ptsd Agent Orange

[sgmdae]

I am working with a RVN Vet, that has tremendous skin discoloration and had a baby that was deformed in its lower extremeties, and was dead when borned

He always felt it was because of Agent Orange.

He went to the Veterans Clinic in 1974, but kind of got lip service, I think many can relate to the early days of the Agent Orange Crisis

Can anyone give me guidance on cases in the past and where to start with this VET

I have the PTSD covered, but need to learn for him and others about Agent Orange

Edited December 18, 2009 by sgmdae

[sharon]

http://www.vva.org/Guides/AgentOrangeGuide.pdf

http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/benefits/Herbicide/

This should help with your research.

[Sgt Schmidt]

http://www.vva.org/Guides/AgentOrangeGuide.pdf

http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/benefits/Herbicide/

This should help with your research.

I know how this VET feels. I had a son who died 20 to 30 minutes after birth back in 1976 due to multiple deformaties, (webbed fingers and toes, large hole in chest area, among others.) I also have a daughter who has two heart deffects. The one thing I wished I would have had done was an autopsy on my son but didn't. I brought this to the attention of the VA and received absolutely no help or responce at all. When asking my VA PCP about this I always got pushed to another subject.

To this day, and probably until the day I die, I will always feel these defects in my children were caused by AO!

Jeff

[Artillery Hill]

I know how this VET feels. I had a son who died 20 to 30 minutes after birth back in 1976 due to multiple deformaties, (webbed fingers and toes, large hole in chest area, among others.) I also have a daughter who has two heart deffects. The one thing I wished I would have had done was an autopsy on my son but didn't. I brought this to the attention of the VA and received absolutely no help or responce at all. When asking my VA PCP about this I always got pushed to another subject.

To this day, and probably until the day I die, I will always feel these defects in my children were caused by AO!

Jeff

Sorry for your loss. I too had a similar incident and will always wonder if AO was responsible. I had a beautiful baby girl born who looked "perfect" on the outside." She died within 1 day due to a rare deformity called "Diaphragmatic Hernia." This is when there is a pinhole in the diaphragm and her intestines came through the pinhole pushing her lung over into her heart. Consequently her lungs were not developed well enough. It was 99% fatal back then. Nowadays - they can operate while the baby is still in the womb. Nobody saw it on any "scan" although they should have. Like you - I'll always wonder if AO was the cause. I've not had anything in family history such as this.

[Sgt Schmidt]

The VA gives comp to the women that served in the RVN for child birth defects but not to the men. I'm wondering where the heck do they think that poisoned seed came from.

Can a male vietnam veteran file a claim for these birth defects that killed or crippled our children and hope that the government someday will finally realize that AO exposure was the cause of their medical problems and fes up.

Jeff

Arty - sorry to hear of your loss also.

Edited February 17, 2010 by Sgt Schmidt

[john999]

You know it might be wise to file a claim for the birth defect even though it is not considered presumptive now. If it becomes presumptive you can recapture an earlier effective date. You have very little to lose in doing this. Somebody who filed for DMII due to AO exposure before the disease was added to the list can get a much earlier date on the disability. Berta knows just how this applies.

It could be wise for RVN vets to file for any disease that might become presumptive one day. You hedge your bets. The VBM has lists of diseases that they believe will become presumptive for AO in the future. We are not getting any younger, but I bet they will still be adding AO presumptives when I am 80 years old, knock on wood.

[hawkfire27]

I believe Sgt Schidmt is right about birth defects being covered by women who served in RVN.

However, the child of any veteran male or female that has AO presumtion, that has spina bifida (not occulta), or any of the AO presumptive conditions is covered.

In women RVN vets any birth defects is covered, but only if the child survives. If the child dies cover is only provided for the time they were alive, so if the child lived for less than a month there is not comp.

At least that is my undertanding, please correct me if I am wrong! :D