Dic

[cjevans]

I have my husbands death certificate and I'm wondering if I write the cause of death here can you tell me if I will qualify for DIC benefit. My husband was 100% Disabled due to service connection Cancer of the Larynx (twice). His death certificate reads:

Immediate Cause of Death: "PROBABLY METASTATIC ADENOCARCINOMA OF PANCREAS TO LUMBAR SPINE"

Other Significatan Conditions contibuting to death but not resulting in the underlying cause given: "HYPTHYDROISISM, HISTORY OF LARYNGEAL CANCER"

I will be filling out forms this weekend. Just am curious to know if this is gonna fly with VA.

Thanks Kindly for any responses

[john999]

Yes, I think it will fly. How long was he 100%? If he was 100% for over ten years then you get DIC no matter what the cause of death. It is better to get the death SC'ed because the VA will pay for a certain % of funeral fees. His SC cancer contributed to his death so that is good for DIC. Others can direct you to the exact regulation and how it reads.

[cjevans]

No, the ten years does not apply. He was only granted 100% effective January 2007. Thanks for your reply.

[Pete53]

Can you consult with his Doctor or another as to how that would be linked? Somehow you want to spell it out and leave no room for VA to delay your claim.

Good Luck

You might want to consider having a VSO help you.

[vmo]

If the service connected laryngeal cancer actually "contributed" to the cause of death and not just what the VA refers to as "lent assistance". Second point: was he in a debilitated/weakened state because of the laryngeal cancer,--that made him more susceptible to develop pancreatic cancer?? Third: review the complications/side effects of any medications/treatments he was taking for the laryngeal cancer to see if they could have caused a weakened pancreas.(?) *Also, a death certificate alone is seldom enough evidence. VA will probably want the oncology/hospital reports to help establish the etiology (if possible) of the pancreatic cancer. In addition, you may need some private medical opinions to support your claim for DIC.

[cjevans]

I only have the DIC form right now to fill in and send to VA. Don't they look at that first and if they want more information they will ask for it?

[cjevans]

In other words ....do I need to send in back up with the DIC Form 21-534?