Atomic Vet Question

[Berta]

I replied to this and my post vanished -at same time I got unexpected company-last night and now I cannot find where this question was----

I believe it was regarding kidney disease causing death- claimed due to radiation exposure?

The poster said he thought the condition was presumptive-

The presumptive conditions are all found at 38 USC 1112©-38 CFR 3.309 (d)

however this list is only for veterans who participated in a radiation risk activity- such as:

occupation of Hiroshima or Nakasaki between August 6, 1945 and July 1, 1946,

or were exposed to ionized radiation while a POW in Japan

or participated in undergroud nuclear tests at Amchitka Alaska prior to Jan 1, 1974, or

service at gas diffusion plants in Paducah Kentucky at that time or

in Pormouth plants or at area K 25- Oak Ridge Tennesee.

Other situations can help an atomic veteran establish service connect-these are often very difficult claims-

a strong medical opinion of the nexus helps considerably- however the VA has to obtain a radiation estimate from the DOD to assess the nature and dosage of radiation the veteran was exposed to-

My husband, after Vietnam, was a Nuclear Power Plant operator-

his exposure was carefully documented probably many times a day- for ten years-

he had no residual disablities from all that-

Those records are most surely still with the plant and the feds-

However- it can become problematic when a vet or the VA tries to find the records of their radiation exposure sometimes- in the military-

but even when these records are found they most often contain documentations of low dosages-too low to cause potential health problems.

Also some of the risk activity of atomic vets remains classified- another problem in proving a claim like this-

I dont know where this post was yesterday-

Did this veteran have any other potential disability for possible service conected- that could have contributed to his death -or caused it-( the kidney disease)

The widow should certainly file a claim- but should raise both the radiation exposure issue as well as any other possible reason that the VA should service connect his death.

You didnt give us too much info------

but mentioned she is at very low income- if he was wartime ( just wartime service-not necessarily war service) and she has very low income, the VA will certainly give her a wartime pension- depending on all other eligibility factors-of course-

The 21-526 form will cover both the pension decision and the service connected death claim.

Radiation claims- unless within the above criteria depend on the REM dosages in service (documented) and strong medical evidence to support this exposure and the SC disablity or death.

[Testvet]

Berta most of the dose badges were defective and the govt knows it, if they were even issued the badges, many weren't here is a link for the RECA act that DOJ is using to pay veterans and civilian emplyees involved in the nuclear experiments and mining it is a one time lump sum but 75 thou is 75,000

http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/torts/const/reca/about.htm