Should I claim an AO disability of high blood pressure?

[Max Rommel]

I was discharged (USMC) in 1967 and in 1970 I was treated for high blood pressure at the VA hospital in L.A. California (Wadsworth). I later switched to treatment by private doctors and I have taken blood pressure meds my whole adult life (I'm now 71). I know high blood pressure is not an A.O. presumed illness (yet). But should I file a claim anyway? Btw, I am currently receiving a 10% disability for Tinnitus, so I'm in the VA system.

Thanks. Max

Edited June 10, 2018 by Max Rommel
Added additional remark.

[Max Rommel]

Thanks for your reply. Regarding your comment, "Are you 100% sure you DD 214 shows all decorations and awards you got?" A few years ago I wrote the records folks and asked for a list of my awards. I got a reply along with a box of medals that I didn't even know I had! None had been recorded on my DD214.

Regarding this sentence, "Now is the time to file a claim for anything they could possibly SC."  Can you tell me what "SC" means?

Thanks, Max

[Tbird]

SC = service connected. A disability must be connected to service to receive compensation.

[Buck52]

Max

If you have not filed a claim for PTSD  you still can file for it  there's no limitations on filing any claim especially MH Claim such as Combat PTSD.

 If you have not yet been diagnosed for PTSD?  you need to check with your VA PCP for a referral to VA MH Clinic...there they will test you and give you an evaluation...and diagnose you  for any type of MH problems you may have to including unspecific depression and Anxiety disorders of mental health and any MDD Social behaviors.  they will diagnose you and start you in MH Treatment session (go to these sessions )

VA has to be the ones to Make the PTSD Diagnose 

&  Not a private Dr (for compensation purposes) within your claim.

It depends on your lay statement and some stressors of a trauma even that happen while you was in the military...if you were a combat veteran in RVN (Republic Vietnam) you were infantry or was placed in enemy territory and was in fear for your life and witness a trauma event  then that can be used as a stressor  and as Ms berta mention you may have  the Combat infantry Badge posted on your DD 214 then the VA Consedes this and you don't need to prove your stressors of a trauma event.

 List  Your MOS or if your MOS was changed and you were order to do something completely different from what you were trained to do   this is called a Temporary MOS Again usually this is listed on your DD 214 Along with your unit and locations/dates  if its not listed then you will need to remember your unit and locations and dates you were there (Vietnam)

Please note'

you don't need to be infantry  to file a claim for PTSD you just need  proof that you witnessed a trauma event while in military  that can be any location  not just Vietnam.(but during your active military service and Honorably Discharged (they do have exceptions for other than Honorable Discharge.)

File an ITF Claim  (Intent to File)  then file it as FDC (Fully Developed Claim)  21 525 EZ Form and this ITF will give you time (12 months) before you actually file the 21-526 ez.(JUST DON'T FORGET TO FILE IT WITHIN 1 YEAR) 11th month actually.  ...>Mark your calendar.

Then  to request all your str's medical records from military and private, and your C-File plus it will start your early effective dates !!!on all the claims that you file at this time. 

A PTSD DBQ (Disability Questionnaire ) for PTSD would help filled out by VA Physiatrist/MH Dr's but its not necessary   /b/c you will need to fill out an FOIA (Freedom of Information Act ) form  this is also your statement in support of claim...you lay it all on the line here in this form and tell them everything that happen to you while in the military  especially in a combat zone  or enemy territory.

your spouse/or Girlfriend/or even your mom or siblings  some one that knows you and have known you all your life  , they all can give their testimony about your behavior before military and how it is after your military   describe how you have changed and how it has effected your life and how the military has change your life to have MH Problems...ect,,,ect,, these letters need to be witnessed and notarized and submitted as criabile evidence ..usually a trauma event from active military duty is all you basicly need to file a PTSD Claim  along with unit records to place you at the location of the event  no matter what it was as long as it was a traumatizing event that you witness or encountered and was a part of  that has caused you to have an unsocial life and basically ruined your life per'say' if it was combat  if you can remember the dates and what operation it was   especially in Vietnam  submit that as crucial evidence.

This is just a start  but if you have all this  it will be hard for the VA to deny your claim.

if you have any questions at all please feel free to ask...there's a hand full of us old Vietnam Dogs here on Hadit  and I am one of those Old dogs &  Members like  Asknod ,Alex,Gastone , Broncovet,John999  Are Old Dogs Too & a few other hadit members can certainly help you with your claims.

One other thing I wanted to mention  is  if you file a claim for PTSD check all your health conditions and make sure that the possibility of filing for any contentions you think you have now was caused or can be related to your military service...a few of these can be Sleep Apnea, Noise Induced Hearing Loss,  lung disease, back problems, knee and joint problems, eye problems  and many many more conditions that could be military related and caused by your military service OR AN OLD IN-SERVICE iNJURY THAT HAS CAUSED YOU MEDICAL PROBLEMS OVER THE YEARS....so think back.

It's good to file for most of these claims when you file , it gets the Ball rolling and at your age  you really need to file on everything you possibly can.

I wish you the best my friend 

and btw  Welcome to Hadit.

Edited June 10, 2018 by Buck52
added btw Welcome to Hadit

[Buck52]

Max

Also if this is a first time claim for PTSD or any other contentions that you think was military related 

We want you to win it the first go round and not have to get into a timely war with Appeals.

so learn what a WELL DEVELOPED CLAIM is and how to present it to the VA  Useing VA Language and how to lay out your claim to make it eazy for the rater to decifer(read) by pointing out your cruiual evidence you want them to find in your claim  by high lites or by letters or by Numbers  as how they can find something to help substantiate your claim

Make sure when getting an IMO/IME (independent Medical Opinion) /or examination)...> make sure these Dr's and Specialist are Qualified to Render their medical opinion in the field of medicine that you are claiming.

example  of an Index style of claim or referred too as

Please see exhibit A by opinion from Dr Smith as he has examined me and read my military pertaint records to this  disease or injury. or what your claiming  & his/her credentials are posted at the end of his letters. (Thank you Kindly)

.or you can say please see number 3  for my lay statment and Please see number 2 for Dr Johnson about my medical problems that I am claiming    its always good to have these referrals by MD's OR SPECIALIST in the field of medicine that your claiming and have them to post their credentials and years experienced helps.  this is probative evidence and its the best kind of evidence you can have when filing a claim to the VA

keep everything you send the VA and besure to get a Post Office return sign receipt and keep every thing the VA Sends you  in the original envelope if you can  & start you a VA personal  Claims file.

be as nice as you can but get to the point and not have a long drawn out claim that takes 20 pages to read. be precise and to the point  and remember its medical evidence that wins our claims and how we present it to them.

Andsome times this is not good enough/mainly because the Rater fails to read far enough into your claim to make a correct fair and decisive decision. 

 so if we make it very easy for them to read and understand and have all our evidence on a Golden Platter  this makes those raters happy my friend. and usually if a rater is happy  then you will more than likely as not get a happy decision.

Edited June 11, 2018 by Buck52

[Buck52]

Max 

just a few Acronyms from VA or Abbreviations that you will likely encounter. but not in any particular order and certainly not all of them that they use.

VAMC= Veterans Administration Medical Center.

RO= Regional Office.

VSO=Veteran Service Officer.

FOIA= Freedom of information Act.

DBQ=Disabilities Benefits Questionnaire.

FDC= Fully Developed Claim. 

ITF= Intent to File.

VA C&P  =Compensation/Pension Exam.

LOD =In line of Duty

LOU=Loss of Use

MST=Military Sexual Trauma

NOD=Notice of Disagrement

DRO=Decision Review Officer.

BVA= Board of Veterans Appeals.

C-File =Claims file of Veteran.

CUE=Clear and Unmistakable Error.

CAVC=  US Court of Veteran Appeals for Veteran claims/Court appeals Veteran Court.

VBA =Veterans benefits Administration. 

DC=Diagnostic Code.

IU =Individual Unemployability.

EED= Early Effective Date.

VHA=Veteran Health Administration.

DIC=Death And Indemnity  Compensation.

Nexus/Rastional  = Medical Opinion from a Qualified Dr Preferably a Specialist to link your condition to your military service.

Most are just the Abbreviations of the subject matter. 

Which you will learn and learn how to word things that the VA likes it to be worded  one of the main ones used in a claim ARE these  words from a qualified Dr  is=

  ''This veterans condition'' is least as likely as not Related to his Military service.....> that is used over a million times for Nexus to what your claiming   b/c VA will not take our word for it  mainly because we are not Dr's (obviously) and remember not to ever make speculations about an injury or disease. this is what the MD's and Specialist are for.  that we have to pay top dollar for their professional Opinion.

You will soon learn other parts that apply to your claim and Other Abbreviations as to what things mean  such as N.R.P.C.

(National Records Personal Center)in St Louis, Mo for requesting your military service & medical records. and forms such as DD 214 & FOIA Forms & Correct Claim forms ect,,,ect,,,,

I always tell a Veterans to Re Read his/her claim several times and if possible take it to a repeatable VSO to proof read for clarity and to help you with anything your not sure of before you submit your claim.

 

Edited June 11, 2018 by Buck52

[Berta]

This bears repeating:

 "Regarding your comment, "Are you 100% sure you DD 214 shows all decorations and awards you got?" A few years ago I wrote the records folks and asked for a list of my awards. I got a reply along with a box of medals that I didn't even know I had! None had been recorded on my DD214."

GOOD for you!

Same thing happened to my husband (USM Vietnam 65-66).

When he was discharged (1968) the Marines were all herded into a big room to fill out a form-it asked for all of their decoration, awards etc. He had heard scuttlebutt that his unit got the PUC but had no proof and was only sure of a few - such as the expert rifleman badge. They all wanted to get the hell out of there and probably none of them could possibly prepare their own DD214s correctly.

He filed a DD149 ( form available here under a search) and was shocked at what he received.They did get the PUC and some other stuff. The letter with the box said USA does not make the Vietamese awards so he would need to purchase them at a PX. After he died, when I was at Lackland to see our daughter graduate from USAF BT- I purchased whatever was missing.I brought his DD 214 and the DD 215 ,thinking I would need proof but they never asked for proof.

I bet MANY vets do not have  correct DD214s.