June 13, 2025
3:45 PM
to
5:15 PM
Current Topics Track
Presented by the Veterans and Military Affairs Section
About the Program
There are many veterans who have been grievously harmed by their exposure to dangerous toxins during their military service and have been effectively left without fair compensation for their resulting disabilities. That dilemma has been remedied by the passage of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (The PACT Act). Now, effective legal representation of such veterans pursuant to the PACT Act can produce fair compensation. The PACT Act greatly expedited the process of claiming service-connected disability benefits for veterans who were exposed to toxins while in service that resulted in a number of ailments and disabilities, including various cancers, respiratory problems, and neurodegenerative disorders. Prior to passage of the PACT Act, it was often very difficult to conclusively demonstrate that a veteran's unusual cancer was directly caused by exposure to a toxic environment because the veteran may have been unable to specify the toxins involved (particularly if emanating from a burn pit), the concentrations to which they were exposed, and for how long. In this seminar, you will hear from Gold Star families about the frustration of being unable to help their loved ones and the grassroots campaign to change the law. You will also learn what the law says about establishing the presumption of service connection and the benefits available to veterans and their dependents. In essence, you will learn how to assist these veterans obtain the benefits to which they are entitled because of their military service.
You Will Learn
• About the history of the PACT Act and the process prior to establishing the presumptions enumerated
• About the scope of the Act, including the countries, conditions, and conflicts covered
• About the evidence required to establish the presumption
• About the forms used to file for the benefits
• About the benefits available to the veteran and his dependents
Who Should Attend
Attorneys interested in veterans’ affairs.
Credit
CT: 1.5 CLE Credits (General)
NY: 1.5 CLE Credits (AOP)
The Connecticut Bar Association/CT Bar Institute is an accredited provider of New York State CLE. This program qualifies for newly admitted and experienced attorneys CLE credits.
Attorneys seeking NY CLE credit who have been admitted to the New York State Bar for two years or less must attend the live seminar for skills or ethics credit, a fully interactive videoconference, or simultaneous transmission with synchronous interactivity. Diversity, Inclusion and Elimination of Bias CLE credits are only available as non-transitional credits. For further information please see the NYCourts.gov page on CLE: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/attorneys/cle/index.shtml.