diabetes I Won! I Won! After A Four Year And Five Day Battle!

[jamescripps2]

On November 2, 2009, I won the first ever VA claim for Agent Orange exposure, "inside the Continental United States." The claim was granted for Chloracne, Diabetes and Heart Disease with ICD implant, as due to Agent Orange exposure at Fort Gordon GA., in the years 1967-1969. You will be able to read the Board Of Veterans Appeals detailed decision along with the supporting evidence at WWW.va.gov in a couple of months when it is posted. From the web site choose Board of Veterans Appeals, then click on Decisions. Next type in the search box Docket No.08-11 937.

Due to the AICD implant, Class 3 CHF and a LVEF of 25% there should be a 100% P&T award.

Other than a $15.00 Medicare copay, here and there, no money was spent on an IMO, so take heart, you don't have to be rich to win!

James M. Cripps,

Vietnam Veterans OF America Tennessee Agent Orange Committee Chairman.

[red]

Congrads to you.

[Berta]

This is a BIGGIE!

They also awarded AO in Alaska (I posted that here-decision came -get this- from the AMC!)

but this is within continental USA!!!!!

Mike I was thinking the same thing-ischemic heart disease-which is already added to the AO presumptives.

Now I wonder how many pending vet's claims do show ischemic heart disease that VA would have to consider under this new presumptive---but I fear VAROs will not even take the new reg into account if they can deny the claims under a different basis.

I know the BVA would.

I sent Larry Scott this news-=hope he posts it-

this is BIG for the veteran's community-

and proves as James said here at hadit I think-

PERSISTENCE pays off-

If you have the evidence you MUST persist until you get the right decision.

My award was first of it's kind too-1151 rendered moot by direct AO SC-

It went on the BVA web site fairly quickly-

so this award James got might not take too long to be posted there.

INCREDIBLE!1!!!!!!!!!!!!

and NOTHING is impossible with the VA.

DOD has confirmed testing of AO in many spots in the US of A-----I posted that info here many times over the years - but I never saw any vet succeed like James did.

This is a major victory for vets as many claiming USA exposure might have a chance now to prove their cases if they can prove they were in the testing itself or maybe had duty in same area after testing was done.

I bet they used AO around officers quarters and the golf courses as well as in war game scenarios.

Edited November 5, 2009 by Berta

[Berta]

past discussion here at hadit:

http://www.hadit.com/forums/index.php?show...hl=jamescripps2

there are links there that might help someone else put there

[jbasser]

James, I too remember your battle. You are an inspiration to other Vets who have had AO exposure in the CONUS.

I see a 100 percent P and T with the EF of 25. I believe an SMC is also in store.

Enjoy the award and take care of yourself.

J

[Testvet]

This is a BIGGIE!

They also awarded AO in Alaska (I posted that here-decision came -get this- from the AMC!)

but this is within continental USA!!!!!

Mike I was thinking the same thing-ischemic heart disease-which is already added to the AO presumptives.

Now I wonder how many pending vet's claims do show ischemic heart disease that VA would have to consider under this new presumptive---but I fear VAROs will not even take the new reg into account if they can deny the claims under a different basis.

I know the BVA would.

I sent Larry Scott this news-=hope he posts it-

this is BIG for the veteran's community-

and proves as James said here at hadit I think-

PERSISTENCE pays off-

If you have the evidence you MUST persist until you get the right decision.

My award was first of it's kind too-1151 rendered moot by direct AO SC-

It went on the BVA web site fairly quickly-

so this award James got might not take too long to be posted there.

INCREDIBLE!1!!!!!!!!!!!!

and NOTHING is impossible with the VA.

DOD has confirmed testing of AO in many spots in the US of A-----I posted that info here many times over the years - but I never saw any vet succeed like James did.

This is a major victory for vets as many claiming USA exposure might have a chance now to prove their cases if they can prove they were in the testing itself or maybe had duty in same area after testing was done.

I bet they used AO around officers quarters and the golf courses as well as in war game scenarios.

I agree Berta this is HUGE Berta what if they used already standing decisons that link AO diabetes 2 to cardiac and SC as secondary to DM2 and the Shinseki new presumptive ruling has nothing to do with this decision we may be getting the horse before the cart it is still a great win as being the first known case of AO awarded from AO use in the United States but the nexus maybe the same that BVA has been awarding to Nam vets for a long time we need to read the decision to learn the full extent

Edited November 5, 2009 by Testvet

[john999]

That is great news. Now does the new reg for heart disease make an opening for widows to file DIC if their RVN spouses died from heart disease 5 years ago? If the VA grants an AO claim for CONUS I think the walls may be coming down on a lot of other AO claims for navy and others. It is sort of like the Berlin Wall. Once one brick is knocked down the whole wall may come down. We RVN vets are not getting any younger. I was at Ft Stewart and Ft Benning. Did they use AO there as well?