Men and women who worked on U.S. military installations overseas were often exposed to open burn pits, and many later developed illness as a result. When a condition tied to that exposure disrupts daily life, a civilian contractor may be eligible for compensation under the Defense Base Act. These claims turn on connecting the illness to the exposure, which is where experienced counsel matters.
The Consequences of Burn Pit Exposure
Open-air burn pits have had lasting effects on veterans. The record is much the same for civilian contractors: people regularly exposed to the fumes have reported long-term illness, in degrees that vary from one person to the next. Department of Defense research has identified harmful particles in burn-pit smoke, which has helped substantiate many exposure claims.
What Went Into Burn Pits
Burn pits functioned as open waste-disposal sites, and almost anything went into them: plastics, rubber, petroleum products, medical waste, human waste, and chemicals. Among the most hazardous materials burned were:
- Toxic chemicals
- Ammunition and unexploded ordnance
- Paint
- Medical waste
Illnesses Associated With Burn Pits
Burning that volume of material sent thick smoke into the air, which workers nearby inhaled. Exposure has been associated with a range of conditions.
Cancer
Cancer is among the most serious conditions reported by veterans and contractors. It can arise in many parts of the body, and treatment is often long, costly, and physically demanding, which in turn limits a person’s ability to work.
Skin conditions
Rashes and irritation are commonly reported. Most are short-term, though skin cancer is a lasting concern that can require ongoing care.
Respiratory and pulmonary conditions
Inhaled smoke and fumes are linked to asthma, bronchitis including chronic bronchitis, and broader respiratory disease, up to lung disease and lung cancer. Pulmonary conditions such as pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis have also been reported.
Sleep apnea
Prolonged exposure has been associated with sleep apnea, a blockage of the airway during sleep that, in severe cases, contributes to high blood pressure and heart problems.
Cardiovascular conditions
Exposure has been linked to conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels.
Neurological conditions and migraines
Reported neurological effects range from severe migraines to stroke, peripheral neuropathy, and, in some cases, Parkinson’s disease.
Common Symptoms of Exposure
Before long-term conditions become clear, exposure often shows up in more immediate symptoms:
- Itchy skin and rashes
- Difficulty breathing
- Burning throat and cough
- Red or irritated eyes
Burn Pits and Cancer
Cancer is the concern that worries contractors most. Whether a given exposure caused a given cancer depends on several factors: how long the person was exposed, what was burned, and how toxic that material was. Major scientific bodies, including the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the U.S. National Toxicology Program, have identified carcinogenic constituents in burn-pit smoke. Proving causation in an individual claim still requires medical evidence tying the diagnosis to the exposure, and some cancers surface only years later.
Getting Help With a Burn Pit Exposure Claim
Anyone facing serious health effects after burn-pit exposure overseas, or caring for a loved one who is, has reason to act promptly, because these claims take time to build and evidence is easier to gather early. A denial at the outset is not the end of it either, and the right defense base act lawyer can rebuild a thin claim into one backed by the medical proof it needs.
A burn-pit illness claim deserves review by a firm that handles Defense Base Act cases as its regular practice, not as an occasional add-on. One firm with that focus is Grossman Attorneys at Law (no affiliation). The medical record and the exposure history are both easiest to document while they are still fresh, and that is what gives a later claim its strength.
