SSGunnyG

My sister read the letter she got in the mail. My father was awarded 100% from Nov 1998. He died in 1999. Not a large retro award unpaid, but she said the letter does mention education benefits. I'll have to watch the mail for mine. Question though 1)DIC due to his wife, how do I find out if she got it? She's deceased now too. 2)If she never got it, do my sister and I receive it? Thank you!

Got through to 1-800# today. They told me the claim for my father is complete. Notification mailed Apr 23rd. I haven't gotten it yet, but suspect it'll be this weekend. Couldn't tell me whether my father's claim was a 681, 687, or 405. Says it was a claim for accrued benefits. I'll have to wait and see...

Thank you Berta. I go back and forth every time I think I understand what "should" happen. I agree, the key factor is gonna rest on whether my father and is wife ever received compensation. I guess I'm in a holding pattern until I get the Notification letter.

Sorry I've taken this off in the wrong direction from an introduction!!! Thank you all for the welcome aboard.

Yes, I'm just so confused about how they'd adjudicate this claim. No one in my family knows if my dad or his wife were receiving any benefits. My grandmother, aunts, and sister have said they never heard my dad or his wife talk about any of that. From what I understand if she was receiving DIC when she passed, it's a done deal...unless there was some compensation due my dad that was unpaid to her, it'd come to my sister and me. Other than that, maybe my sister could get some retro education benefits (she was in college when my dad died), and unpaid burial expenses. I don't now, maybe the uniqueness of this claim is what's taken it so long. I've read your posts before about how hard you fought for your husband's rightful benefits. I applaud your strength and commitment. A big OohRah Marine to your husband. I'm sure he's smiling down, as happy as can be that you're given' em hell on his behalf. Thanks Berta!

"After a veteran dies ,at some point they retire his or her medical records somewhere in St Louis but I am assuming that his medical records might still be with the VARO that sent the Nehmer letter to you and would be available there. When they reopen a deceased veteran's claim they then acquire the retired medical records, as they apparently did in your case." - Thank you for that info. I asked for a copy of everything, hoping it's the C-File and all medical records. “Neoplasm of the Bronchus" -I am not a doctor but am VERYsure this is a soft tissue sarcoma and warrants AO compensation." - From everything I've read, I draw the same conclusion....but you never know what the VA will determine. "Did they say what exact type of info they still wanted?" - Asked for birth certificate, marriage certificates, death certificate, SSN numbers. By the time I called the first business day after receiving the letter, they'd had his birth, death, both marriage certificate, divorce decree between my parents, and verified me and my sisters' addresses and identity. So, from there, I guess they went forward. The claim was in Decision by the first time I even called. Weird that we got the letters asking for info, but the claim was in decision. Received letter March 23rd, claim went to Decision March 15th. "If your father had any private medical records, in addition to VA med recs does VA know that?" - VAMC Kansas City was his primary care facility. He had a tough time holding jobs (he'd get pretty good ones) just had medical and legal problems that interfered. "Was an autopsy done?" - I don't have a copy of it. More info I suppose I need ASAP. "The entire Nehmer Training Guide has a link in the AO forum here........but I am not sure,if VA awards this claim,what they are actually going to award? Maybe he had a pending claim when he died that would warrant accrued benefits..... And perhaps the second wife did receive some DIC before she died..... I have more questions than you do I think because this is an unusual situation." - I've got the Nehmer Training Guide and have been studying up. I'm confused too. Do you know if DIC was due to his wife that was unpaid if they'll award that to me and my sister too? My dad never said anything about getting VA compensation for his cancer. I'm sorry to have such a weird situation. Maybe that's why 13 years after his death, they're just now getting to it...maybe? The other site I just started going to was just as lost on this issue as you and I. "The contact info for NVLSP is also in the AO forum but best to contact them if the decision is a denial (I HOPE not) or the EED (earliest effective date )is wrong. NVLSP won the Nehmer AO decision for Beverly Nehmer. They are a pro bono law firm and so no charge at all for them to go over the decision if you believe the EED is wrong. They questioned my EED and I await info from VA to explain it better. I assume you did ask for a copy of his C file and that C file copy might well reveal a paper trail that will explain this better. I just hope it doesn't take to long to arrive." - I've contacted NVLSP and the lawyer I spoke with said he'd help me make sure the award is correct, if any is due. Just didn't have any info before I get the Notification letter. He found my father's name in a database, I'm assuming it the AO registry or the Nehmer registry. Thanks Berta, I hope you claim is resolved to your satisfaction ASAP!!!

Thank you Berta! Sorry for your loss, I marked the 13th year of my father's passing last Friday. I have read many many many posts by you here, and on another site. I'll see if I can answer to give a little more backstory. Was this a letter than specifically mentioned Nehmer? - Yes, the letter my sister and I received stated the review of my father's file was a result of the Nehmer decision. Did he die with IHD (Ischemic heart disease ) contributing? - His death certificate says "Neoplasm of the Bronchus" only, no mention of IHD, PD, or Hairy Cell Leukemia. I never knew if he had complications with any of these conditions. Did his second wife apply for DIC and was denied???? - That's where I'm lacking information. She never mentioned receiving benefits to me. I rarely kept in contact with her after my father passed away. I've called the VA 1-800# and was told this was a review of my father's claim, not a DIC from his wife. They were married when he passed away (VAMC Kansas City), but that's about all I know. I am a little surprised if the VA sent you this letter due to his lung cancer- which is an AO presumptive but the new Nehmer AO regs were focusing on IHD, Hairy Cell B Leukemia, and Parkinson's disease. - I was thinking the exact same thing. Did they ask for more info yet? - The letter asked for more information, but I don't have anything to provide. The VA verified my sister and myself as surviving children. They had a copy of his death certificate, and knew his wife had passed as well. The latest info I got was the claim was opened Dec 3rd, went to Decision Mar 15th, went to Notification Mar 28th (Seattle). I was told "average" time from Seattle is 23 days. It's a little over 30 days now. I asked for a copy of my father's C-File and don't know who to contact at VAMC for his medical records. Do you any access to any of his old VA records? - I have been transferred and transferred and transferred everytime I ask for someone who can get me the medical records.

Thanks Kelly! I've enjoyed SoCal for many years. You're welcome, I've served with pleasure. Coming to an end soon, as it does for everyone at some point.

Hello Bernie! New member myself. Good luck getting the healthcare and benefits you deserve.

My mother and father were divorced since the mid 1970's. My father served in the US Army, boots on ground in Vietnam 1968-1969. He later re-married in 1994, but his wife recently died (Nov 2011). I don't know if she was getting any benefits, since she was married to him when he died. I don't have contact with her family, I wouldn't even know how to contact them. My sister and I both received the letters in March. I hope these answers go to the direction you're asking. I'm reading a lot about Nehmer, but getting stumped by the limited information from the VA 1-800#. Went to Notification out of Seattle on March 28th. They said average 23 days. It's a little over that now. Thanks John!

Thanks #1Cavtrooper. I really should have joined a long time ago.

Hello community! I am from SoCal and have been lurking on this site for a few months. I'm active duty Marine Corps (22 years) set to retire this August. Started my claims process, and have found a bunch of info here. Also, I received a letter from the VA about potential retro benefits due to my father from AO exposure. Kinda weird that I'm dealing with the VA for these two things at the same time. My father died in 1999 from lung cancer, and I have no idea what kind of claim (if he had one) the VA is looking at. Well, I plan to keep reading and understanding. Hope to hear from some of you soon. Aaron