$459,700 Ao

[Berta]

"Due to Agent Orange, veteran awarded $459,700

GARY HUFFENBERGER

Staff Writer

A local Vietnam War veteran has been awarded a $459,700 benefit because of their exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange during the war and the later onset of ischemic heart disease.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) completed a rating decision this month, making an evaluation of 100 percent, effective November 1994, for the Clinton County veteran. A 100 percent rating is the highest disability rating, according to Ray Souder, executive director of the Clinton County Veterans Service Office."

full story:

http://www.wnewsj.com/main.asp?SectionID=49&SubSectionID=156&ArticleID=188974

[carlie]

Berta,

Thanks for posting this.

I really love to see the actual amount in dollars.

Many time there are posts that say - hey I won,

I got SC'd at 30% 20% and a 10%.

That doesn't let me know just how much the VBA actually had to pay out.

And I love to see how much they actually have to pay out from prior denials

or a new grant of claim issues.

This probably relates to some of my cognitive problems as I have great

deficiencies with abstracts.

[jbasser]

Since 1994. 100 percent since 1994 means this Veteran has been thru the ringer with the VA. I am elated for him.

There will be several more of theses awards since many vets filed heart disease claims and were denied. The bad thing is that diseases like Heart and Lung often lead to early deaths so most awards will be posthumous.

J

[Berta]

Well said John

My EED is either 1994 as this vet's was-or 1988 for my AO IHD claim.A posthumous award.

I dont know how they will handle those dates and have no idea what to expect from Nehmer.

The 1988 date is important because my husband had an MI at the VA in 1988( proven by medical evidence for my 1151/FTCA claim) which should have warranted 100% for 3 months,and then rated on residuals yet due to his misdiagnosis he was sent back to work within days.That has to be rated under Nehmer as it has never been rated at all by VA in almost 17 years and caused his death in 1994.

Then he suffered many TIAs ,also malpracticed.Because of lack of any treatment for his heart disease.

It almost amazes me that he didn't die sooner when I consider the malpractice they caused.

The CRA data ( a lengthy report that was mandated by Congress when these claims were on hold last year)-in my opinion- didnt even come close to estimates on the actual costs of these IHD claims.

The fact that IHD has put many 100% vets with past IHD denials into retro SMC categories as well as the fact that- as you aptly mentioned, many IHD vets are deceased and have spouses eligible possibly for accrued SMC as well as proper SC ratings

as posthumous retro due to the vet in their lifetime is going to add up to quite a sum when these Nehmer claims are awarded.

I played around with the SMC rates the other day trying to figure what they would award based on the historic rate tables back to 1991.But a med increase I take has made me very fuzzy and fatigued so I had to put the figures away.

[Pete53]

Getting almost half a million when you are to ill to enjoy it is another VA screw job.

[john999]

Yes, if you are 100% for IHD since 1994 it is grace of God that you lived long enough to collect the retro.

[stillhere]

When I read about these big awards I react like John. This particular vet must have had a great support group to make it as far as he did. While it may seem like a lot of money now. I think of the fact he should have been getting this for years and making his life easier.

He is a 100% for a heart condition and so am I so his or my life could be snuffed out in a moments notice!

I wish him all the good health that he has left and like J said the VA has really screwed this guy.