Health Outcomes Not Associated With Exposure To Certain Herbicide

[mozartplayer]

The Federal Register to be published Monday December 27, 2010 will include a VA Notice titled "Health Outcomes Not Associated With Exposure to Certain Herbicide Agents: Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2008". It's probably not of interest to those veterans who have a disease that's already on the Agent Orange Presumptive List, but it does make the point that:

"The determination to not establish a presumption of service connection, based on exposure to herbicides used in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era for any other of the diseases, illnesses, or health effects identified in the July 24, 2009, NAS report, does not in any way preclude VA from granting service connection for these diseases, including those specifically discussed in this notice, nor does it change any existing rights or procedures."

Link to text version of this VA Notice is inserted below:

http://edocket.acces.../2010-32332.htm

[Berta]

Right-that has always been the case.

If a vet has a very strong IMO from an environmental specialist or any doctor whose expertise outweighs VA, that states there is no other potential etiology for their disability but for dioxin exposure- the vet can succeed in an AO claim without having a presumptive disability.

It rarely happens however.

[evandc]

Guess I would include Chronic & Severe Peripheral Neuropathy with out Diabetes II in that list...

[john999]

Oh, yes, Chronic PN would need very specific medical proofs to get connected for AO. I think you would be fighting an almost impossible uphill battle on that. Spec. Kelly knows about that. If he can't get it then nobody can I think. Drink a gallon of OJ before next blood work and maybe they will DX you with DMII. They still will claim that the PN is not connected to the DMII because it came before the DMII DX. There is medical and there is compensation. When it comes to compensation the VA is just a bean counter with no conscience.

[Berta]

I have seen only one PN claim granted without DMII.I posted a link to it here some time ago.

The veteran,incountry Vietnam,actually had been diagnosed with PN in Vietnam!