Exposure To Explosions

[Jon1371]

Greetings all. I have been searching this site for the last couple of months, and just joined.

I was just told by the VA that I can't get screened for TBI because I wasn't in an explosion or in a vehicle hit by an explosion. I got out in 03 right after getting back from Iraq and back then there wasn't any talk of TBI. Heck, I didn't know what TBI was until last month to be honest. I keep getting asked if I was exposed and I always answer yes but nothing happens. After researching TBI I asked my Dr about it and she said I had to hit my head.

I was a 1371 Combat Engineer and helped EOD clear the airfield we took over. Lots of UXO including dud 500 # bombs.

Anyone else close to explosions but not injured(shrapnel) and get TBI?

[Jon1371]

That's a good idea to file for SSDI, but I don't think I have anymore fight in me for another government organization.

[Jon1371]

Just got the records from the first VA hospital I used. No screening for TBI even though one of my stressors was removal and detonation of UXO. Did I just fall through the cracks?

[Jon1371]

Does the VA have secret files that you can't request? I'm just curious to know if I was given my whole file or if there is more information to be requested.

[john999]

You might consider hiring a VA lawyer and go for TDIU. Also file for SSDI and if you get denied then hire a SSDI lawyer. You can offload some of the stress for all this.

[Jon1371]

john999,

I am going to find someone to help me start to fill out the SSDI application. I don't want to make mistakes and I don't have the mental capacity for complex paperwork any longer. I'm going to look into hiring a lawyer for all this stuff. Hopefully they'll work for a percentage of my award because I don't have the money to pay them. Thanks for all your input, I really appreciate all your help.

[john999]

Jon

Your talking about your TBI's and exploding ordinance reminded me of one time in Vietnam when I was standing on top of a bunker watching some soldiers fool around with a 50 gallon drum out in the wire about 75 yards from where I was at. I did not pay them that much attention after a while when I felt impact of an explosion and a big chuck of shrapnel went by my head at a 1000 miles an hour. You can get rocked and killed by your own idiots as well as the enemy. Children love to make things go bang. These cretins were setting up a foo gas bomb and set it off without a warning. I almost became a head shorter. So many friendly fire things happened like that I lost count. You don't get PH for those. You just get dead.

John