Military service can involve risks, including injuries or illnesses that may cause lifelong disability and affect your ability to work and your quality of life. One condition that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recognizes as possibly linked to active military service is non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a form of cancer that starts in the lymphatic system, which helps your body fight infection. Disability benefits may be available to veterans diagnosed with NHL, depending on several factors that determine their disability rating.

There are many types of NHL, but the VA doesn’t separate them when assigning disability ratings — just one diagnostic code is used for all types of NHL. Because NHL is a cancer, it’s important to understand how disability ratings apply specifically to former service members who are receiving or have completed treatment for cancer.

Learn more below about VA disability ratings for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and how they relate to military service.

What Is a VA Disability Rating?

The VA provides monthly, tax-free disability payments to veterans who became sick, were injured, or had a health condition that got worse due to their military service. The monthly amount is based on a disability rating related to the condition’s severity. Some veterans may have more than one service-related disability — for example, both a physical condition and a mental health condition.

Disability ratings range from 0 percent to 100 percent. A 100 percent rating provides the highest compensation. Veterans with dependents — such as a spouse, parents, or children — may qualify for higher payments. Payments may also increase for veterans who have severe disabilities that require home care or make it difficult to leave home.

What Is the Rating for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Veterans with NHL are typically given a 100 percent disability rating if any of the following apply:

• Your NHL is considered an active disease.
• You’re receiving treatment for NHL.
• You have indolent (slow-growing) and low-grade NHL that affects lymph nodes not located next to each other.

A rating of 100 percent is effective for two years after the end of treatment, including surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or other therapies. After that period, you’ll be reevaluated to see if your disability rating should change or stay the same. Based on the VA examination, you could get a lower rating and a reduced payment.

You may continue to qualify for higher payments if your NHL is in remission but you have lasting side effects or complications from cancer treatment. These symptoms may include:

• Neuropathy (nerve pain or nerve damage)
• Chronic (ongoing) pain
• Organ damage
• Fatigue that affects daily life
• Mental health problems
• Scarring or disfigurement

Is Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Presumptive?

The VA considers certain health conditions to be “presumptive.” This means that the condition is automatically understood to be caused by a hazard such as toxic exposure during military service. Veterans with a presumed condition don’t have to prove a military service connection.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is considered a presumptive condition in certain situations during active duty, including:

• Exposure to Agent Orange (an herbicide) in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Guam, or American Samoa during the Vietnam War and specific years afterward
• Exposure to ionizing radiation in certain places where atomic materials were used or where nuclear testing, detonation, or cleanup occurred
• Exposure to burn pits in locations such as Afghanistan, certain Middle Eastern countries, Uzbekistan, Djibouti, or Somalia on or after September 11, 2001

Veterans who may have been exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides may also be eligible for special healthcare benefits, including treatment at the VA’s War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC). The WRIISC addresses complex health conditions linked to military service.

How Does a Disability Rating Affect VA Benefits?

If you receive any disability rating for NHL, a number of VA disability benefits may be available to you. Even a 0 percent rating provides certain veterans benefits, such as helping with healthcare costs. This rating recognizes that even if it doesn’t greatly affect your daily life, your condition is linked to your military service.

A 0 percent rating is called a noncompensable disability — it doesn’t include monthly payments. However, it can still provide benefits such as:

• Free healthcare and prescription drugs for your disability if you meet income limits
• Coverage for travel to get healthcare
• VA dental and vision care
• Hiring preference for federal jobs

Veterans with at least two separate 0 percent, service-connected disability ratings may qualify for a combined increase to 10 percent. With a 10 percent disability rating, you can receive limited monthly payments. You’ll also be eligible for benefits such as free prescription drugs connected to your disability, vocational training, and a VA home loan without certain VA fees.

Benefits rise with higher disability ratings. If you have NHL and get a 100 percent disability rating, you’ll receive the highest level of monthly payments, among other benefits. Your expanded benefits may include:

• Free healthcare, prescription drugs, and dental care
• Both military retirement pay and disability payments
• Education assistance for dependent children
• Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) benefits, which provide healthcare for eligible family members who aren’t in the military

How Can I Get Disability if I Have Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?

If you have health problems such as NHL that are related to your military service, you can apply for VA disability payments and benefits. The VA will review your claim and give you a disability rating.

You’re not required to submit evidence of your disability, but including medical records and supporting documents can strengthen your claim. These records help show how NHL affects your health and life.

You don’t have to go through the process alone. Many veterans get help from:

• Veterans law attorneys who specialize in VA claims
• Veteran Service Organizations (nonprofit groups that assist veterans free of charge)
• VA-accredited claims agents who are trained to help with the application process

Before working with anyone, it’s important to discuss possible fees and confirm they’re VA-accredited.

If you’re already getting VA compensation for NHL at a disability rating below 100 percent, you can request a review to increase your disability rating if your condition has worsened or your treatment has changed.

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