Enclosure 6 VA CLAIMS The Veterans Administration is authorized by law to provide medical care and to pay disability compensation to veterans who develop disease or who have disability, under certain conditions. Some of the conditions follow: (or 1. The disability must have been suffered or aggravated the disease contracted) while the veteran was serving in the line of duty in the active military, service. 2. naval, or air The veteran must have been discharged or released from service under conditions other than disnonorabile. If a veteran develops certain chronic diseases within one year of discharge or release, the disease is considered to have originated while on active duty. In cases of claims alleging that current malignancies were caused by radiation exposures while on active duty many years ago, the VA must consider many factors. Among them are: l. The magnitude of the exposure and associated con- 2. Total lifetime radiation exposure from other sources, 3. Current scientific knowledge concerning the long- 4. The earliest manifestation of relatable disability. ditions and circumstances. as well as exposure to other environmental conditions, sometimes can be extensive. which > term biomedical effects of exposures to ionizing radiation. The most complete information possible to obtain will expedite the processing of any claim. More details may be obtained through regional VA offices. Enclosure 6 iyi > - x z& a T ae i a. - he a am or sae, ow - 4 * r ian ri é wie