (DEA)

Who qualifies

Spouses and children of a veteran who is permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected condition, or who died in service or from a service-connected condition.

What it provides

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance pays a monthly benefit for college, career-training, apprenticeship, and other approved programs. Full-time rate is $1,574.00 per month for the October 1, 2025–September 30, 2026 period (three-quarter time $1,244; half time $912), paid directly to the student.

Legal authority

38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

Watch for: A dependent may be able to use Chapter 35 or the transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill — but usually not both at once, so compare before electing. Confirm the current rates and eligibility period on VA.gov.
A veteran and an advocate comparing two separate claim folders at a table

Two different questions

Some family benefits ride on the veteran's own rating (CHAMPVA, Chapter 35, DIC). Others—spina bifida, covered birth defects, and Camp Lejeune family care—stand on their own facts. Never assume one answers the other.

A regulation book open beside a service record, showing a presumptive exposure list

Presumptive vs. facts-found still matters

A presumptive death or condition makes the survivor path far cleaner. When there is no presumption, the family path depends on the same exposure chain and nexus you build for the veteran—unit, location, actual duties, and the medical link.

Hands checking a thick VA claim file page by page against a checklist

Build the veteran's claim right

A permanent-and-total rating and a well-documented service-connected condition are what unlock health care, education, and survivor benefits for the whole household. Getting the veteran's claim correct is family protection.

Turn this page into an appointment

How to get seen about this

Reading a symptom list changes nothing on its own. A dated note in your medical record does — for your health first, and years later for a claim. Below is every route to an appointment, the phrase that gets your exposure history written down, and the numbers to dial. Nothing on this page is a diagnosis, and none of it replaces your doctor.

A veteran at a VA medical center check-in counter making an appointment while a clerk types it into the system

Some things do not wait for a scheduler

Chest pain or pressure lasting more than a few minutes, or chest pain with sweating, nausea, or pain spreading to the jaw or arm

Sudden trouble breathing, or breathlessness while sitting still

Face droop, weakness or numbness on one side, slurred speech, or sudden confusion

Coughing up or vomiting blood, or bleeding that will not stop

A first seizure, or fainting you cannot explain

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Do not wait to reach a VA facility first, and do not drive yourself. Tell VA as soon as you can afterward — VA asks to be notified within 72 hours of emergency care received in the community — and keep every discharge paper and bill.

Call your VA medical center

Fastest
  • Calling your own VA facility is the quickest way to get an appointment. VA Health Connect gives you round-the-clock phone access to a scheduler, a nurse, and in many regions a provider.
  • Do not know your facility's number? Call MyVA411 at 800-698-2411, any hour, and ask to be connected to your VA medical center's scheduling line.
  • Say you are an established patient if you already have a primary care provider, and ask for the next available appointment with that provider.
  • If nothing is available soon, ask to be added to the cancellation list and ask whether a nurse can advise in the meantime.

Call VET-HOME — VA's exposure team

Exposure-specific
  • 833-633-8846, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET. VET-HOME stands for Veterans Exposure Team — Health Outcomes Military Exposures, and it exists for exactly this conversation.
  • Say: I want a military environmental exposure assessment. The intake center schedules you with a clinician specially trained in military environmental exposures — by telehealth, so it does not matter how far you live from a medical center. Any veteran enrolled in VA health care, anywhere in the United States or its territories, can use it.
  • The clinician documents your exposure history, answers exposure-related questions, and recommends follow-up. If labs, imaging, breathing tests, or a specialty consult are needed, they say so. Afterward VA mails you a letter with your results, what they mean, and the recommendations.
  • Two limits, so you are not surprised: VET-HOME clinicians do not prescribe medication and do not complete disability claim forms. What they produce is a dated VA record of your exposure history — which is the piece most claims are missing.
  • They also handle the environmental health registry evaluations, and those do not require VA health-care enrollment. If you would rather be seen in person, ask for the environmental health coordinator at your own facility instead — the list is further down this site's Talk To Your Doctor page.

Schedule online or message your care team

  • Sign in on VA.gov to schedule or request many appointments yourself. What you can book online depends on your facility and the type of care.
  • You can also send your care team a secure message through My HealtheVet. Use it for non-urgent things — replies typically take up to three business days.
  • Secure messaging is not for anything urgent. If you need an answer today, call instead.
  • Locked out or cannot find the option? The My HealtheVet help desk is 877-327-0022.

Not enrolled in VA health care yet

  • Call the VA Health Benefits Hotline at 877-222-8387, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, and say you want to enroll in VA health care.
  • Enrollment is what unlocks VA primary care and the toxic exposure screening. Under the PACT Act many veterans who were turned away years ago are now eligible, so do not assume an old answer still applies.
  • Enrolling does not mean giving up your own doctor. Plenty of veterans keep a civilian provider and use VA alongside it.
  • Enrolling in health care is separate from filing a disability claim. One does not require the other.

You see a civilian or private doctor

  • Ask the front desk for the next available appointment and tell them why: a symptom that has lasted weeks, plus chemical and airborne exposure during military service.
  • Bring this page, or write the exposures and years on one sheet of paper. Hand it over and ask for it to be scanned into your chart.
  • A community provider can order tests, refer you, and write your exposure history down — all of which helps. What they cannot do is VA's toxic exposure screening, which only happens inside VA's own record system.
  • Ask for a copy of the visit note and every result. Those copies are yours, and they are what a claim is eventually built from.

If you are in crisis right now

24/7
  • Dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. The Veterans Crisis Line is staffed around the clock.
  • You do not need to be enrolled in VA health care, and you do not need a service-connected rating, to use it.
  • You can also start a confidential chat from VA's crisis line website, or ask any VA staff member to walk you to someone.

Ask for your toxic exposure screening

The PACT Act requires VA to offer this to every veteran enrolled in VA health care. It takes about five to ten minutes, and it is the cheapest way to get your exposure history into VA's own record in VA's own words.

What it is

A short set of questions asking whether you believe you were exposed to open burn pits and other airborne hazards, Agent Orange, radiation, Gulf War-related hazards, or contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

Who can get it

Every veteran enrolled in VA health care. If you are not enrolled yet, enrollment comes first — call 877-222-8387.

How often

An initial screening, then at least once every five years. If you answer that you do not know whether you were exposed, VA schedules you again a year later.

How to get one

It is often done during a primary care or specialty visit — but you can ask for it sooner. Ask your primary care team directly, or ask your facility for its Toxic Exposure Screening Navigator by name.

What it is not

It is not an exam for any specific illness, and it is not part of the disability claims process. It is optional, and declining it does not affect your health care or your benefits.

Why bother

It creates a dated VA record that you raised military exposure. Years later, that entry is evidence that the concern predated the diagnosis.

A civilian or community provider cannot perform this screening — it lives inside VA's own health record. If you only see a private doctor, that is a reason to enroll in VA health care as well.

The burn pit registry: you are probably already in it

Since August 1, 2024, VA and the Defense Department enroll eligible veterans and service members in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry automatically, from deployment records. For most people there is nothing to sign up for.

Automatic enrollment covers service between August 2, 1990 and August 31, 2021 in the listed operations and locations — Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and New Dawn, the Southwest Asia theater, Egypt, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan, Yemen, and the associated airspace and waters.

You do not need to have been knowingly exposed, and you do not need any current health problem, to be included.

If you enrolled yourself before the redesign, your enrollment carried over. There is nothing to redo.

To check your status, contact the Environmental Health Coordinator at your VA facility.

The registry holds deployment and demographic data only. No medical information is stored in it.

Participation is optional and you can opt out. Being in the registry is not required to file a claim, and it does not affect your eligibility for care or benefits either way.

Being in the registry is not evidence of exposure on its own, and it is not a claim. Treat it as a research tool, and do not let anyone tell you a claim depends on it.

What to take with you

  • A one-page list of the chemicals and hazards you worked around, with the years and the base or ship
  • Your job title and MOS or rating, written the way the military wrote it
  • The symptoms that brought you in, and roughly when each one started
  • Any breathing tests, blood work, or imaging you already have, including from civilian doctors
  • A short list of what you want out of the visit — usually: document the exposure, order these tests, refer me
  • Someone who has watched the change in you, if memory or breathing is the concern

Write the veteran's job and the places they served at the top of that sheet, in the words the military used for it.

Before you leave, and afterward

  • Ask for a copy of the visit note before you leave, and actually read it.
  • Check that your exposure history is in the note. If it is missing, say so and ask for it to be added — politely, but ask.
  • Get a copy of every test result, including the numbers, not just the word normal.
  • Keep your own folder. Paper you hold is worth more than paper you assume exists somewhere.
  • If a symptom persists after a normal test, go back. A normal result rules out some things, not everything.

The numbers, in one place

VET-HOME — VA's exposure team

833-633-8846

Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET

The number to call about a military environmental exposure specifically. VET-HOME books a free telehealth evaluation with a clinician trained in military exposures, and that clinician writes your exposure history into your VA record. Say you want a military environmental exposure assessment.

MyVA411 — VA main line

800-698-2411

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

The one number to call if you do not know who to call. Ask to be put through to your VA medical center's scheduling line, or press 0 for a person.

VA Health Benefits Hotline

877-222-8387

Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET

Enrolling in VA health care, health-care eligibility, VA medical bills, and community care billing.

Veterans Crisis Line

988, then press 1

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Any crisis, and you do not need to be enrolled in VA health care to use it. You can also text 838255.

My HealtheVet help desk

877-327-0022

Monday to Friday

Trouble signing in, secure messaging, or online scheduling.

VA Benefits Hotline

800-827-1000

Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET

Claims, ratings, and back pay — the benefits side rather than the medical side.

TTY

711

Relay service

If you are deaf or hard of hearing.

These are VA's own published lines. If a number ever gives you a runaround, MyVA411 at 800-698-2411 will transfer you — it is staffed every hour of every day.

VA-accredited agent #45147

Not sure which family benefit fits your service?

Albert Thombs and his team of accredited advocates can look at the exposure chain and map every benefit your family may qualify for—before, during, and after a claim. Registering costs nothing. Fees are recovery only: 20% of past-due benefits, never hourly, nothing on a first-time claim, under 38 C.F.R. § 14.636.

702-992-4883

Both options are free · No obligation

Two ways to work with us — both free

Talking to a VA-accredited claims agent costs nothing either way. Pick the one that fits: get answers to your questions, or register to hire us to take on your claim.

A VA-accredited claims agent talking across a desk with an older veteran in a ball cap, coffee mugs between them, nothing being signed

Free information — just ask

You can ask Albert, our AI claims assistant, anything about exposure, evidence, or the claims process — he answers instantly. If you would rather have a direct, personal answer, send your question below and an accredited agent will come back to you. No cost, no obligation.

Or send your question
A veteran and his wife at a conference table with an accredited representative pointing to the paperwork in front of them

Ready to hire us? Register with us

For veterans who have decided they want us on their claim. Registering is free too, and it takes the registration form plus a signed VA Form 21-22a.

Until VA Form 21-22a is signed we cannot accept your claim, access your VA file, or do any work on your behalf. That is federal law, not firm policy.

What happens after you register

  • You register. This simply starts the conversation — you are not our client yet, and you owe us nothing.
  • You sign and return VA Form 21-22a. It appoints us as your accredited representative and gives us access to your VA file.
  • Once we have your signed 21-22a and access to your case, we verify everything is in order.
  • We review your case in full and conduct your interview with an accredited agent.
  • Only then do YOU decide whether to move forward with us. If you choose not to, we will not proceed on your behalf — no pressure, no obligation.
Call us: 702-992-4883

An accredited agent personally reviews every request — we’ll reach out within 48 hours.