For years, toxic burn pits used in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other overseas military locations have been linked to serious respiratory illnesses, cancers, and neurological conditions. Now, new medical research suggests that burn pit exposure may also trigger autoimmune disorders, adding another layer of concern for veterans and private military contractors who served near these toxic sites.
Autoimmune disorders can be debilitating and difficult to diagnose. They are often chronic, progressive, and life-altering. As more evidence emerges, it is becoming clear that burn pit exposure may have long-term effects far beyond what was originally understood. For the thousands of contractors who lived and worked near burn pits, this development could have critical implications for their health and their right to compensation.
What Are Autoimmune Disorders?
Autoimmune disorders occur when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells. Instead of fighting infections or viruses, the immune system targets organs, tissue, joints, or glands. These conditions can affect any part of the body and often lead to chronic pain, fatigue, organ damage, and disability.
Common autoimmune disorders include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Symptoms may take months or years to appear, making the connection to toxic exposure difficult to prove without medical support.
Recent studies have found that exposure to airborne toxins, such as dioxins and heavy metals commonly released in burn pit smoke, may trigger or worsen autoimmune responses. These findings have raised serious concerns about long-term health consequences for individuals who served near these sites.
Why Burn Pits Are So Dangerous
Burn pits were massive open-air fires used to dispose of nearly everything: plastics, chemicals, fuel, medical waste, electronics, paint, solvents, food waste, and even human waste. When burned together, these materials released highly toxic smoke filled with particulate matter and carcinogenic compounds.
Contractors often worked closest to the pits because they were assigned to waste disposal, logistics, and base operations. In many cases, they had little or no protection from the smoke. Unlike service members, who sometimes rotated assignments, contractors often remained in one area for long periods, increasing their exposure.
Delayed Symptoms and Misdiagnosis
One of the most troubling aspects of autoimmune disorders caused by toxic exposure is the delay in symptoms. A contractor may appear healthy for years after deployment, only to later develop chronic fatigue, joint pain, digestive issues, or organ inflammation. Because these symptoms are vague and develop gradually, many victims are misdiagnosed with stress-related conditions or told their symptoms are unrelated to deployment.
Autoimmune disorders are also notoriously difficult to confirm with standard testing. It often takes multiple medical evaluations to reach a diagnosis. This delay gives insurance companies an opportunity to deny claims or argue that the condition is unrelated to the work environment.
VA vs. Defense Base Act: How the Law Treats These Cases
The Department of Veterans Affairs has recently started recognizing certain burn pit-related illnesses as “presumptive conditions,” meaning veterans do not have to prove direct causation. However, autoimmune disorders are not yet on the VA’s presumptive list, making those claims difficult.
For private military contractors, the situation is different. Contractors are not covered by the VA. They must file claims under the Defense Base Act (DBA), which is a federal workers’ compensation program for civilians injured while working overseas under U.S. contracts.
The Defense Base Act does not rely on presumptive condition lists. Instead, it only requires proof of a connection between the illness and employment overseas. This connection does not need to be direct. If the job placed the contractor in an environment where burn pit exposure occurred, and the illness followed, that may be enough to qualify for benefits.
Compensation Available to Contractors
A successful DBA claim may provide:
- Full coverage of all reasonable and necessary medical treatment, including specialists, prescriptions, surgeries, and long-term care
- Wage replacement benefits at two-thirds of the average weekly wage
- Compensation for permanent disability if the condition limits the ability to work
- Vocational rehabilitation or retraining if the worker cannot return to the same job
- Death benefits for surviving family members if the illness proves fatal
Because autoimmune disorders are long-term and may require lifelong medical care, these benefits can be essential to financial stability.
Why These Claims Are Often Disputed
Even when the law is clear, insurance companies frequently challenge burn pit-related claims. They may argue that:
- The illness is genetic or unrelated to work
- The contractor was diagnosed years after deployment
- Medical records do not show immediate symptoms
- The contractor did not work directly at a burn pit site
- The condition is “not severe enough” to qualify for disability
They may also try to minimize the average weekly wage by excluding overtime, bonuses, hazard pay, uplifts, or other common contractor compensation. Without legal intervention, contractors often receive far less than they are legally entitled to.
Why Contractors Need Legal Protection
Autoimmune disorders caused by toxic exposure are complex, and insurance companies take advantage of that complexity to deny or reduce claims. A Defense Base Act lawyer can collect medical evidence, obtain expert opinions, and establish the link between burn pit exposure and illness. An attorney can also ensure that the correct wage calculation is used and that the full range of benefits is pursued.
DBA claims involving toxic exposure are often won by building strong, well-documented cases. Experienced attorneys know how to present this evidence effectively and how to challenge insurance company tactics. Most cases settle in favor of the injured worker when handled by skilled legal counsel.
Why Burn Pit Victims Need Legal Protection
As new medical research continues to connect burn pit exposure to autoimmune disorders, more contractors are beginning to understand the cause of their long-term health problems. These civilians performed mission-critical work in hazardous environments and now face illnesses that are painful, expensive, and often disabling.
The law provides a path to compensation, but the process is complex and heavily contested. Contractors need an attorney who understands both the medical science and the legal framework surrounding Defense Base Act claims. Skilled representation can mean the difference between a denied claim and a lifetime of financial and medical support.
For more information about burn pit-related DBA claims or autoimmune disorder compensation, contact Barnett, Lerner, Karsen, Frankel & Castro, P.A.