Connecting Husband's Heart Condition

[KHJH]

My husband received a copy of his claim file today.

He was discharged from great lakes Naval hospital on 11/2/1970 for injuries from a land mine explosion.

He was found unfit for duty and received 30% S/C for back hip and Knee injuries. I was going over his records and it looks like they called him back for a C&P on 6/30/1971. These remarks were on the C&P report:

2 M Chestogram, pa and lateral views 6/30/71, shows no consolidative lesion. Heart shadow apears abnormal in that the aortic knob is hypoplastic, (small) and there is prominence of the main pulmonary artery (convex border instead of concave) and there is suggestion of some increased roundness of the left ventricle without any evidence of cardiac enlargement. One should rule out possibilities: 1. Aortic valvular disease? 2. Bronchial asthma? lung fields show no hperaeration or any depressed diaphragm and peribronchial markings are within normal limits.

My husband had a massive heart attack in 1990 and quaddruple bypass. Would he be able S/C his heart condition with this report form his C&P in 1971. I was thinking that any medical problems diagnosed within a year after discharge was S/C. He was never told about these remarks or told to follow up on them.

KH

[KHJH]

No, he did not have cardiac medical care between the years of 1971 & 1990. He was not told he might have heart problems.

After being discharged from the military I don't think he used the VA medical until 1980 when he was hospitalized for a urinary tract infecton. He was there for a few days but I don't remember what test they did and I don't have those medical records. He mainly started using the VA after he had his heart attack to get his medications through them. I'm not sure how often he went to the VA between 1980 and 1990. Can I request his all medical records between 1980 and 1990? Also can I still get a copy of his C&P in 1971.

Thanks

Kathy

[Guest Berta]

Yes- request all that they have-----

I forget- is he on SSA disability?

SSA would have his complete med records too- but certainly they are easier to get from the VA- send a letter and request them under the Privacy Act, 5, USC, 552. Send this letter to the Record Access Officer of the VAMC where he gets treatment or meds-

try to put dates and any other VA's that treated him also-

If they say that some of these records cannot be found but he is sure he was treated- he should see if the SSA office still has his SSA files and they could , with an appointment- help him access what he needs.

Records from a NJ VAMC that VA said Did not exist-(they even told me this when I wrote directly to this VAMC) I found all of these records in my husband's SSA files.I couldn't believe the stuff that SSA had-

more evidence then the VA had -but it was from VA.

[KHJH]

Yes my husband is on SSA and has been since 1990. He is on SSA for his back, heart and depression. The depression or PTSD could have been S/C in 1990 if we had known. We didn't know anything about PTSD or that you could apply for an increase for S/C disabilities until 2004.

I will have him to apply for his medical records today.

Thanks

Kathy