diabetes New Member

[Jimmy the socks]

I am retired Air Force. First 14 yrs communications using Trichloroethylene (TCE) daily to degrease equipment. Never instructed to use protective safety gear. Liver enzymes were elevated the year before retirement and higher each year after that. I was not informed that my labs were abnormal. NEVER drank alcohol and stayed physically fit. My triglycerides and cholesterol were high during active duty however. Shortly after retirement developed type 2 Diabetes and at a routine blood lab was told my liver enzymes were very high. Had a biopsy and was told I have NASH, Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. All tests proved my condition was not hereditary. I am now in 4th end stage cirrhosis and will require a liver transplant very soon. I am on the list now. Crazy for a guy who never drinks alcohol as most people associate cirrhosis with alcoholism. Is there anyone out there who was exposed to TCE who has a liver disease? It is difficult to find others like myself who can understand and be supportive. I am awaiting the VA's decision for my disability benefits. Supplied them with all labs, active duty and retired, my biopsy and other films, a nexus letter which states "At lease as likely as not" that TCE caused my liver disease", buddy letters to prove I had my hands in the stuff daily, medical journals, and much more. I gave the VA a letter from the VA doctors stating I am "Unemployable". Can anyone offer any assistance on documented info and your story as well. Feel free to E-mail me directly at jim570150@yahoo.com. Thanks!

[cooter]

Glad to have you on board Jimmy.

Sorry to hear about your situation, and even sorrier I can't give you any help on your issue. It would help you to post your questions on the (VA CLAIMS RESEARCH) Forem. There you would get alot more attention from members here on Hadit. Good luck Jimmy!

[Pete53]

Welcome to Hadit and although I have no experience with your type of claim I have seen that with proper Medical Opinion that you have linking it to your service should help win the claim for you.

Do you get SSD and how long have you been out of the Service?

Good Luck

[carlie]

Jimmy,

I moved your topic to the Claims/Benefits Forum.

[rdawg]

I'm exactly like you except I spent 4 years in the stuff. My liver enzymes eventually came back down. I was a drinker but quit when I had my biopsy. My dr. said NASH was not from drinking. He did not say what it was from or why it went away. I'm thankful that it did. My diabetes is worsening. I've been on the pills for 6 years and now I'm at the daily max before I will need injections.

Luckily, my supervisor in the air force documented my exposures (jet fuel, pd-680, polyurethane, zinc chromate primer, isocyanytes). I have a claim in now for sleep apnea, lung disease and sinusitis due to exposure. Even though I had these in service and exposure is documented in SMRs I still paid for an IME.

I think that if you go in with enough evidence for them to grant you benefits they will do it. If you start with the bare minimum and expect them to give you exams that connect the dots you are doomed from the start. All is not lost if they deny you first time around. Don't appeal. You have a year from denial to submit new evidence. I would get an IME that connects your current condition to service. Submit the IME and request reconsideration based on new evidence.

make sure your IME dr has a current copy of your claims file and does an exam on you. If not, they will develop to deny by saying it is not good enough for a decision. They will then send you to thier expert who will say "at least as likely as not" service related.

read some BVA decisions. It is thier patented move.

[Berta]

"a nexus letter which states "At lease as likely as not" that TCE caused my liver disease",

What type of expertise do they have to back up their opinion?

Did they cite any studies or medical literature to support the opinion?

Did they give a complete medical rationale for their opinion?

It would be good if you go to the BVA web site and access other claims for this type of exposure to see what type of evidence the VA is looking for.

Your IMO might be enough if it complies with the IMO format (here in our IMO forum)and the opinion is strong enough medically to support this claim.

[Berta]

forgot- did any post service employment expose you to the same type of chemicals?

VA uses post service employment exposure against these types of claims sometimes.