georgiapapa

This is excellent information. Thanks Berta. Georgiapapa

dlove74us, It sounds like your veterans service rep believes you have solid evidence supporting your claim for service connection of your breast cancer to your exposure to Gulf War toxins. I hope you do. However, in your previous post, you stated you submitted your DD-214 and your medical records. Unless there was a statement by your oncologist in your medical records showing a nexus between your breast cancer and your exposure to Gulf War toxins, and the statement was supported by reasonable medical rationale, I am not surprised your claim was denied. I may be wrong, and I hope I am, but hiring an attorney or contacting your congressman is not going to do you any good unless you can come up with strong evidence connecting your breast cancer to your exposure to Gulf War toxins. You need more than a diagnosis of breast cancer to win your claim. As I stated in my previous post, you need a strong IMO supported by reasonable medical rationale. JMO Good luck to you. GP

Dinnard, Disability compensation for exposure to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune is possible if the claimant can prove a connection between their disease and the contaminated water. There have been a few cases where compensation was awarded. A successful claim would probably require a strong IMO supported by reasonable medical rationale. JMO GP

Dinnard, For further clarification, the VA health benefits in my previous post only includes treatment for diseases on the list of 15 diseases. GP

Dinnard, Parkinson's disease is an Agent Orange presumptive for Vietnam era veterans. There are no compensable presumptive diseases for veterans exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. There is a list of 15 diseases identified by the VA as possibly related to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and any veterans or family members who were on base at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987 are eligible for VA health benefits but not disability compensation. GP

If the CAVC uses the definition already established by US federal law, I believe the CAVC will decide that Danang Harbor is an inland waterway. Unless I am reading the law wrong, any waters inside the 12 mile demarcation line going shoreward is considered inland waters. I base my opinion on Title 33 "Navigation & Navigable Waters." Refer to 33 CFR 2.26 and 33 CFR 165.1122 both of which define "inland waters." I would hope the CAVC would accept the definition of inland waters as being the same as inland waterways. I cited 33 CFR 165.1122 since it appears to classify San Diego harbor as inland waters because it is inside the 12 mile demarcation line. If a major ocean harbor such as San Diego harbor is considered to be inland waters, hopefully the CAVC will decide that Danang harbor is an inland waterway. I may be totally off base with my opinion and I am sure others will correct me if I am wrong. GP

Independent Medical Opinion.

icecube1986, You should get an IMO from a sleep disorder specialist stating they have reviewed your SMRs and your private sleep study and in their opinion, your sleep apnea was present during your military service. Since you had symptoms of sleep apnea during your recent military service and your SMRs include a record of those symptoms, I believe an IMO from a specialist along with the recent sleep study will overcome any different opinion from a C & P examiner. JMO Good luck to you and thank you for your service. GP

highoctane, Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. In my opinion, the VA should start compensation on the effective date, regardless of when the effective date falls. If the effective date falls in the middle of the month, the veteran would receive a partial payment for that month. The current VA policy is just another way for the VA to save money. It stinks, but it is the policy we are stuck with at this time. JMO Good luck to you and thank you for your service. Semper Fi. GP

highoctane, Your compensation starts on the first day of the month following your effective date. If you had been discharged on November 29, 2014; your effective date would have been November 30, 2014 and your compensation would have started December 1, 2014. You lost a month's compensation by one day. Take care. GP

Email address: Robert.A.McDonald@va.gov Don't forget to put a period before and after his middle initial. GP

Congratulations. Enjoy yourself in the Phillipines but don't let your guard down. GP

You are welcome. Good luck and take care. GP

I do not think it would hurt to have the dentist provide you with a letter diagnosing your specific dental problem. If your dentist believes your dental problem should be rated higher than 0 %, I would ask him to also state his opinion in the letter and also state he based his opinion on his review of the Dental Schedule of Ratings in 38 CFR part 4.150. If he believes your dental condition should only be 0% or not be compensable, I would only ask for the diagnosis and not ask your dentist to opine on a rating because it is possible the VA might rate your dental condition at more than 0%. You are welcome. Good luck to you. GP

Good for Senator Murray. I can't wait to see who supports her effort and who opposes her effort. GP

auenone, Perhaps VA Secretary McDonald should send all stateside VAMC & VARO employees to the Phillipines to be retrained as to how their respective offices should operate. JMO GP

Berta, If my recollection is correct, I recall reading a old VA memo in which tinnitus claims were only granted based on tinnitus caused as a result of trauma to the head rather than noise exposure. I might be wrong. GP

Steph, I would show the above dental schedule to your dentist and ask him/her which specific condition best describes the trauma you experienced to your teeth causing the need for root canals and crowns to your teeth. Also, ask your dentist their opinion of which percentage level would be appropriate in their opinion. Even if they say 0%, this should justify payment for the repairs to your teeth. JMO I already responded in your other post as to my opinion on filing an increase claim for your anorexia nervosa rating while you have your FDC claim pending. Take care. GP

Navy4life, I think if you submit a claim requesting an increase in your rating for anorexia nervosa at this time, your request for increase in rating will be combined with your current FDC claim and your combined claims will become a standard claim. You are currently rated at 60%. You would have to get at least an additional 20% in your current anorexia nervosa rating to make any difference. If you don't think you would receive a substantial increase in your anorexia nervosa rating, I would suggest waiting until your FDC claim is closed. Others may have a different opinion. Based on the question asked by the VA in the letter you received, it appears to me the VA is associating your dental trauma to your passing out from your anorexia nervosa. If this is the case, it is a positive sign for your FDC claim. Then again I could be wrong. JMO Good luck and take care. GP

Oiler1995, Go to the following website for info on the base I.d. cards: www.cac.mil Hope this helps. GP

Welcome back to Hadit. I look forward to your future posts, especially those regarding agent orange issues. GP

OSC, Congratulations on your award. I am glad everything worked out for you. Some extra benefits go with 100% P & T: free Champva healthcare and Chapter 35 DEA educational benefits for your eligible family members, base commissary & exchange privileges for you and your family, free VA dental care for you, additional lfe insurance available for you, etc. I don't know if there are any local benefits avaiable to you in the Phillipines but in the USA, many of the states offer additional benefits. Depending on the state, significant property tax breaks are offered, free vehicle tags, state income tax breaks, etc. Good luck and take care. GP

DD0351, Navy is right. Anytime you file a new clam, it opens the door for the VA to review all of your current service connected disabilities. They may try to lower some of your current ratings or they may leave them alone. Just be prepared to deal with the possibility of a proposed reduction in rating. JMO Good luck. GP

Oiler, Great to have you back on Hadit my friend. Take good care of yourself and enjoy some of that retro with the family. GP

broncovet, You and I agree on the pay for doctors. I stated in my post that there is a pay scale for certain professions such as doctors. If you google the names on the VA lists for several pages, they are all doctors. Some are actually VA employees and some are private doctors who also treat patients at the VAMC. My oldest son is an opthalmologist specializing in retina surgery. He is a private doctor but has performed surgery a few times on VA patients at the request of the VA. There is a serious shortage of doctors at the VAMCs, especially medical specialists. The VA has increased salaries for doctors and is giving sign on bonuses for new doctors. At first glance on the Open the Books website, some could get the wrong impression thinking regular VA employees are making over $300,000. per year. In fact, OPM states that only 1.6% of federal employees make over $200,000. per year and most of these are doctors. I would be surprised if VA Secretary McDonald makes over $300,000. Per year. In fairness, I may be totally wrong about the info on Open the Books website being BS. I tried to keep going down the lists beyond all the doctors and then a page popped up wanting me to sign up for an account. If I am wrong it will not be the first time nor the last time. GP