New Claim

[Yharris]

Good day all! I have been following this forum for a while since I filed my initial claims and am very impressed with how questions are answered.  So here I go....I filed my intent back in July, 2019. I met with a VA service representative who told me what I needed to get in order to submit my claim.  It took several months to get all DBQ's filled out by my primary care provider and my counselor.  I submitted all paperwork including buddy statements for an assault that occurred while serving overseas in 1995. My question is this...I uploaded everything through ebenefits,  fully developed and was scheduled two C&P exams  with LHI in November.  I'm not sure how the exams went,  but I was experiencing flare ups with kidney stones,  back pain and my blood pressure was 159/120 at the time.  I have like 8 claims that I never knew I could claim until just recently.  I was honorably discharged in 1998. I had a back injury in 1995 which is documented in my service medical records.  I was a Master at Arms while serving and since I've been out of service could not resume the profession but am gainfully employed.  An exit letter in my service  records states that I should only work a desk job.  Will this be service connected? Also my projected decision date is June,  2020. Is this standard from what you all have heard of in filing a fully developed claim? Sorry for the long posting.  Take care 

[GBArmy]

Yharris. Yes indeed, welcome. Good advise of course from Buck52. Hadit won't relieve your stress, but I think if you ask the right questions, provide the info necessary, and try following our advise, it certainly will make things easier for you. No promises about winning, but we are here to provide helpful info based on a lot of experience from a bunch of veterans that truely want to help our brothers and sisters. So read, ask questions, then repeat. Remember, you don't lose until you quit trying. Welcome.

[vetquest]

First, do not apologize.  If the back injury was in service and they said you could only work a desk job that is most likely going to get service connected.  As for the secondary's I am not sure what there is without the evidence.  As for your claim being finished in June 2020, they might finish it early or push the date back, I believe if anything they will push it out.   I filed a fully developed claim under the new system and they took about a year. 

To find out about your exams go to the VA regional hospital and request with a FIOA for your C&P results.  Sometimes they will say they do not have them but usually they have them and can print them right there.

I wish you luck but believe they may deny some things and low ball you at first.  If they do you need to appeal to an HLR or a supplemental with more information.  At that point if you still are not satisfied you have the BVA to appeal to but I will not go there right now.  Never give up when doing claims for the VA, even when they tell you not to rock the boat.  This advice has caused many veterans loss of benefits.

[broncovet]

To know if this will be Service connected or not would take a review of your files.  However, you can do that.  Look for these 3 things for each item claimed:

1.  Current diagnosis.

2.  In service event or aggravation. 

3.  Doctors statement (nexus) that says your current diagnosis is at least as likely as not due to an event in service.  

    If all three of these are in your records, you are good to go.  If you are missing any one of the 3, then you will need to get it before you are SC.  Example:  Buddy letters in service may help document an in service event.  Further, some Vets hire a private doc to provide a nexus, because VA docs often dont want to do that.  

[Buck52]

Yharris , Welcome to Hadit , ask any questions you need to.

filing your claims  you need to get them right and not worry about an Appeal were going to help you get yours claims right & approved

Good advice by Vetquest and broncovet they are right on!!

Just stay with us here on Hadit.

Edited January 4, 2020 by Buck52

[Yharris]

Thank you all for your feedback.  I am thankful for this site and the support I have seen.  A fellow veteran was the one who told me I should have sought help years ago.  I'm one of those people who thought if I'm not homeless and severely ill then disability is not me.  I've suffered for over 20 years . The MST didn't dawn on me until press coverage pointed out to me that this is what I've suffered all of this time,  then the physical pain I have suffered could also be service connected.  It helps to know I'm not alone.  Blessings to you all and especially in the times we are living in.  I just hope this journey I have embarked in doesn't create any more stress than I can handle in trying to get compensation.  Have a blessed day ❤

[Buck52]

 

 Again Welcome to Hadit   were all glad your here ,  please ask any question or questions you may have  don't be a stranger.

quote '' just hope this journey I have embarked in doesn't create any more stress than I can handle in trying to get compensation.  Have a blessed day ❤''

There is no guarantee that the stress won't come , it is very stressful filing claims and dealing with the VA  However Hadit Members can make it a lot less stressful for you .... you came to the right place.

An old saying   ''if you don't have PTSD Now  you will  later on dealing with the VA'' eh!

Some here is friendly and has been there and known the experience and feelings you been going through  , but at least your here and ready to get better and live out your life for the better

If you have suffered from MST  and your not in treatment  please go to your VAMC MH Dept and ask to see a MST Coordinator  And get the treatment you may need , it maybe hard from the questions they may ask &  some times they won't make you relive the trauma and evaluate you and your symptoms, 

You may think about it for a while  but we have some MST SURVIVORS here at Hadit that has went on and filed the MST PTSD Claims and won....having a claim approve may not take away all the bad Memories and the pain you have suffered over the years  but it will sure help you in the financial world.

if you have not never filed a claim for compensation   filing a claim for MST PTSD once approved  will open the doors for the possibility of filing for other claims as well once  service connection is established and a rating given for PTSD  there are secondary claims to file as well just depends on rather or not you suffer from anything that may be the cause of your MST.

Most of the people here are great answering questions and giving advice  they are well experienced veterans that have been there and experience the claims world and they all devote their time away from their families to help other veterans in need such as yourself.

I would advise to stay with your original post  you will get your questions answered much faster  rather than posting new post  in other parts of the hadit board

Again Welcome to Hadit  here you will be respected and helped through out the entire claims process.  were all like family here  and you're more than welcome to join in with us.

As member and Hadit Moderator Broncovet mention above 

Actually you will need 3 things to prepare filing for your claim known simply as the Caluza Triangle

 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 January 5, 2020 by Buck52