Jump to content

Ask Your VA Claims Questions | Read Current Posts 
Read VA Disability Claims Articles
Search | View All Forums | Donate | Blogs | New Users | Rules 

  • tbirds-va-claims-struggle (1).png

  • 01-2024-stay-online-donate-banner.png

     

  • 0

Decision Overturned: No Justice For Burn Pit Veterans

Rate this question


ranger11bv

Question

Oregon veterans and victims of toxic burn pit exposure linked to contractor Halliburton were devastated when the 9th Circuit overturned a landmark $85 million verdict. Soldiers contend they were knowingly exposed, but the allegations have obviously been denied.

What a shame? I was thrilled to hear the veterans were going to get justice. I was saddened to learn Oregon Federal court cannot bring justice to its citizens. What do you think?

Halliburton’s subsidiary Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR) allegedly exposed soldiers to toxic burn pit smoke at Qarmat Ali. The 9th Circuit held that Oregon veterans were unable to hold KBR accountable in their home state. Instead, counsel for the veterans now plans to sue KBR in Houston.

http://www.disabledveterans.org/2015/05/19/decision-overturned-no-justice-for-burn-pit-veterans/?inf_contact_key=6d439213e84345182ec8e3a885eb979e836d694cff423e210cfd6bc8ab091ad4

"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of 'up to and including my life."


10% 1992

10% 1995

10% 2000

10% 2005

10% 2010

10% 2015

2015- found out that I have Post Concussion Syndrome(not SC), Stationed at contaminated installations

Still at that great 10% !!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recommended Posts

  • 0

I filled pits with fuel and was there when they lit the fires... but I was actually soaked in fuel for several years.... so add it all up...

Not in appeals, since I got 100%, and some of it was winning an 1151 negligence, which the VA turns out does not give ful benefits if you win 1151 negligence they squirm and legal loophhole you and your family out of many benefits, really crapp nasty bunch running the va benefits, they wil backstab and scre wyou even if you win you lose. May 2021.

01-01-11_My_Medical_Records2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Having trouble following. If you're diagnosed with something else they say it's from that particular diagnosis and not the burn pits?

Sorry didn't mean to confuse the issue. The undiagnosed illness is what I was referring to. If your symptoms are attributable to a specific disease, then you loose the benefit of the undiagnosed because it is due to a specific illness. The symptoms have to last I believe 6 months, but once diagnosed then you are done. Can't use that avenue. So what your left with is taking the stance of marking when about the symptoms started and having a doctor link it to that disease or illness, because of your service, not forgetting to also mention that he has reviewed your entire military record. Presumption of health and those symptoms markers, and having a doc to take the time to look through your record will be necessary. It's just difficult to find someone that is cooperative enough to take the time. It is time consuming and not really easy.

The environmental factors of the burn pits and pollution that any service member who served in those areas hasn't reared its head completely. I think here soon with the rotation of soldiers returning the numbers will tell a different story about the environmental effects of the burn pits. The numbers just keep going up. Gestation periods of the health problems have a wide range of timeframes to develop. Different people, different immune responses and so forth. Plus you have to figure, genetics, exposures to other factors after a service members tour of duty. It's a real big crap shoot. When will the government finally give in is anyones guess.

I would guess or dare say that if they ever did admit to anything the ramifications of providing compensation and benefits might do away with the VA disability system all together. This is just my opinion and semi-objective analysis. I would take a guess at a number in the trillions. You think we as a nation have financial problems now. Whoa doggie.

Mr. A

:ph34r: " FIGHT TILL YOUR LAST BREATH " :ph34r:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

yep Halliburton made billions in the wars,,, Dick Cheney recieved a no bid contract ( while in office as a sitting vice pres)... It was all part of the Bush war machine.. Saudi arabians knock the towers down, so we attach Iraq.. They made so much money the first time, they went back.. 3 times... what a haul!!!

By now Cheney and Bush must be wiping thier asses with gold lined toilet paper..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Tell a friend

    Love HadIt.com’s VA Disability Community Vets helping Vets since 1997? Tell a friend!
  • Recent Achievements

    • Lebro earned a badge
      First Post
    • stuart55 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • stuart55 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Lebro earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • Sparklinger earned a badge
      First Post
  • Our picks

    • Caluza Triangle defines what is necessary for service connection
      Caluza Triangle – Caluza vs Brown defined what is necessary for service connection. See COVA– CALUZA V. BROWN–TOTAL RECALL

      This has to be MEDICALLY Documented in your records:

      Current Diagnosis.   (No diagnosis, no Service Connection.)

      In-Service Event or Aggravation.
      Nexus (link- cause and effect- connection) or Doctor’s Statement close to: “The Veteran’s (current diagnosis) is at least as likely due to x Event in military service”
      • 0 replies
    • Do the sct codes help or hurt my disability rating 
    • VA has gotten away with (mis) interpreting their  ambigious, , vague regulations, then enforcing them willy nilly never in Veterans favor.  

      They justify all this to congress by calling themselves a "pro claimant Veteran friendly organization" who grants the benefit of the doubt to Veterans.  

      This is not true, 

      Proof:  

          About 80-90 percent of Veterans are initially denied by VA, pushing us into a massive backlog of appeals, or worse, sending impoverished Veterans "to the homeless streets" because  when they cant work, they can not keep their home.  I was one of those Veterans who they denied for a bogus reason:  "Its been too long since military service".  This is bogus because its not one of the criteria for service connection, but simply made up by VA.  And, I was a homeless Vet, albeit a short time,  mostly due to the kindness of strangers and friends. 

          Hadit would not be necessary if, indeed, VA gave Veterans the benefit of the doubt, and processed our claims efficiently and paid us promptly.  The VA is broken. 

          A huge percentage (nearly 100 percent) of Veterans who do get 100 percent, do so only after lengthy appeals.  I have answered questions for thousands of Veterans, and can only name ONE person who got their benefits correct on the first Regional Office decision.  All of the rest of us pretty much had lengthy frustrating appeals, mostly having to appeal multiple multiple times like I did. 

          I wish I know how VA gets away with lying to congress about how "VA is a claimant friendly system, where the Veteran is given the benefit of the doubt".   Then how come so many Veterans are homeless, and how come 22 Veterans take their life each day?  Va likes to blame the Veterans, not their system.   
    • Welcome to hadit!  

          There are certain rules about community care reimbursement, and I have no idea if you met them or not.  Try reading this:

      https://www.va.gov/resources/getting-emergency-care-at-non-va-facilities/

         However, (and I have no idea of knowing whether or not you would likely succeed) Im unsure of why you seem to be so adamant against getting an increase in disability compensation.  

         When I buy stuff, say at Kroger, or pay bills, I have never had anyone say, "Wait!  Is this money from disability compensation, or did you earn it working at a regular job?"  Not once.  Thus, if you did get an increase, likely you would have no trouble paying this with the increase compensation.  

          However, there are many false rumors out there that suggest if you apply for an increase, the VA will reduce your benefits instead.  

      That rumor is false but I do hear people tell Veterans that a lot.  There are strict rules VA has to reduce you and, NOT ONE of those rules have anything to do with applying for an increase.  

      Yes, the VA can reduce your benefits, but generally only when your condition has "actually improved" under ordinary conditions of life.  

          Unless you contacted the VA within 72 hours of your medical treatment, you may not be eligible for reimbursement, or at least that is how I read the link, I posted above. Here are SOME of the rules the VA must comply with in order to reduce your compensation benefits:

      https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/3.344

       
    • Good question.   

          Maybe I can clear it up.  

          The spouse is eligible for DIC if you die of a SC condition OR any condition if you are P and T for 10 years or more.  (my paraphrase).  

      More here:

      Source:

      https://www.va.gov/disability/dependency-indemnity-compensation/

      NOTE:   TO PROVE CAUSE OF DEATH WILL LIKELY REQUIRE AN AUTOPSY.  This means if you die of a SC condtion, your spouse would need to do an autopsy to prove cause of death to be from a SC condtiond.    If you were P and T for 10 full years, then the cause of death may not matter so much. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use