Military Service and PD

[SCOOBYFAN288]

Any non combat vets on here that were diagnosed with PD that have had any luck filing a claim against the VA? I have been denied 8 times..Looking for help. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wifeofparky]

I spoke recently with a representative from NYS Division of Veteran Affairs and per the VA you must have boots on the group in Viet Nam for at least one day to qualify. My husband also served but because he was not deployed to Nam, I am ineligible for the widow's pension benefit.

You are not the only one wondering if there was "3rd hand" exposure to agent orange

[MBAnderson in reply to wifeofparky]

I would not believe anything any employee of the VA (claims) said to me. I would not trust them to tell me whether or not the sun was shining.

As incomprehensible as this might be, the VA claims people lie more than the President.

See my post below.

[CplParkinson]

I have but tried due to the fact iwasn't diagnosed during my time in. Though now that you say make sure effects from things like that make me wonder as my father was there.

[MBAnderson in reply to CplParkinson]

That you have to be diagnosed while you're in the service is completely and totally false and ridiculous. They know perfectly well that PD doesn't show up for years later.

See my comments above and below.

[MBAnderson]

There are several other circumstances which will qualify you for VA recognition of PD as being service-connected without being "in country." Those who worked on bases outside of Vietnam who unloaded aircraft coming from Vietnam or who cleaned and repaired equipment qualify as do Navy personnel who were on ships nearby that handled local materials, etc. Military personnel who handled Agent Orange or any other toxic substance anywhere in the supply chain may qualify. If they were loading drums of Agent Orange at at a military base in the US, they will likely qualify. Marines at Camp Lejeune qualify for recognition of PD because they were drinking contaminated water.

Equally important, Agent Orange is not the only toxic substance that triggers PD and is recognized as such by the VA. Did you work with any other hazardous materials? Where were you stationed, what did you do?

I am a combat infantry veteran and spent a year in the jungles and we used to watch the planes flying over spraying Agent Orange and it would drift down and land right on us, land on our food. The scientists who made this stuff, the military and government had to know anything that could defoliate a rain forest and 3 or 4 days was toxic for humans. The kicker is, defoliating the jungles accomplished nothing.

The VA is Jekyll and Hyde. I get my healthcare from the Minneapolis VA which could not be better, but the people who process the claims are worse than the worst insurance company. They will stand directly in front of you lie to your face.

Many urban areas have a Veteran Advocate Office. Contact them. The veterans advocate office where I live has been terrific. If you don't have a County veteran advocate, contact a veteran organization like VFW. In addition to working with an advocate, there are a couple nonprofit organizations that will refer you to a lawyer experienced with the VA claim process pro bono. You may have to do research to find one. I think the biggest such org is in Cleveland. Since you've already tried and been declined, I wouldn't bother doing it on my own anymore without a lawyer or an advocate. Also, look at veterans law blog.org

veteranslawblog.org/va-unem...

Where do you live?

When the VA sees you have a pro bono lawyer, they will process your claim in short order.

The other thing I would do is write people in your federal political delegation and ask them for help.

The good news is, if your PD is recognized as being service-connected, the disability payment assigned to your level of rating will be retroactive to the date when you 1st applied.

[FergusonJR]

I was army four years in the Cold War only 80s. Haven’t tried but don’t know that I can make a link. There is a link for bases with environmental contamination documented. Look it up.