Questions On Solidifying Claim

[tdubya82]

[deleted]

Edited July 21, 2016 by tdubya82

[NavyWife]

Sorry to hear about these health issues you are having.

Yes definetely pursue these gwi claims and also pursue getting medical treatment for them.

I wasn't saying don't pursue them, just letting you know they can be very difficult to win. At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter whether your claim is approved for gwi issues or ptsd, just that it GETS APPROVED :)

I read about your ptsd claim and it sounds pretty solid to me. Just get that diagnosis from a VA Psychiatrist or VA PhD level Psychologist. These are the only 2 kinds of doctors VA will accept the diagnosis from.

[NavyWife]

Is this your first ever VA claim?

Was it filed as a Fully Developed Claim?

[tdubya82]

[deleted]

Edited July 21, 2016 by tdubya82

[NavyWife]

The reason I ask if it is your first ever claim and fully developed claim is because VA is offering additional retro for those specific type of claims that meet those two conditions.

Here's the link.

http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2464

I guess check with your VSO what type of claim he filed for you.

[Fat]

"NEVER GIVE UP"

[ArNG11]

tdubya82, First I will welcome you to the forum as you now have knowledgable and strong allies here. The wealth of knowledge and experienced Veterans and Veteran spouses is next to nothing I have dealt with before. Your timeframe has some similarities to my own situation and your diseases and conditions mirror many of us on here who have been to that part of the world. The opinions I will give you are my own and from my own mistakes and my own wins if you can call this whole process a win. It can take a long time to sort out through the BS that the VA puts us through but don't get discouraged and don't stop fighting.

I have tried both approaches on conditions that are presumptive and those that are annotated in my service record. I was a National Guard Member so in my case it is complicated because most of my conditions were not documented in my service medical records other than medications that I was on and a couple of injuries that I sustained. I spent a year over there Active duty in the box in 2007-2008, in Camp Bucca, Iraq. However, I have well documented private medical records that are very detailed and collaborate my cases within the regulations needed to service connect the illnesses and injuries. It is difficult to get the VA to connect them but not impossible. I have managed to get some success with conditions like, hypothyroidism, GERD, and IBS. Those were service connected but lowballed. They have denied the rest. Sleep Apnea, Rhinitis, sinusitis, chronic fatigue, chronic pain and so forth. Those are all on appeal.

The VA likes to choose what they will call service connected to service in SW Asia, and the burn pits, those play a part in many us who now suffer from health problems from exposures. The VA also likes to hide between the regs of undiagnosed illnesses and presumptive conditions. My first advice is to get your service medical records. You can do that via FOIA request and even requesting them from NPRC. Second you need to familiarize yourself with the regulations and laws that apply to your case. Once you have that you may need some doctor statements to confirm your nexus, the connection of your injuries and illnesses to service, and you will be well on your way to getting the compensation and treatment you have earned. The tricky part with this is when you have mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD, it is very hard to manage on your own and do this while trying to get treatment. Trust me and others on here when I say it is extremely difficult. However, it IS possible. I go through it everyday, but you must remain focused. Keep your eye on the ball, the prize if you want to call it that. Keep on pushing through the crap that you are going to face.

Didn't mean to go off on a tangent. But when I read your post, I can relate very well to some of your experiences. Good Luck. Good Fortune. Fight till your last breath.

Edited February 14, 2015 by ArNG11