Shocked Nearly To Death

[Guest Vietnam Tanker]

I can not get the VARO to SC me for TBI from open wound to the head by gunshot in VN in 1968. I went to James Haley to the TBI unit and was refered to the speech therepy department, they evaluated me and issued me an ASUS My Pal 696, PDA with a built in GPS unit, citing my short term memory loss and stutering problems due to the head wound, DUH! do you think they are opening the door or what?

[carlie]

Dat's some good evidence.

[Rockhound]

Don't feel so bad, I reckon the VA would deny a blind person due to a TBI in service, SC for his condition. It amazes me that even obveous disabilities are being denied, it goes beyond the borders of being criminally neglegent.

Rockhound Rider

[gdsnide]

I can not get the VARO to SC me for TBI from open wound to the head by gunshot in VN in 1968. I went to James Haley to the TBI unit and was refered to the speech therepy department, they evaluated me and issued me an ASUS My Pal 696, PDA with a built in GPS unit, citing my short term memory loss and stutering problems due to the head wound, DUH! do you think they are opening the door or what?

When U get denied like that get a LAWYER

[Berta]

John- in numerous H VAc hearings and statements from VA itself in the past 2 years - TBI has been deemed the "signature" wound of returning Iraq combat veterans.

Signature wound my butt!

They didnt even consider TBI when you guys were in Vietnam-

A GSW to head , even if just a graze from a bullet, certainly can cause TBI-even being in a large explosion can--

when my husband's best friend in Vietnam was waved into an intersection (which had been swept for mines that AM)

in a tank instead of waving Rod in (Rod was to his right)-

the enemy had skillfully marked the area with fresh US military jeep tires tracks over a dud US bomb they had re- assembled-

the explosion scattered his buddy and the tank all over and Rod was thrown out of his truck backward on his head-

he couldnt hear for days.He didnt have a concussion I guess because he was the one who found his dead Marine friend.

I have asked for his Marine SMRs along with paying for another copy of his med recs-

I wonder if he in fact got TBI from that-

TBI-per the VA- might well never have been around but for the Iraq War-

that is ludicrous and medically inaccurate-

What rating have they given you for the GSW residuals?

Edited October 1, 2008 by Berta

[Guest Vietnam Tanker]

Berta, the VA gave me a 0% sc for the residuals of fragment wound to the head and 10% for a deviated septum from the same wound. Besides that wound I was the tank commander on several tanks that hit large anti-tank mines and destroyed the tanks, I believe that is where my back problems and leg problems started but I never went on sick call or had any kind of follow-up for the next 8 years while still on active duty, so I have written them off.

Only in the last couple of years have I even thought of pursuing the TBI, since the symptoms have worsened and my memory, cognative powers and speech and thought problems have increased to the point that I hibrinate at home and if you recall from the past I am no where as active here on Hadit as I used to be, I cannot recall regs and other info that might help a vet so I stay silent now day's. Thank for your response and I still love you guy's.

Special wishes go out to my old friends, Wings, Berta, Pete, John999 and especially Mom Meg (if she is still around) and the ever present Lady Tbird who we would all be lost without, may the Great Spirit bless and keep you all.

[Berta]

John - I hear from Momma Meg from time to time-

I wonder John just how this TBI situation in your case has profoundly affected you in the past-

TBI is a physical injury to the brain that can cause major personality changes and emotional difficulties-

I would think it would compound PTSD as well as any other SC disability-

I just read the VA press release on TBI from Sept 23rd again-

it say that more than 22,000 vets are being compensated now for TBI- and that more than 5,800 of them are from Iraq and Afganistan conflict-

I wonder if these figures are correct----

a search at the BVA from 1992 to 2008 reveals 4,666 Traumatic Brain Injury claims-

and if I exclude the word "denial" from that search I get 140 TBI claims.

The BVA search and the VA press release is suggesting that either about 17,000 vets got an award at the RO level which might well have been rated by the mil during a PEB.

Still the figures seem wrong to me-?

Maybe we will get to discussing TBI regs tonight at SVR-