Benzene
Conditions the Board of Veterans' Appeals has ruled on in decisions that name Benzene exposure, grouped by outcome. 221 published decisions mention it. This is a non-presumptive agent, the medical link must be proven case by case, so these Board rulings are the roadmap.
Note: Also a Camp Lejeune contaminated-water constituent (presumptive for named conditions). Those may not require proving the medical link.
What the Board has tied to Benzene
Each row: a condition claimed as related to Benzene, how many issues the Board ruled on, and the granted / denied / remanded split. Click a condition to see its code page, criteria, and the decisions.
| Condition | Issues | Granted | Denied | Rem. | Grant % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leukemia (except for chronic myelogenous leukemia) DC 7703 | 33 | 22 | 11 | 0 | 67% |
| Malignant neoplasms of the genitourinary system DC 7528 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 43% |
| Polycythemia vera DC 7704 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | – |
| Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma DC 7715 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | – |
Read the Board decisions that mention Benzene ↗
What the science says about Benzene
Benzene is a volatile solvent found in fuels (a component of gasoline and JP-8), degreasers, paints, and many industrial processes. It is absorbed by breathing vapors and through the skin.
Health effects documented in the toxicology literature:
- Blood and bone marrow: Benzene damages the bone marrow, reducing blood-cell production; can cause aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).
- Leukemia: An established cause of acute myeloid leukemia (AML); also linked to other blood cancers.
- Immune system: Lowers white-blood-cell counts, weakening the immune response.
- Other blood cancers: Evidence also associates benzene with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
Cancer classification: IARC Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans); known human carcinogen (US HHS NTP).
Latency: Blood cancers may develop years after exposure.
ATSDR Toxic Substances Portal (search this substance) ↗ (public-domain, US ATSDR)
Common questions
Is Benzene a presumptive exposure?
No. Unlike Agent Orange, burn pits, or Camp Lejeune, Benzene carries no automatic (presumptive) service connection. You have to prove the medical link yourself, usually with a nexus opinion, which is exactly why how the Board has ruled on it matters.
Why do so many of these conditions show denials?
The granted / denied counts reflect the mix of cases where Benzene comes up and how hard each link is to prove, not the merit of any one claim. A denial often means the file lacked a medical opinion tying the condition to the exposure, or proof of the exposure itself, not that the condition can never be connected.
How do I show I was exposed to Benzene?
Service records, your military job (MOS), unit history, and buddy statements can establish the exposure; a medical opinion then connects it to the diagnosed condition. This page reports Board outcomes and is not legal or medical advice, a VSO representative can help with your specific case.
Related Tools and Guides
RateMyVSO. Educational aggregate of published Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions plus public-domain toxicology (ATSDR). Not affiliated with the VA. Not legal or medical advice. Whether any exposure caused any condition in a specific case is a medical and legal question, a VSO representative can help.