Can my Adiposis Dolorosa (Dercum's Disease) diagnosis be covered by the PACT Act?

CPL Kevin Noble — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 10:10:48 -0400

My first lipoma appeared while I was deployed in Iraq and I had it removed at a non-VA clinic one month after returning home. Those records no longer exist. Painful lipomas now cover my body and I have been diagnoses with Dercum's Disease. My claim for service connection was denied and I was hoping that it may be reconsidered due to the PACT Act.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 7 at 2022 9:58 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 09:58:17 -0400

https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/

The PACT Act and your VA benefits | Veterans Affairs

The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. This law helps us provide generations of Veterans — and their survivors — with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve. This page will help answer your questions about what the PACT Act means for you or your loved ones. You can also call us at800-698-2411(TTY: 711). And you can file a claim for PACT...

Response by COL Randall C. made Sep 7 at 2022 12:31 PM

COL Randall C. — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 12:31:31 -0400

CPL Kevin Noble - rather than rehashing, this is very similar to other questions asked here:
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/why-isn-t-pancreatic-cancer-a-presumptive-condition-related-to-agent-orange-exposure

and here:
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/is-prostate-cancer-covered-by-the-pact-act-for-va-disability-claims

Bottom line: if it's not listed as a presumptive condition (it's not), then you have to show a service connection. As part of the service connection linkage, if you show that symptoms showed up during service or within one year of leaving the military you MAY have some weight to show a service connection.

However, since you submitted a claim and it was denied, you'll have to come up with additional information (have you tried going back to the clinic, assuming it still exists, and getting records? Was there anything that documented that you had a lipoma appear while in Iraq? Etc.)

Why isn’t Pancreatic cancer a presumptive condition related to agent orange exposure? |...

My husband is a pancreatic cancer survivor. He was exposed to agent orange in Vietnam. Since this was a “toxic exposure”, why doesn’t the va have pancreatic cancer on their presumptive list? The new PACT Act acknowledges pancreatic cancer as a presumptive condition for burn pits and “other toxic exposure”. Seems like pancreatic cancer should be considered in relation to agent orange exposure as that too is “toxic exposure”