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The Daily Insight

What is the average compensation for Agent Orange?

Author

Christopher Pierce

Updated on March 03, 2026

Of the 105,000 claims received by the Payment Program, approximately 52,000 Vietnam Veterans or their survivors received cash payments which averaged about $3,800 each.

Did we compensate Vietnam for Agent Orange?

Five years later, in an out-of-court-settlement, seven large chemical companies that manufactured the herbicide agreed to pay $180 million in compensation to the veterans or their next of kin. Did you know? The controversy over Agent Orange and its effects has persisted for more than four decades.

How much does Agent Orange pay for disability?

As of December 1st, 2021 the VA disability rate benefit amounts are as follows: 0 percent disability rating: $0.00 per month. 10 percent disability rating: $152.64 per month. 20 percent disability rating: $301.74 per month.

How do I get compensation from Agent Orange?

To qualify, a veteran must show:

  1. military service in Vietnam during the period of January 9, 1962 to May 7, 1975.
  2. current diagnosis of: one of the diseases, or residuals of one of the diseases, that the VA recognizes as linked to Agent Orange exposure (see below)

How do you qualify for Agent Orange benefits?

In order to qualify for benefits, the following conditions must become noticeable to a degree of 10 percent or more within one year of the last date of exposure to Agent Orange: Chloracne. Porphyria cutanea tarda. Early-onset peripheral neuropathy.

How do you prove exposure to Agent Orange?

You can prove Agent Orange exposure by presenting evidence that you served at a location during an acknowledged timeframe VA associates with the use of this herbicide. If your service records do not show this, a VA disability lawyer may be able to help you gather evidence to prove exposure.

Can the effects of Agent Orange be passed down?

No. The VA does not offer disability benefits for grandchildren of Agent Orange veterans. These benefits are only available to children of Vietnam veterans under certain circumstances.

Are Vietnam veterans eligible for Agent Orange compensation?

To be eligible for compensation under the Payment Program, Vietnam Veterans or their survivors had to establish the following: that the Veteran served in Vietnam as a member of the Armed Forces between 1962 and 1972 (the period during which Agent Orange was used in Vietnam); that death or disability occurred before December 31, 1994.

Was you exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam?

Agent Orange exposure and VA disability compensation Agent Orange was a tactical herbicide the U.S. military used to clear leaves and vegetation for military operations mainly during the Vietnam War. Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange may have certain related illnesses.

Can I get disability compensation for Agent Orange exposure?

Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam while on active duty are eligible for disability compensation through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as long as they were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. It is often very difficult to produce evidence that an illness is linked to Agent Orange exposure.

When did the veteran payment program end for Agent Orange?

that the Veteran served in Vietnam as a member of the Armed Forces between 1962 and 1972 (the period during which Agent Orange was used in Vietnam); that death or disability occurred before December 31, 1994. The Payment Program operated over a period of 6 years, beginning, after appeals, in 1988 and concluding in 1994.