What's Your Opinion Of This Imo

[blackbird]

Please read this IMO and let me know what you think,

Thanks, Blackbird

To Whom it May Concern:

Mr.XXXXXXXXX is now 51 yrs old. I have been seeing him since 1996. At that time, he came to me with a foraminal disc at L4-L5, had a foraminal diskectomy done, and had continued degeneration of the 4-5 disc and subsequently underwent a 4-5 fusion. Relevant to this, I have reviewed XXXXX's SMR'S. He notes that when on deployment in Egypt from Oct to Nov 95 he was pulling on a heavy parts box from a stack of boxes and had a sharp pain in his back radiating down his left leg into his left foot. This is the exact distribution of discomfort for which I operated on him subsequently in 1996. It is more than likely the pathology for which I operated on he incurred in the lifting incident when he was deployed in Egypt. Theresore, it is more than likely related to his military service. He has intractable leg pain as a result of injury to the dorsal root ganglia and it was the ultimate cause of him requiring a fusion at L4-L5. He has had subsequent disc herniations most recently at L2-L3 but he has also had disc disease in the cervical spine rrequiring 5 additional fusions.

There is no question in my mind that there is a direct causal relationship between the injury sustained in Egypt and the necessity he had for an L4-L5 diskectomy and subsequent L4-L5 fusion.

Please address any questions to me, Dr. XXXXXXXXX

[rentalguy1]

Well, I don't know much about the Winston RO. That may be a blessing, because it means they don't pop up much in BVA searches.

[Berta]

"The other troops were trying to handle a major problem in the communications van so I was trying to move the boxes alone, (dedicated or stupid)?"

Is it possible that you could get a buddy statement from one of these troops which could at least put you away from the communication problem but at scene where it would at least verify you were moving heavy supplies?

[blackbird]

"The other troops were trying to handle a major problem in the communications van so I was trying to move the boxes alone, (dedicated or stupid)?"

Is it possible that you could get a buddy statement from one of these troops which could at least put you away from the communication problem but at scene where it would at least verify you were moving heavy supplies?

Hi Berta,

Thanks for your reply.

When I was deployed in Egypt and needed the tech manuals for my equipment and couldn't find them, I made 2 calls back to my home station base to talk to my NCOIC. The first call was to ask where the TOs' where located. He told me they where in one of the parts boxes in the back of the trailer that accompanied the package and that I would have to look through them to fine the manuals.

The second call, the same day , was to ask him if he was sure they were packed, that I had move all the boxes I could and I hadn't found them. He relayed a message from someone else that they were suppose to be there, but I never found them.

My question, If I got a letter from my NCOIC that states I had to move these heavy boxes trying to find the manuals, would it help? He did not of course see the accident but he knew from the phone calls that I was having to move the boxes.

Blackbird

[Berta]

Yes I feel that could help you.

I do not doubt for a single second that you were injured in service.

I read a lot of BVA decisions and they look for corroborating details like this when the vet is trying to establish a nexus.

This type of buddy statement could explain the what,where and when of the etiology of your injury -to at least lead VA to the Benefit of Doubt scenario.

Did you ever write home or tell anyone in the family or friends about this inservice event?

Have friend up the road -USAF 20 years- who was injured when he picked up a relative's child when they arrived at the airport near his base.He picked her up and swung her around. His back suddenly locked up.

He did require ER treatment.

Luckily this was in his SMRs but he also considered getting buddy statements from the relatives who had to drive him to an ER.He couldnt even drive his own car when it happened.

Even without the documented treatment,I am sure their buddy statements could have helped him establish his injury. A VA doc also wrote a nexus statement for him many years later. Something apparently showed up on a recent VA X ray that could be associated with the inservice event.

[blackbird]

Yes I feel that could help you.

I do not doubt for a single second that you were injured in service.

I read a lot of BVA decisions and they look for corroborating details like this when the vet is trying to establish a nexus.

This type of buddy statement could explain the what,where and when of the etiology of your injury -to at least lead VA to the Benefit of Doubt scenario.

Did you ever write home or tell anyone in the family or friends about this inservice event?

Have friend up the road -USAF 20 years- who was injured when he picked up a relative's child when they arrived at the airport near his base.He picked her up and swung her around. His back suddenly locked up.

He did require ER treatment.

Luckily this was in his SMRs but he also considered getting buddy statements from the relatives who had to drive him to an ER.He couldnt even drive his own car when it happened.

Even without the documented treatment,I am sure their buddy statements could have helped him establish his injury. A VA doc also wrote a nexus statement for him many years later. Something apparently showed up on a recent VA X ray that could be associated with the inservice event.

Berta,

When you asked if I ever wrote home about this inservice event, it caused me to remember two phone calls I had made to my SMSGT at home concerning the missing manuals. Durning the second call he remembers me telling him that "I had looked through most of the boxes, but pulling on one made my back hurt so I stopped looking". He said he also remembers telling me to look through the boxes to start with. He is writing all this up and is going to have it notarized and send it to me asap.

Hope this will make a difference.

Blackbird

[airborne18]

Blackbird,

Didn't realize there were 2 threads on this.. just found this.

The IMO is actually good. Your exit exam will not help you, it just documents what your medical history documents. My exit exam was not even considered for my service connection ( i had no problems on it ).

The one problem you have with all this is that Degenerative Disc Disease is not something that just happens, it is a longterm issue. Though any condition aggrevated by the military is still service connected.

I would get letters from your civilian job stating that when you left for active duty in october you were able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Also get letters from your spouse if you are married, or significant other. And any letters from anyone who can say you arrived from the exercise completly screwed up. ( the VA will take family letters and they will put wieght into them.. though not sure if they will for nexus, but for severity they will help ).

It is a shame you didn't go on sick call while in Egypt, just one sick call slip would probably nail this for you. ( for my claim, my SMR's were basically destroyed, I had my own copy of 2 sick call slips, and that was it ). THe VA understands that active duty medical people do sleazy things.. like destroy medical records. You could easily have explained that you went to sick call and they blew you off, because you were NG. and that the only proof you have now is the people you worked with.

What date were you on light duty??

Also you might want to ask on this board about the buddy letters. Email them to a few of the experts here for feedback.. The wording will matter.