Should I file multiple claims

[Knees-n-Da Breez]

Hello fellow vets! It has been a while. I was a paratrooper and served in Desert Storm. I have been dealing with headaches and unanswered pain for years. I recently saw a commercial about the type of pain I had so I made an appointment with a neurologist. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Now that I have a better understanding of it, I see where this could have come from the military. I also suffer from ED and have for some time. I am not sure if it comes from the meds I take or from the vigorous yanking from the parachute being inflated while jumping. I am seriously inquiring. Does anyone see where I would have a valid claim or should I just continue to deal with it on my own. Please help. Thanks!

[Buck52]

Yes

you will need a qualified Dr to state your MOS (Paratrooper) (US Army111.17 is for an airborne-qualified paratrooper.  

  and your # of jumps to be documented in your records and also treatment records where you seen a Dr after a Jump ect,,ect,, any medical that could pertain to your jumps.

   The Dr needs to nexus this to your condition your claiming , bad knees band back,,I am not sure about fibro? but if a qualified Doc states it is least likely as not that the jumps you made is related to your condition because of your MOS(Jumps) you made ect,,ect,Dr needs to go into detail as why. 

 & you never had this condition before military.

.You need three things here

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

2.In Service Event or Aggravation.

3.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”

Edited February 20, 2019 by Buck52

[vetquest]

File one claim with all existing SC disabilities on the claim.  Otherwise you will just delay SC for the disabilities you did not file.

[broncovet]

Great answers by vetquest and Buck.  

[Knees-n-Da Breez]

Thanks a lot! I will get on it ASAP! You all are always very helpful!

[Vync]

If you think that the medication you take may be causing additional disabilities, be sure to file for those also. Some medications may cause ED or other disabilities.

Below is a link to the VA schedule for rating disabilities:

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=ea5c9546eaccefdc92bb4c976c369ddf&mc=true&node=pt38.1.4&rgn=div5

I recommend you go through your medical records and identify any disability where you have a current or recent diagnosis and match them up with the list. That can help give you a good idea of what you might be able to claim.

Because you served in the Persian Gulf, you might have some "presumptive" disabilities. Fibromyalgia is a presumptive, see below. There are a couple of additional links below the quoted material which go into greater detail about presumptives and disabilities which manifest within one year of discharge.

https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/gulf-war-illness-southwest-asia/

Quote

Can I get disability benefits from VA?

You may be able to get disability benefits if you served in the Southwest Asia theater of military operations during the Gulf War period and you didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge. Your illness or condition must also meet the requirements listed below, and you must have one of the diagnoses listed below.

All of these must be true of your chronic illness or other condition. It:

• Started while you were on active duty or before December 31, 2016, and
• Caused you to be ill for at least 6 months, and
• Qualified you for a disability rating of 10% or more, and
• Was caused only by your service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations

And you must also have a diagnosis of one or more of these conditions:

• Functional gastrointestinal disorders
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Fibromyalgia <=====
• Other undiagnosed illnesses, including but not limited to cardiovascular disease, muscle and joint pain, and headaches

Presumed disabilities

You can also get benefits for a presumed disability if both of the below descriptions are true for you.

Both of these must be true:

• You have a presumed disability that appeared within 1 year of your date of separation, and
• This presumed disability qualifies you for a disability rating of 10% or more

We consider these illnesses to be presumed disabilities:

• Burcellosis
• Campylobacter jejuni
• Coxiella burnetii (Q fever)
• Nontyphoid Salmonella
• Shigella
• West Nile Virus

Learn more about disabilities that appear within 1 year after discharge. 
Learn more about presumed disabilities. 

Who’s covered?

Veterans

 

[Buck52]

Great Information from Vync!