Asking A Question For A Friend

[tinkerertn]

I have a friend, her husband died a few years ago. She is currently collecting a portion of his retirement benefits. Her question is since he did serve in viet nam, and died of a heart attack caused by ihd, would it benefit her at all to file any claims with va? Thanks in advance.

[Philip Rogers]

Absolutely, she should file a claim for DIC, if she isn't already receiving it. She may have other claims, also. jmo

pr

[Berta]

Philip is sure correct.

“died of a heart attack caused by ihd,” 'a few years ago'

I assume that since he died prior to the new AO regs for IHD, she might have applied for and then been denied DIC in the past.

If so, that would make her a Nehmer Class action member from what I see here and the new claim could potentially warrant an earliest effective date back to the date of his death- but that depends on the prior DIC claim denial- if a claim was filed.

In any event, Nehmer or otherwise, she should definitely apply for DIC.

In most cases (but not all) she would have already received a formal Nehmer notification letter if a past DIC claim had been denied but it is something to check into now.