Fighting For Deceased Husband

[hdela]

Hello

[rentalguy1]

hello and welcome to Hadit! I, too, was a flight line mechanic. I was a crewchief on oh-58's and ah-6's in the army. What can we do for you?

[Josephine]

Hi and welcome to Hadit.

Please feel free to ask your questions and tell us how we can help you.

I am sorry for the loss of your husband.

Always,

Betty

[hdela]

Hello everyone. I had posted this in introductions and was advised to put it here.

My husband was a jet mechanic in late sixties at AFB in Lakenheath, England. He contended that he worked on the planes that came from Vietnam and had AO. However, he had diabetes, later heart disease, neuropathy, then after several years of disturbing symptoms such as personality change, staggered gait, loss of balance and falling, slurring of speech, he was finally diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia where he finally was unable to speak. He finally passed away february 2007. We had two doctors who looked into his military records and felt that the jet fuel he was exposed to was the cause of the ftd and the screw up in his brain.

After his death, the VSO did change the claim for me as well as filed for widow's pension. I received the award letter for the pension yesterday. I had almost given up and was in the process of writing to the Texas state senator and rep and had the letters ready to go about the case when the award letter showed up for the pension. I had been told it would take years to get the pension and probably never would get the claim filed on behalf of my husband so I guess I should feel lucky to have gotten the pension after a little over a year, huh?

[donews]

It is great news that you got awarded your pension.

So I take it from your post, that a VSO filed for any benefits that may be due and asked that they adjudicate your husbands unfinished claims on your behalf?

[Josephine]

Good for you!

Betty

[Berta]

Hdela- I dont understand a few things here-

You say you receive a "Pension"?

And NOT DIC ?

"We had two doctors who looked into his military records and felt that the jet fuel he was exposed to was the cause of the ftd and the screw up in his brain."

Did the VA award you Direct Service connected Dependency and Indemnity Compensation?

It says VA Comp on the check- I get $1,091 a month (children under eighteen-if his dependents, add more $ to the check). This is a DIC widow's award.

Did he have a claim in progress when he died?

If so what has the VA determined in any accrued benefits- if you in fact get the DIC payment?

If you Dont get $1,091 a month or more-

why not?

"After his death, the VSO did change the claim for me as well as filed for widow's pension. I received the award letter for the pension yesterday"

What did the VSO change???????

Something seems wrong here-

if you do get $1,091 every month- as stated in the award letter as Dependency and Indemnity Compensation- then the award seems correct-

I am pretty concerned as to what you actually do get and what the VSO changed.

Edited April 18, 2008 by Berta