dtclou

Thank you all, I'm glad I ask!!! I was thinking since it was a VA exam/treatment & documented, it would be similar to the C&P that he just had. Someone told me he could use for his ear/hearing loss as informal claim date - since the examiner then kept refering to his ear problems in service. It has certainly been past the 1 year mark for the stomach, and yes I agree....he should have filed back then.....He just wouldn't - I think he was in denial that it would be a lifelong problem.......

Jan 2006 my husband was just rated 10% for Stomach/bowel/colon problems ....We sent NOD - (feel it should be much higher) But atleast he was granted S/C & rated..... *He had formally filed 3/05. I just got his VAMC records & found that in 2001 his primary physician at VAMC "advised him to go to DAV & put in a claim for stomach & colon problems." He didn't at that time - he just wanted to get "fixed" . He realized that wasn't going to happen & put in the claim 3/05. Was that an informal claim in 2001? Does it establish a retro payment date? Can we request retro payments to the date she made this note, since he was S/C & rated? It is clearly in his VMAC records - and from what I've learned here on Hadit - I think it is an informal claim -but wanted ask on this senario specifically before we filed anything else. Also - if this is informal w/retro intitled - should we wait until after decession on the NOD? Or go ahead & send in request now? It doesn't have a time limit does it? Thanks, dtclou

Sorry to bring up the bad memories........ but thanks for the info

You can file claim without a "diagnosis". Your SMR "should" document you had medical problems & your attempts for medical treatment - which will establish that you did have those problems during you service. Proving you illness/disabilities are SC (service connected) seems to be the hardest. Have you gotten a copy of you service medical records yet? If not - request them so you can see for yourself what is documented.

Thanks - I guess it must have been reinstated? It shows on my husbands imm rec's that he received G.G. in 1992 - He was over seas for most of 3 years. I didn't know what it was for (neither did he......) Thanks

Does anyone know what the G.G. immunizations given to military in 1992 was/or is? I tried to Google it, but was confused.... Was it another name for the anthrax shot? Was it even a shot? What was it for & do they still give it? Thanks

How do you file a section 1151? Can you just submit it as a regular clam & state it is a 1151? If 100%p&t is granted on a 1151 is it the same benefits as a S/C claim (depentants/college/etc..)

Chronic is defined as "lasting for 6 months or longer" - obviously it has been longer than that now - but perhaps it wasn't in their "time frame" for "chronic" on the date of diagnosis......(11/04). How far apart were the 6 treatments? Also - I've seen many people post here that the "VARO cannot make medical determinations". If you medical records say it was chronic - they should have to base it as such. There was definate evidence of "lumbar thoracic strain" even if they don't consider it "chronic" at the time - it has become chronic (assuming you are still having problems)

He doesn't know if they are classified. He did do a lot of DEA & secret service, worked with chemical & neuclar weapons & the demolition of ammunition. All I know is here in the c-file I just got is that there are 4 seperate requests for " separation documents, personnel file showing unit of assignment, dates of assignment, participation in combat operations, wounds in action, awards & decorations, and official travel outsie the US" In response:99 A check of NPRC'S computer database indicates the military record has not yet been retired to code 13. Since DPRIS is now operational, we suggest you address a new request to code 31 thru PIES. Our understanding is you will receive a response VIA DPRIS w/in 48 hrs" He was h/d in 1994 - so how long does it take to retire MR to code 13 ? They have requested 4 times (that I see here in his c-file) and never received anything but the above statement. Should he send a statement to VARO that there is a possiblity that they are classified? Would they need to contact a differnt records dept. Or would NPRC tell them if they are classified?

He did not wear protective gear. (I have many photo's) No masks for ammunitions demolitions. The only time they wore protective clothing/mask was when working on or disarming chemical & nuclear munisions he said they wore a charcol suit or a chem suit. As for using the same pit - he says "sometimes"... "a lot of pits we did that ---demolition pits..." I do not know why they didn't biopsy the thyroid nodule........ He has just gone to a civilian ENT who has ordered a scan & biopsy this week. (this is a year ++later since VA record found it. They never told him they found anything at all) I just got his c-file & am going thru it. I found this tyroid record the day he was going in for his hearing test & told him to show it to the Dr - as this Dr is also a thyroid specialist.

Thanks Jim, He kept very few of any military records & VARO can't get them. I did find Evals that commends him & recognizes many dives "as deep as 150' " That is about all our "proof" right now....he also did SAT dives. In his c-file there are 4 requests from the VARO to obtain his personal file so they can get his stations/decorations/combat history etc.. They keep getting "no files found" He did some secret service work & DEA & also worked with SEAL (I did send 3 of his Evals that stated these things to VARO) They didn't have any of these in his c-file. Spent very little time with his team most TAD to other special force teams. He thinks some of his records may be classified/sealed . Do they do that ? If so - how to you get them? How do you obtain TAD records ?

He had an audiograph - mostly measured in 30's & 40's for hearing loss. Highly recommed to get hearing aids for both ears.

How do you file a section 1151 claim? I have his VAMC & numerous times it is documented they kept telling him to "use it as much as you can" "walk on it" . His civilian Dr told him that due to continuously "re-breaking it" every morning by trying to use it - he did too much damage. large deposits had formed & a fusion was now the only option for helping aleviate some of the pain.

Does he specifally need to list DU in his claim? (He knows for sure he was exposed to DU) Should it be a seperate claim from GWI? He was "MANY place & blew up everyones stuff."... He doesn't know who's was made of what......... Should he leave it lumped in the claim with GWI or file exposure seperatly? Thanks

Hi, thanks - I'll send a letter to VARO & ask them to pull his VA Rx for proof he was on meds & obviously diagnosised if they put him on meds..... VARO just denied him s/c & said he wasn't ever diagnosised . I didn't know this was a presumtive condition. Thank you all.

How do you get Hypertention rated as presumptive? They denied him S/C just receintly. He is finally staying on the medication & it is helping control the HBP. He never like much salt, and is trying to eat healthier now. Thanks for the advise.

Another question..... My husband was in constuction & had a very bad fall off a 22' high, icy roof. He went to the VAMC emergency room & several follow ups for 5 months. (didn't have health insurance to go elsewhere) They kept saying it would heal. After 2 months they said use it as much as he could . 3 months, told him again it should be heal by now, use it & it'll be fine. After being unable to work he ended up qualifing for Medicaid & went to a civilian Dr. He ended up having to have a fusion (3 screw put in to lock his ankle in place permanetly to help with pain) The civilian Dr. stated he would have healed up if he had stayed off it, he told him he just did what the VA Dr told him to - used it as much as he could even thought it was excruciatingly painful. He now has a permanet ankle fusion. Is there a claim here? It didn't happen in service, but did result in a fusion from bad advise from VA Dr......

Thank you. I will have him take it in. I just got these SMR & trying to find what's important. I'll have him take it - he goes back end of this month for his HBP check to see how meds are working for him (he's only 35) First found HBP at 30 is that abnormally young?

Yes, we just sent a typed & signed request for a complete copy of his claims folder / "C-file" I'm sure there is some official form you could request & send, but a signed letter works just the same.

Thanks Berta, those are good links. My husband was shocked to find this letter in his SMR & didn't realize he had been exposed to ionizing radiaiation, but it definaly states he was.

I just found in my husbands SMR a "Record of Occupational Exposure to Ionizing Radiation" with 3 dates listed from military service & on the bottom "to be retained permanently in individual's medical record" It states it was in CVN-/1 What are problems associated with this exposure? He was also in GW - He was the team blowing up all their ammunitions - so exposed to more there, but this is a seperate date/job. I have his Letter of Commidation very detailed involvement in hazmat clean up +2 government issued picture of him out in his UTS only. with file number on it. Did they give these to him for future claim referance? Knowing this was extreamly dangerous exposure? He did have testing on his thyroid at VAMC - found a nodual w/irregular boards & "can't confirm it is not cancerous. Just found this from his C-file - they told him he was fine & didn't schedual any further tests. He didn't know he was exposed to Radiation & that is noted on his VAMC thyroid report "denies being exposed to radiation" obviously I will send a copy of this note to them & ask for a correction in his file. He has ton's of illnesses - so I want to know what my be a result/related to "occupational exposure to ionizing radiation"

How does a claim like this work? My husband has sever hearing loss. He did have childhood problems - but they gave him a referance audiograph & he was able to get into the military dive program - no ear problems at time of enlistment Does he have a claim for the damage to his ears/hearing loss ? He has NUMEROUS SMR for ear infections, discharge, problems thru out service. He was EOD & did LOTS of deep underwater dives that did ear damage. He has a lot of hearing loss. He is going to civilian audiologist today to be "measured"

I'm trying to weed thru the SMR papers & make a useful stack & other stack. So far in my husbands SMR I just got I found 3 "Sinus Bradycardia" w/ECG . What is this??? What are normal results? On top of 1 from 1990 it reads "Marked Sinus Bradycardia w/sinus arrhythmia abnormal ECG" PRT axes 45-79-67 (I can give more #'s if someone tells me what to look for????) On top of another in 1993 "Sinus Bradycardia w/occational premature atrial complexes rightward axis borderline ECG " PRT axes 27-95-44 **there is a black ink line marking out "occasional premature atrial complexes righwar axix" and some writting - can't read well. Then a 3rd 1 month later that reads "Sinus Bradycardia otherwise normal ECG" PRT axes 66-78-60 **This one has his last name & ss written on the side - but not filled electronically in Name/age section - just written off to the side in the same back ink. Are these normal results? Does he have a heart problems? He was never told about any of this & I don't know what it is? Should I make him take it to his next civilian Dr appt - does it need follow up ? or are these normal results?

Wow, Kudos to Boise for super fast C-file release. I posted to get a ballpark time frame. I got the HUGE file yesterday Priority Mail. Only took 2 weeks from request including mail time!!! Now I am trying to go thru all this stuff....... It's huge, but does look like there are missing SMR, so far nothing about the poison fruit, but does have follow up colon surgery. There are 3 requests from them to obtain his unit/station records -non of those are in here. I've got some questions, I'll make a new post. DeeDee- They have Service Medical Records in the C-fie - which you need to help link Service Connection.

I was wondering if this would help establish a begining of emotion problems. This was just after his GW service . After this report & counseling, he was "transfered to a new det after experiencing problems w/old det. to provide w/"clean slate" . This is not for his PTDS - there is much more he experiance for that. (I shouldn't have put that on this post) He has been diagnosised w/depression, but not granted S/C because VARO said there were no records of any problems or counsiling. I thought this may help establish that there were issues. I don't have many records to work with right now. He only kept a small folder - I am waiting for his SMC & C-file. I just thought this might help start the connection, is it worth sending?