Thanks Berta. I know he got a VCAA notification letter prior to the initial denial. It listed some things he could use to prove asbestos exposure. But they were mostly medical things. As they didn't acknowledge that he was exposed to asbetos as an electrician from 1970 - 1983, because he doesn't have any medical survillience or industrial survey reports.
As far as I can see industrial surveys are for situations, rather than specific people. And from what we can find, the Air Force didn't even start medical survillience for asbestos until the late 1980's. The intital Air Force asbestos management guideline was published in 1988.
As far as the benefit of the doubt goes, you would think when you sent information on the specific job duties you did, perfomance reports to back those statements, the Base oncologist and pumonologist had indicated asbestos exposure in your post-service medical records, you had a pathology proven interstitial lung disease, pulmonary function tests that showed combined obstructive and retrictive patterns, a DLCO of 51% predicted -- THAT would weigh heavier than the fact that you don't have records of medical survellience when those programs weren't even in existence at the time.
I am having trouble understanding how they apply the balance of the evidence thing. If you have evidence - and the only so called "evidence" they have is the LACK of something which wouldn't even exist -- it seems like the benefit of the doubt will swing your way.
They did say he should sent any tests he had that showed asbestos in tissue, urine, etc. But he didn't have any. Yet when they scheduled him for a C&P exam - they didn't try to obtain them either.
The only thing they did for his C&P exam was PFTs and a "record review" by the VA doc. The VA examiner didn't even SEE him. He just pretended to view the records. He looked close enough to see the "emphysematic changes" on a lab report - and said his cancer was caused by smoking. Didn't bother to mention the Interstital Lung Disease. The VA examiner also said he had no shortness of breath and no residuals from the long cancer - even though he had his whole left lower lobe removed, and 11 inch scar from his shoulder to under his arm, and the PFT done AT THE VA that day indicated he had dypsnea on hills and stairs, frequent wheezing, and FVC of 73% and an FEV1 of 69%.
But his VCAA letter did not indicate anything they needed to show in service incurrence, for direct connection, which was the major focus of his claim. (28 years in the AF - a 3.1 cm tumor of slow graowing cancer removed 2 years post-retirement).
I will have to check again, but I don't recall the letter prior to the DRO review stating that they needed anything to prove his claim. It said they would check the claim file and see if anything was needed.
But from what I can see the Duty to Assist cannot be used for a CUE.
I have looked at some of his other claims, and they were pretty extensive..even the ones that were denied. This claim is totally different - they didn't even go through the motions of addressing most the issues. It ws just "You don't have medical survellience records which show you were exposed to asbestos. You retired in 1998 and your cancer wasn't diagnosed until mid-2000, stuff.)
Free