There is no deadline for filing an initial VA disability claim, so a Vietnam veteran can file now even if the exposure or in-service events happened over 50 years ago. What matters is current diagnosis, evidence of service connection, and, where applicable, presumptive exposure status.
Prostate cancer is on the VA's Agent Orange presumptive list under 38 CFR 3.309(e), so a veteran with documented service in Vietnam during the presumptive period and a prostate cancer diagnosis generally does not need to prove direct causation — service connection is presumed once boots-on-ground service and the diagnosis are established. Alzheimer's disease, however, is not currently on that presumptive list. That doesn't make a claim impossible, but it does mean the family would need to pursue direct service connection, which typically requires a medical opinion (a nexus statement) linking the condition to service, or explore whether it could be argued as secondary to another service-connected condition. This is a harder claim to win without strong medical support.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →For PTSD, service connection requires three things: a current diagnosis from a qualified professional, a credible in-service stressor, and a medical nexus linking the two. The fact that the veteran now recognizes symptoms in hindsight is not itself a diagnosis — he would need an actual psychiatric or psychological evaluation. If he pursues this, he should file using VA Form 21-526EZ, and supporting statements (from himself, family, or fellow service members) describing symptoms and functional impact can strengthen the claim.
For context, in the appealed VA decisions in VetAid's library, PTSD appeals had a 52% rate of remand/vacate, 27% affirmed denial, and 6% reversed/granted outright — but this reflects outcomes for cases that were already denied and then appealed, not the odds of an initial claim being approved, and appealed cases are not a random sample of all claims.
The concrete next step is to schedule a VA C&P exam by filing the claim, starting with the prostate cancer claim as presumptive, and separately pursue a mental health evaluation to establish a PTSD diagnosis before deciding whether to file that claim too.
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