olenavygoat

Very true and good solid advice. Who's dog was it? And was he hauled in for shooting the dog or for discharging a firearm within city limits? If his lawyer is smart he'll have him transferred immediatly to the VA for observation and evaluation for PTSD to help him at least reduce the charges. Either way he can still file the claim and get an award if granted, he just can't receive his compensation while incarcerated.

A lot will depend on your readings when you were in. If they give you an exam where you are laying down and take your blood pressure 3 times, 1/2 hour apart and it indicates hypertension and they are vary close to your medical service bp, they "should" (and I would fight them on it) assume that more likely than not that it existed prior to departure from service. As they cannot dispell it, the regulations state that the benefit of the doubt will be awarded to the veteran. However, they will only monetarily retro your claim to the date you submit it, so I wouldn't waste any time. I would make a point of getting to the VA or using a local doctor using the VA guidelines. The pressure shall be taken 3 times, 1/2 hour apart, alternating arms, for 3 consecutive days. As it is an actual physician, the raters can not dispute the findings.

With the VA you'll have to have iron-clad evidence of hypertension. If you've been suffering with Major Depression since you've been out I would file it and request it be filed as a secondary service connection. Also let them know that the American Heart Assoc., the National Academy of Science, and the VA studies have proven that there is a direct link between PTSD and/or Major Depression leading to hypertension and/or heart disease (3.310 also applies). They'll probably also want you to take their blood pressure C & P which has you lie at rest and take your readings 3 times, once every half hour.

I your current situation is interfering with employment, had you considering filing a VA form 21-8940 for TDUI?

Would anyone happen to know or know exactly where I can find the USC Title 38 regulation regarding rating criteria for hypertension/vascular disease? I went back and looked at my responses from the VA and just now caught that they denied me using the criteria set forth by the 1/98 regulation change. So since in the same letter it said I could be rated using the old criteria, I kinda need to know what it is first. Something else I found out that's very interesting that maybe some folks with PTSD or a Major depression disorder would want to know is that these condition can lead to hypertension and heart disease. You may file for service connections claiming it as a "secondary service connection". So if they've denied you in the past for insufficient evidence in your service medical record, you can get it rated using this method! Thanks!