He isolated himself from everyone: me, his niece, his friends, and his siblings. Never about Iraq and my whole Army experience. Also he is a Gulf War Vet so atleast I knew he could some how relate. I read that they can get claims decided a lot faster if you have a qualified medical professional MD, PhD etc,. This is an outrage for the United States of America and it is time the seniors stand together, with their supporters and put a change to all of this political crap.! Our work is set up on points..we need to work a certain amount of claims per day in order to advance/keep our jobs. This section should include as much information as possible to readily highlight for VA the letters credibility, competency, and relevancy. I am 40% service connect thru the VA for loss of hearing, athuritis, + eczema. My name is Danny.I was in the navy fron jan 98-jan 2002. while i was in hurt my neck and back.I have had trouble with both since i got out but i tried to live with it to the point that i just couldnt take it anymore. I filed for my disability upon discharge was was rated at 0% service connection on three issues. I started reevaluation in Dec 09. Below is wife statement, please comment if it is good to go. I say only to defend you and your family because obviously this govenerment cares nothing about their Veterans, especially those that are senior citizens now. It can also play a crucial role in firmly establishing service connection as well. I file a disability claim in 2003 for IBS and was granted 0%. Proving service connection for these is very hard, because the doctors never diagnosed, or documented. Tell me why. However, he went back to sleep and the pattern started new. I am now 100% and also the Post Service Officer with The American Legion Post 147 of Jasper Indiana. I will welcome any other suggestions you might have on my case. I buried the event as if it did not take place until 2005 when it came out like an atom bomb. If accepted into our ELITE membership program, youll get free up-front access and permission to use $13,119 worth of proprietary VA claim resources, including access to our network of independent medical professionals for medical examinations, disability evaluations, and credible Medical Nexus Letters, which could help you get a HIGHER VA rating in LESS time. Plan to utilize some of this info. Use any workman comp awards after your served and it pertains to your present claim, espeically if you believe that the military cause the issue in the first placelike mental health issues, some work settings can worsen symptoms with PSTD, Major Depression and insomonia Boy, our stories sound pretty much alike: The USA should be ashamed of the way they treat veterans in general, and the out-and-out lies the government puts out. need a VA layer to represent me in a denial of disability claim 2012 ?/ help please Joseph.A.G. App. Presently I have obtained all the evidence I need to submit my claim. I did not do the Form 9 because my advocate retired, and he did not turn my file over to someone. I caught in Africa setting up Sac bases for all of Europe. If I were to hire an attorney, he would get his normal retroactive fee. How does his opinion over rule a board certified immunologist? He lived in the basement with the shades drawn day in and day out; I had to continue working to pay bills because John would not. A well-written statement or buddy statement can be the difference between a grant of service connection for your VA claim and a denial. Veterans Affairs Compensation for Sleep Apnea; VA Rating for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Camp Lejeune Water Contamination . (You know, lead them by the hand, show them every little detail.) He was a comtech(telephone installation)While working on a telephone line, he was electrocuted. May 17, 2018. According to the Mayo Clinic, primary symptoms of sleep apnea include: The VA considers sleep apnea a qualifying disability and rates veterans from 0%, 30% 50% and 100% after a medical diagnosis and service connection. The specialist needs to sign the letter at the end with the full credential. Good Luck, DT. It doesnt matter what you say unless its a mental issue. A credible Medical Nexus Opinion from a private provider IN ADDITION to any lay evidence provided in support of your VA claim. KEEP GOING!!! This form is a sample letter in Word format covering the subject matter of the title of the form. I have a claim in with the VA from injuries while in the Army WTC program for prior service folks. Many VA hospitals and clinics have in-house SOs from the DAV, state, etc to help guide you. This quick disability claim letter to VA Comp & Pension from my own claim for sinusitis, sleep apnea and allergic rhinitis should help get your claim going. 01. Reuveni H, Tal A, et al. Here's Why Most Veterans are not proving Sleep Apnea is Service Connected. This can establish a life impact for a veteran. I served for almost 30 years and feel as though I have been put kick under a bus. My snoring started in 1996 after my ankle surgery due to humps in the mountainous terrain in Camp Pendleton. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps a year after our wedding and served honorably as a combat engineer from July 2002 to July 2006. (development). examinations for the VA. Who was leading the VA prior to the current Secretary Read up on OTC (Millions)and Diamond Bar Company (Billions). How to Get a 100 Percent VA Rating (if deserved)! Thank you for creating this website. At that time the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) was 37, and even worse at 63 when supine postion. That is like committing murder to rob someone of what is rightfully thiers. 100 percent disability rating: $3,621.95 per month. A current co-worker's statement in support of a claim describing the severity of your current PTSD symptoms IS lay evidence. I also filed and appealed my own claim. And immediately I noticed he began to snore very loudly. I hope that i dont offend you when i say your are God sent. I first filed back in 2008 and due to being homeless I missed one of the required appointments. As a fellow disabled Veteran this is shameful and Im on a mission to change it. Type text, add images, blackout confidential details, add comments, highlights and more. Your VA sleep apnea rating is based upon the severity of your condition. or try calling, Donald W. Priem, Jr. I dont know what the outcome will be nor do I have my hopes up. When I tried to question him, he became angry and yelled louder than Id ever heard him before. When we returned home, John hardly kept in touch. Your claim may be very complex, but carry few pointsso it goes to the back of my box. CALL US TO GET STARTED (800) 800-3332. . Click to Read Jandreau v. Nicholson, 492 F.3d 1372, 1377 (Fed. Today in Zaporozhye I cannot obtain medical assistance due to overdue satisfaction of my Jan. 19, 2011 for 2010 filed claim not paid into my USA bank. Contact Us Now (888) 883-2483 . The diagnosis of sleep apnea must be confirmed by a sleep. I am hiring a Lawyer and I will see someone from the Comp & Pen meeting in front of a Judge. My husbands health has gone down the toilet since ETS. All I can do is wait, & fight, and never give up, I pray to God Almighty, that before I die, I will receive what is due to me, as I would like to leave my wife, with something other than her taking care of me all these years. I hate to hear of so many verterans having to go through so much red tape for help. that alone is 50% compensation if it turns out you have it. It will change your life. I hereby certify that the information I have given is true to the best of my knowledge and belief. Then in the spouses own words, talk about the change noticed in the veteran. Insider Tips: How to Schedule a Sleep Study with the VA, Top 5 Reasons for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Claim Denials. Buddy letters can bridge gaps in a veterans service records, corroborate events, injuries, illnesses, and stressors, or illustrate the extent to which the veterans disabilities interfere with his life and work. wait-wait and more waiting. The same kind of logic would support a different percentage for sinusitis. Before drafting your letter, be sure to look through your service medical records to get your dates right. In 2010 I was finally granted 30% for major depressive disorder. @Joseph AnthonyHi Anthony I recently ran into him at the VA and we caught up briefly. I am having difficulty finding the wordage to use. Activist. You can have all the evidence on hand but, if the evaluator states differently then the VARO will be forced to follow his orders. After his left ankle surgery in 1996, he was unable to regularly exercise and he gradually gains weight. The letter must include a list of the qualifications of the doctor who is writing it. Now why? This is not the first time Ive heard this erroneous claim from a veteran service officer who is not educated in the law but instead shilling for the agency by spreading dysinfo myths. A fellow servicemember competently testifies to hearing the veteran snore and choke in his sleep during service, but he cannot state that the Veteran has sleep apnea. 3. App. Stop being a jailhouse lawyer! I served on active duty in the Navy aboard an aircraft carrier from November 1979 to November 1983. I am sure your family and friends could testify about your symptoms post and pre war conditions. For that reason, I took it upon myself to ensure that they had the correct disability documentation the second time around. We need a relief and a quicker and fasyter process to getting what we deserve a fair chance in dealing with our claims and grant an approval with evidence when poresented. Veterans, this is why I founded VA Claims Insider. Have questions? In this post, I provide veterans with a real VA lay statement example. Additionally, watering daily with s, This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our. Click the button below to start for FREE. What was the specific reason for denial that the RO gave on the original letter? I tried reaching out to him a few times, but my calls all went unanswered. I also got copd and ulcer in feb and march of 2010 and was in the hospital twice. This time, Im assuming due to clerical error, they were sending all of my paperwork to the wrong address! I have also been diagnosed through an MRI of the brain with focal seizures. Its FREE to get started, so click Go Elite Now below to complete our 3-step intake process. Even though lay evidence can help you prove service connection, you still need competent medical evidence by a credentialed medical professional to help establish service connection. So, the form was not filed. This means you do NOT currently have the VA disability rating and compensation YOU deserve, and you could be missing out on thousands of dollars of tax-free compensation and benefits each month. I contacted my state Senator whos office sent a letter to the VA asking about it only to have the VA send an explanation letter and that was it, I already knew that but I wanted to know why. Using a highlighter to highlight relevant diagnosis and injuries in my MIL med records seemed to work great. Your greatest fight after you serve is to fight to get what you deserve. He is most recently employed with the National Park Service and that job will be terminating 8/12/2011 due to budget cuts. Holding up your claim longer just to be denied. (SGM) About a year later the VA gave me 100% SC (but not P&T). of Veterans Affairs and Student Veterans of America have just ruined my, Read More VA Logic: 60 Percent Of The Time, It Works Every TimeContinue, Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print On Friday, Under Secretary Allison Hickey stepped down just prior to a House Committee, Read More Why Was Allison Hickey Covering For Rubens, Graves?Continue, Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Under Secretary Allison Hickey stepped down on Friday but not before sending a final, Read More Allison Hickey Final Love Note To VA EmployeesContinue. Anxiety, moderate depression and knee pain. VA doesnt recognize POAs in Pension land! My own VA Psychiastrist says I am unemployable because of PTSD, and gave me the lowest score for disability which says on paper at the VA I suffer from severe PTSD, Hearing and Tintinitus plus vertigo which I receive 20% on. to this date, i submitted a claim in on feb 3, 2010 in for numerous illness, and have contacted my congressman john lewis for help. I have written both my Senators and both have responded to some tired old writing from the VA that I failed to make my QTC appointment. I filed immediately a (nasty) letter of disagreement and an appeal . As a formality, buddy letters should always include the authors identifying information and his or her relationship to the veteran. Family History is important- I once won a case for person who dad was a vet with pstd, daughter air force pstd, son arm bipolar, another some navy bipolar..raised the ratings. For example, VA will not consider a layperson statement where the veteran opines about a medical diagnosis such as saying, I have TBI. VA is required to consider descriptions of pain, congestion, trouble breathing, etc. Decision Date: 07/15/15 Archive Date: 07/21/15 She says in a nexus letter from sleep apnea occurs most appeal letter reasons local legion for. *A medically untrained individual is not usuallycompetentto offer a medical opinion regarding the etiology of disorders and such an opinion is generally assigned little probative weight. They said they needed more info from my regional office in Reno and that they had not investiagted my claim enough. To have any and all claims looked at in an open and fair manner. the doctors have me on cyclobenzaprine for muscle spas. Your VA sleep apnea rating will determine how much you receive a month in VA disability compensation. Did you know that sleep apnea, has been medically proven to be a secondary to. They continued walking toward us until the man reached abruptly into his pocket. Westley Thomas / USMC / Vietnam Veteran 1966-1968. He had the biggest, warmest heart and lived for his family. Thank you for any help that you can give me. Stan download the va disability question are for respiratory ailments at va.gov website. 4. Im hoping and praying that we as veteran want have to hurry up and wait too and so long just to get denied over and over. VA Disability Claims (General) > Sample Sleep Apnea Nexus Letter needed.. Share. When the Veteran suffers the whole family suffers and it is not fair to the family to have to struggle to take care of the veteran when the VA Government should be providing for them without all of the red tape. He is no longer in the telephone business and avoids electrical contact, He left the phone company via buyout for that same reason, constant stress of this happening again. *A non-combat Veteranslaystatements may be acceptable for establishing service incurrence or aggravation but must be weighed against otherevidencein the claims folder including the absence of military records documenting or supporting the statements. Agent Orange Presumptive List In this guide, well explore the topic of Agent Orange and its long-lasting impact on millions of Vietnam veterans. Suite 1700 To add insult to injury, remember that in pension many claimants are elderly and it will take them time to track down the needed documentation. ANYONE OUT THERE KNOW HOW I COULD GET ON FOX? On July 2015, I received an evaluation letter from the C&P stating that they are dropping my evaluation to 90% . While in service I was diagnosed with Asthma,sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and COPD. Sample letter for sleep apnea - disability benefits questionnaire. It can also play a crucial role in firmly establishing service connection as well. Sleep disruption caused by obstructive sleep apnea can be exacerbated by chronic pain, medications, anxiety, and increasing weight. I am attaching a copy of my DD 214 to reflect my service with the veteran. My doctor told me this levetiracetam was for anxiety when quoting it in my record for 5 years as seizure medication. Allison Hickey Final Love Note To VA Employees, Veteran Shocked By Disability Rating Reduction 70 To 0 Percent, Freedom of Information Act request letter, https://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/dbq_ListByDBQFormName.asp. Good luck with your claim, and be prepared to wait a while. For example, consider a veteran who is seeking VA disability benefits for sleep apnea. Thats the way they play the game. The young girl then picked up her fathers weapon and aimed shot it in my direction, forcing John to shoot her too. While all of this information supports my position, the va does not accept BVA cases as precidence, nor do they accept scholarly articles from the internet as a basis for awarding any service connected condition, but the VA will remand a case back to the regional office to conduct a c/p exam based on such articles submitted with a claim. I have letters from my doctors rating me at 100% . I suffered damage to my left eye, left lung. I was illegally turned into DMV by VA and have not had a license for one year and like you say, they could care less. It requires several key components, This is where the spousal letter comes into play. Their salaries range from $53,000 to $83,000 per year to turn us down. For me Im a Lifetime member of the DAV and a member of the American Legion. letters and electronic mail. RIGHT and SHINE VETERANS CALLED YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS PASSED A VETERAN LAW HIRED AT LEAST ONE AT ANY VETERAN MEDICAL CENTER A COSMETIC DENTISTRY DENTIST THAT KNOWS HOW TO PUT IN G4 IMPLANTSPLUS TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS SHOULD PASSED A VETERAN LAW IF VETERAN NEED A PROCEDURE DONE THE MEDICAL PROVIDER SHOULD GET PAID FIRST PLUS SPREAD THE WORD.SEMPER FI. left side of the screenthere it is folks!! Paige Ingram is an Associate Attorney at Gang & Associates, where she focuses her practice on representing disabled veterans before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. MSG VAM. Two decades have passed, Ensure that the buddy letter is from someone credible and competent. After you've figured out whether you will claim sleep apnea secondary to PTSD or to another condition, you must demonstrate the nexus or connection to the VA. I care about all young and old. I requested my other doctor to write a letter for the VA but he requested that I give him a sample letter that would be sufficient in wording for the VA, and he would be more than willing to help me out. After 27 years and a lifetime of chronic back pain and related complications, I find-out by three independent orthopedic surgeons, that I have no birth 2. It is so true that the people sitting behind the desks and making these decisions about our livelihood do not have a clue. She didnt want it. A personal statement you write on the VA Form 21-4138 documenting how you think your current non-combat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is due to an in-service sexual assault and stressor event that occurred 20 years ago IS lay evidence. E-Mail: [emailprotected] The code on your DD Form 214 might be alerting your potential employers Getting a spousal letter supporting sleep apnea is a great way to get this lay evidence. There must be significant proof to get a successful VA claim these days (as there . Rory R Jones Usually the service organization has an ongoing relationship with the VA Claims person who is working your file and they can either speak on your behalf or you can submit a letter or e-mail with your exact words and have your service organization submit it directly to the VA RO Winston-Salem. The spousal letter should have a flow to it. Keep fighting for it. How do I obtain a DBQ and a Medical Nexus Opinion? Ask for your military medical record if you do not have any copies of ir (i hope you do) and go to the nearest VA place to submit the claim. Discover Tomato Varieties: While Galactic Magic Seeds is No Longer Available, There's Still Plenty of Variety for Your Garden, Galactic Magic Seeds was a website that offered tomato seeds from various breeders, including Rebel Starfighter Prime. We attempted to resuscitate her but were unsuccessful. It turns out the doctord never annotated my medical records. Here's what I mean - in BVA decision after BVA decision, I saw examples . I have the exact same problem . I go thru it daily but, then again I consider them my colleagues because I deal with them everyday and I have to fight for my veterans. It was my Teams SOP to only give 30 day windows-regardless of what category of evidence we were requestingthen the claim can be denied on the basis of failure-to-prosecute. Someone must bleed the words, Not me, I am probably in the chicken coop . As my boy mind is clearing up I see other issues that will raise his ratings. A noticeable sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring. The most trusted name in education-based resources for Veterans. Well, things got rolling with my new advocate and talking with someone at the Regional Office, I ended up getting 70%, because in 2005 I should of received 50% and then 70%, so of course I received a good amount of back pay. I am fortunate I type 80 WPM which helps my cause. I could only prove to the VA(lost medical records, of course) that what occurred, did occur, be submitting my letters sent home to my mother and sisters, with copies of letters, with Vietnam(APO)postmarks and details consistent with servie in a wartime setting. Hello fellow vets, First time posting and I had been denied by the VA since 2006 for reason the sleep apnea is not service connected. In January 1983 I was diagnosed with bladder cancer, and of course could not continue my naval career. It can turn a productive worker into a problem employee. When it comes to free meals on veterans day he gowns himself with stolen valor uniforms cause he has no documentation of being a veteran just to feed his fat self. Fax if you can depending what phase of the claim you are in- your evidence often as possible, present it well. Brian isalso the CEOofMilitary Disability Made Easy, which is the worlds largest free searchable database for all things related to DoD disability and VA disability claims and has served more than 4,600,000 military members and veterans since its founding in 2013. Actually I started gathering evidence when he was in because I started seeing symptoms, not quite PSTD but more Bipolar, he saw psych at least three separate time on the ship during the time of other shipmates committing suicide. Providing Training For Those Who Represent Americas Veterans and Their Dependents Since 1993. 3.303(b) by (a) evidence of (i) the existence of a chronic disease in service or during an applicable presumption period under 38 C.F.R. No va claim will get approved without this link. The VA would then followup via telecom. Good luck! It sickens me knowing what this country took from me and how terrible they treat the soldier after they screw him or her up. i cant sleep at night, i wait up sweating, having night mares, and out burst. He told me to only list my conditions and let them review the information in my records. Tell them about your vet affliations. Is there some advice you can give me or some where to look for some more information on this. I have a buddy letter for my Adjustment Disorder, and currently trying to fix my Stressor. So the question again, how to prove service connection for sleep apnea secondary to either asthma/allergic rhinitis or sinusits short of going through another sleep study and a private doctors opinion. Who is OTC? Main Office Bross & Frankel, P.A. Thanks. 3.303(a). How much does the VA pay for SLEEP APNEA? Take a look at our HOME OF THE WORLDS LARGEST INFORMATION BANK! A Buddy Letter written by someone you served with who can shed some light on how your shoulder separation occurred on active duty IS lay evidence. It should clearly describe how he or she knows the veteran and for the length of time. If you want to learn how to implement these strategies to get the VA benefits you deserve, click here to speak with a VA claim expert for free. The help that I received came from VETERANS QUALITY of LIFE ACCESS NETWORK INC., located in New York City, NY. I got my health benefits in 2006, but in 2008 they were taken away because someone did my advocate a favor. I serviced my Country faithfully during both Vietnam and the 1st Gulf war and should not be pushed aside. On the other hand, knowledge acquired through specialized training, education, or expertisesuch as the knowledge required to render a medical diagnosis or attribute symptoms to a particular diagnosis or eventis not personally observable and is therefore outside the realm of competent lay testimony. Our Veterans are well versed in all VA claims, and have plenty of experience with sleep apnea claim! I as well will at that time go public with just exactly what the missions were all aboutkilling select targets and some of those targets were civilian and done so just for a psychological affect on the enemy. i filed for and recieved 100% ssc. Daniel Lawson, Sfc US Army Retired. I have been fighting the VA for PTSD while in combat in Vietnam for 42 years. I ended up with a pacemaker/defibrillator implant. Then guess what? 2004). Veterans with service-connected sleep apnea will receive a rating of 0, 30, 50, or 100. The new PTSD rules cover combat veterans. I am in need of assistance. Finally received their ruling two weeks ago. I took letters from generals that I worked for in the Air Force. Any ways if anyone wants any info. No payment until after dead. sometimes getting up and putting clothes on for battle dress. A 50% rating yields $958.44 per month. Romalis Thomas 03/22/2020 To Whom It May Concern: My name is Romalis Thomas, and I trained at Camp Lejeune and . the va had done x-rays and mris and the va apointed doctor stated that basically this guys back is beyond repair. When John returned, he moved all his things out of our bedroom and into the basement. Hi Danny, Any ideas. This could be a coworker who saw how the veterans disability affected his job performance; a family member who noticed behavioral differences in the veteran after he returned from service; or a fellow servicemember who witnessed, heard, or smelled a specific incident that the veteran experienced while on active duty. I have no language interpreter today and no American group or person to assist. I also believe that another way for the VA to cut the budget will be to re-examine and reduce existing approved claims, thus using valuable manpower to save a cent or two out of every dollar, when that manpower could be used on the fair handling of current pending claims and appeals.