PACT ACT - Cancer Claim

[North Idaho VSO]

Good Morning;

    To the point:  Service 1973-1999 (US Army Retired);  Stage 4 Neck Cancer diagnosed 2010, Treated through 2011, declared resolved 2015.

    QUESTION:  I understand that the service disability benefit is paid 100% during treatment and for 6 months following.  Is there any reason to submitt a claim for neck cancer considering it is resolved at this time.

 

Thank you,

North Idaho Veteran Services
Post Falls, ID
 

[GBArmy]

H North Idaho Not directly. After surgery/treatment as you know you will be reevaluated and be paid for residual symptoms you may have. IF the cancer was service connected, then what lingering effects does it have? Limited mobility in your neck ? Maybe scars from surgery? Maybe depression or other MH issues?  MH is a likely result of a near life-ending event. Take a realistic inventory of any symptoms /disabilities you may have and then see if they could be secondary to the cancer is the best bet IMHO. 

[Chuck Haven]

GB Army is spot on with his response.  Having been through the cancer rodeo I'd reinforce the importance of any side effects you may be experiencing from treatment (chemo, radiation, immunotherapy, etc).  These issues (if any) could lead to rated secondary disabilities by the VA.

All the best to you,

[North Idaho VSO]

Thank yo for the discussion.  The door prize for the Stage 4 Neck Cancer was a pituitary macroadenoma removed in 2016.  the door prize for that is now polythycemia.  I can only submit claims and see where they go.  Have to admit that I see quite a task.

[GBArmy]

North Idaho To add to the discussion, determine what the appropriate dbq would be for a C&P and what symptoms they evaluate. These are indications of secondaries the VA consider as potential secondaries. There certainly can be others. You also might want to get a thorough exam and nexus from a good doctor in the field who would be well versed in what other disabilities you may have and provide dbq/nexus for those. We are not medical professionals and sometimes we just deal with issues and don't even consider they are a result of a primary s-c condition. Example: many veterans figure out that they have a hearing disability. But they think tinnitus is connected with the hearing problem. Tinnitus at present is considered a separate disability by the VA and can be rated in addition to hearing.

[North Idaho VSO]

Often with the VA, success is determined my procedural  over the medical aspects.  This is where is gets deep on the weeds. Its is frustrating especially with being retired that this wouldn't be considered service connected based on overall time spent.  Over twenty plus years most front line troops are exposed to quite a few toxins.

All that aside, I can only say that this is the latest version of the Agent Orange debacle.