datart

thanks you have good suggestions and i will start that process and will keep you informed

i got the denial letter yesterday. I sent the paperwork and they got it on the 5th, on the 9th i was denied. I never knew the va worked this fast. i appreciate your suggestions and i guess i will have to go to a specialist and get a current diagnosis for ibs as it is a presumptive illness for gulf war vets. my autoimmune disease is undifferentiated connective tissue disease" (UCTD) because they could not determine what i have as i was tested for all kinds of diseases. I have rashes, other issues that all appeared in a cluster as Medically Unexplained Chronic Multisymptom Illnesses. Gulf War presumption applies to MUCMIs and infectious diseases as well as undiagnosed illnesses. showing old medical records and history of being treated and giving meds, years ago and now show current diagnosis and treatments should be enough right. i didn't think a nexus letter was needed and the benefit of doubt would go my way. reading your response i guess if it is not chronic and something i have issues with currently, even if there is records of injuries of my ankles for example, then no service connection just a note saying in was in your records but sorry, no rating of even 0. skin issues, i have sun damaged skin and have things burned, cut, etc, sometimes cancerous, mostly pre cancerous, that was denied. i saw a case of a WW2 vet 40 years later got it service connection and awarded 30, and they gave him the benefit of the doubt. i can't get the legion to assist and i tried in the past. other vets said you can't get anyone around here to assist who knows anything. so, i am thinking maybe suck it up and try a lawyer. does having a law firm submitting this help.

I sent in the supplemental claim form with attached statement in support of claim and added evidence. It took only five days or less to deny my requests on several issues. I don't think they looked at anything other than supplemental claim form and nothing else. I did not use a VSO although the american legion is listed as my VSO (i tried contacting them but never got any appointments, etc, they ignored me and same with DAV, and others too). I did my original claims on my own, no help from anyone (I recently found you site searching about this). I managed to get 60% disability. I suffer from IBS and was told by the examiner I needed proof of a diagnosis. I had a diagnosis from a specialist who has moved around and no longer has records for me as they were from over years ago. I found a record of being sent to him and being prescribed meds for IBS and then getting another drug as the first was causing issues. I don't like drugs and so over the years i would get a prescription from a doc in the box when IBS was flared up. I had to this in July as I was stressed, upset as I lost a brother and nephew to covid in June. I sent this in with my claim and proof that I still suffer daily and get meds when it is really bad, as i thought when in doubt the VA gives the vet the benefit of the doubt. IBS then would benefit my claim of auto immune disease and other odd illnesses that all started in same time frame. I guess they don't want that as I am a Gulf War vet and that mean gulf war illness and harder to deny associated illnesses like skin cancer, pre cancerous lesions, unexplained rashes, Reynolds syndrome, etc. I served in guam, california, on board uss missouri. It just seems odd they got my claim and decided in record time, is this common these days? What can i do as I don't want to start over as that would mean losing that time and payments if given high enough ratings. Some things i just asked to get service connected like my ankles but they said there is record of it but not an issue today. VSO is that good route if there are any good ones that could help. Of should i try the legal route with a lawyer? any suggestions and experiences . thank you