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helping a retired vet.

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Buck52

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  • HadIt.com Elder

I have a few questions about helping a retired U.S. Army Veteran (Rank E-9)

In part of our phone conversation last night(I know I need to ask him more questions) and Last night I had him request his C-FILE  because his VSO never mention this  he didn't know what a C-FILE Was.

 he has a VSO but he don't like him because the VSO won't call or answer his questions and is slow about things.

Anyway

He retired in 1989  he just found out that when he went through his seperation exams  he was S.C. at 0 % for hearing loss, he took another hearing test recently at his VAMC and the audiologist  mention that he has some severe hearing loss and that he showed to be 0 % S.C. at his seperation exam! this veteran is 71 and never filed a claim.

Question if he files a claim for hearing loss  and if rated a %  say 10% 20% ect,,,ect,, can he request they go back when his hearing loss first occurred   being that he has  been S.C. for it?

and not the date he filed this claim?...because someone must have filed a claim back in 1989  for him to get S.C. AT 0%

Further more he was injured in Vietnam 1969 from harassment from VC incoming Mortar Rounds into his unit compound, Just as he dove in the bunker  his feet caught scraperal and injure his feet  the metal it went into the soles of his boots on into the skin and feet he never went to seek medical attention for this..so probably not any medical records...he suck it up and went on.

his feet has bothered him ever sense and just kept putting it off to seek medical attention for this   throughout the years

   He has had surgery about 4 years ago and they removed fragrantments from under his feet that has bothered him for years and he is claiming it was the injury from the Mortar Rounds 

I told him he can file a claim for that too but without medical records  he would be a little hard to prove but it can be done...After he gets his C-FILE then we can look into it and see if any thing like medical records are found that he may have completely forgot about.

he may have other contentions to deal with.

Any help or information for me to relay to this veteran will help  as he don't use computer

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Buck......I had the very same situation at separation and did not even pay attention at the time as just focused on going home......I was awarded 0% for allergic rhinitis. I did file for it

 as a disability before I was discharged and it was granted.  I doubt he could go all the way back to discharge expecting compensation because when I filed for an increase to 30% granted in 2009, they only gave me retro back to 2005 when someone else unknown to me at VAMC filed a respiratory notice to VA.   Had they not done that in my behalf I doubt I would have even got retro back to 2005.   I'd say worth a try but not hold out for much hope.

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  • HadIt.com Elder

yes  I agree

He just wants it to be S.C and a rating giving were going to compare the recent hearing test with the 1989  and see if he did show a hearing loss back then,..as for as the Vietnam Injury that will be a hard one to prove but it's not impossible, there were other events that happen that he says has documentation on  a lot of it may lie in his C-File.

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There are only a few limited circumstances when the effective date of a claim can ever be earlier than the date you first applied.  

One of these is if he applied for benefits within a year of discharge...the effective date will be the date of discharge, which would be earlier than the date applied.  

 

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  • HadIt.com Elder

He didn't but someone else must have?  he just found out he was O%S.C. For Noise induced hearing loss back to 1989 the year he retired. 

He recently had a VA Hearing test not sure if this was for increase?  he mention his spouse wanted to him to have his hearing check and he got an appointment with the VAMC  and this is when the VA Audiologist notice he had been S.C. O% back 89 ( he lives in Nebraska)

He is not at all familiar with the VA Medical Hospital's and don't know a thing about S.C. Claims.

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Where's the Tinnitus Claim or Award? Did you say he's already filed for a Hearing SC Increase? The results of the Increase C & P will be an interesting read.

Buck, did you point him towards a NEW "Well Seasoned" VSO. sounds like he needs one?

What "Fragments," bone or metal were removed from his feet? If metal, I certainly think he would have requested to keep them. The Podiatry Surgeon that removed the fragments certainly would have opined regarding what they were and their possible origin.

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 "He has had surgery about 4 years ago and they removed fragrangments from under his feet that has bothered him for years and he is claiming it was the injury from the Mortar Rounds 

I told him he can file a claim for that too but without medical records  he would be a little hard to prove but it can be done...After he gets his C-FILE then we can look into it and see if any thing like medical records are found that he may have completely forgot about.

he may have other contentions to deal with."    I agree.

With proof of the surgery to remove schrapnel, the VA would not be able to find any other etiology for the schrapnel but due to his service....but they might try.

"Further more he was injured in Vietnam 1969 from harassment from VC incoming Mortar Rounds into his unit compound, Just as he dove in the bunker  his feet caught scraperal and injure his feet  the metal it went into the soles of his boots on into the skin and feet he never went to seek medical attention for this..so probably not any medical records...he suck it up and went on.

his feet has bothered him ever sense and just kept putting it off to seek medical attention for this   throughout the years" until the surgery......which might not have left any residuals the VA could SC- accept for the scars...

if they are painful or big enough to SC....not sure.

His Unit history might well reveal the Mortar attacks in Morning reports.

If you give me his full unity designation ,maybe I can find more as to what his unit dealt with in 1969-and where this attack occurred.   Does he know where it happened?

Did he write home about this ?

My Vietnam War map is still searchable here......sometimes a Map can trigger  more memories and where the incoming happened. There is a way to even find out when it happened, if his unit listened to Hanoi Hannah or got the Stars and Stripes news while in country...or they listened to any radio news shows coming from the 'world'

There is also the possibility that he might even have PTSD.....something many Vietnam vets still try to suck up and try to deal with that alone.....

I am sure this could not be the sole event of incoming---during his TDY in Vietnam....

One more question (I used to help vets one to one) OK  three  more-

Have you seen his DD 214?

Does it indicate any combat awards? What was his MOS?

His Unit designation and MOS will be on the DD 214.

If not he should apply for a DD 149. And certainly obtain his SMRs and service Personnel file.

Since he is not PC savvy, you could print off the blank SF 180 for him, which he could fill out, sign, make copy of and then mail, with proof of mailing to where the SF 180 designates his specific branch address.

 

 

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