Off Tdrl To Permanent Disability

[panseyjam]

My husband had a testicle removed, followed by full torso radiation in 1968 for a seminoma diagnosed while in VN. He was on TDRL for four years, waiting for possible recurrence. He was also granted a 10% disability for loss of reproductive organ. Subsequently he received an honorable discharge and obtained civilian employment. At the end of the TDRL in 1974 and the end of the payments, he sent a letter inquiring as to the disposition of the remaining 10% disability. His records reveal a letter to him instructing him to send in a form 21-651, of which there is no copy. He doesn't know if he ever sent it in. Should there have been a monthly benefit? Is there residual due now? As of 2012 he began receiving a 20% disability rating after persuing a tinnitus claim (10%), along with the loss of repro organ (10%), and SMC.

Additionally, we are unclear regarding the loss of fertility from the radiation and the emotional impact this has had on his life. Is there any avenue for this type of claim? Seems very unfair, particularly in light of no documentation in his records that it was malignant, as his records were lost in VN. Will appreciate any input. Thank you.

[Mikemmlj]

Sounds complicated talking to DAV or another VSO might help

[Chuck75]

My husband had a testicle removed, followed by full torso radiation in 1968 for a seminoma diagnosed while in VN. He was on TDRL for four years, waiting for possible recurrence. He was also granted a 10% disability for loss of reproductive organ. Subsequently he received an honorable discharge and obtained civilian employment. At the end of the TDRL in 1974 and the end of the payments, he sent a letter inquiring as to the disposition of the remaining 10% disability. His records reveal a letter to him instructing him to send in a form 21-651, of which there is no copy. He doesn't know if he ever sent it in. Should there have been a monthly benefit? Is there residual due now? As of 2012 he began receiving a 20% disability rating after persuing a tinnitus claim (10%), along with the loss of repro organ (10%), and SMC.

Additionally, we are unclear regarding the loss of fertility from the radiation and the emotional impact this has had on his life. Is there any avenue for this type of claim? Seems very unfair, particularly in light of no documentation in his records that it was malignant, as his records were lost in VN. Will appreciate any input. Thank you.

Records Lost - - -

This begs for more detail.

The service records of hospital treatment in country may or may not really be lost.

(Just very difficult to find.)

I went thru this problem almost a decade ago. Originally, a USAF hospital in Vietnam

had lost my entire medical file. The unit (a ship) I was assigned to had no functioning copier,

and only a skeleton bare bones record was left on the ship. The shot records had to be "reconstructed".

Eventually, the hospital's files were found, and decades later,

they magically appeared in my file at the St. Louis Repository. Early VA claims were not only denied, the

direct records and claims details just vanished (if they were ever there) from my va and service records.