On September 3, 2003, John and I were with XYZ unit monitoring a checkpoint in Anbar Province when a man and his 14-year-old daughter rapidly approached us. How many Vets take the time to do this? How to File a VA Claim for Sleep Apnea Thanks a lot. Generally speaking, buddy letters should discuss the objective events and symptoms as they were observed by the author rather than speculation about diagnoses and their respective causes. Okay, what does all this mean for your VA claim? My doctor told me this levetiracetam was for anxiety when quoting it in my record for 5 years as seizure medication. 6 People Who Can Write a VA Lay Statement - benefits Contacting us does . If you were EVER in prison as a result to your mental illness after you served, use those records including any release conditions- must see psych or be violate, must take medication be violated, those conditions.. A long, rambling letter just obscures why you are writing. 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. We also connect veterans with independent medical professionals in our referral network for medical examinations, disability evaluations, and credible independent medical opinions and nexus statements (medical nexus letters) for a wide range of disability conditions. Can anyone give me a good phone number for the Winston Salem VA office dealing with compensation claims? She wanted to know if I wanted to wait till she got my c-file? Can prevail in spite of the absence of official records showing incurrence or aggravation of the disease or injury during service. Many times a Vet will have a condition that there IS NO TREATMENT for thus they will not see doctors, but just put up with it. Fax if you can depending what phase of the claim you are in- your evidence often as possible, present it well. Instead, it sounds like you are spreading the dysinfo many regional offices put out there to discourage veterans. Knowing where to start . They were the ones who loaded and unloaded the canisters of agent orange. Before we deployed, John was always cracking jokes and writing his wife. I filed a CUE claim on the asthma which was granted in 1988, with an initial rating to date of discharge of 10% and then a 30% rating from date of the approved CUE. Who knows you best other than your spouse? Click the button below to start for FREE. Below are the samples VA nexus letters for sleep apnea. He began drinking heavily7 or 8 beers a night before he turned to liquor. I went through Ranger School but wasnt black ops, so you would think that patrols that I was on in Bosnia would be filed with my chain of command. Welcome and Thx for your service to our great nation. Thanks In Advance. The most trusted name in education-based resources for Veterans. Click to Read Davidson v. Shinseki, 581 F.3d 1313 (Fed. (1) a current diagnosis; They arent in any hurry, either. Quick Tips for a VA Buddy Letter. However, I hardly heard from him once he deployed to Iraq in August 2003. Is there some advice you can give me or some where to look for some more information on this. I am sure your family and friends could testify about your symptoms post and pre war conditions. In fact, this post was written based on that experience during my first year of law school. Importantly, obstructive sleep apnea is not one of the conditions that are listed under 3.309(a), and the Veteran must otherwise show that his sleep apnea is due to an event, disease, or injury incurred during service. Depending on the evidence and contentions of record in a particular case, lay evidence can be competent and sufficient to establish a diagnosis and medical etiology of a condition. If your SLEEP APNEA claim is approved, you may receive up to $3,350.87 per month. I prepared a chronological list with details about the conditions I intended to file for sort of like you have here. 49, 53 (1990). So I want to impart some of what I did- hopefully it would someone case here and Went through my interview in which they failed to have my c-files on hand. It helped me after 34 years of being in denial, misunderstood, missinformed and receiving the run around with no help. On evidence. 3. The book includes commentary from Dr. Finnerty about the VA's proposed rule changes related to how sleep apnea is rated. Brian Reese here, Air Force service-disabled Veteran and Founder @ VA Claims Insider. A current co-worker's statement in support of a claim describing the severity of your current PTSD symptoms IS lay evidence. Thousands of other Veterans in our Community are here for you. Buddy Letter/lay statement for Sleep Apnea : r/VeteransBenefits - reddit However, he went back to sleep and the pattern started new. I worte a notice of disagreement in a timely matter. A spousal letter for sleep apnea, which documents what your spouse has witnessed over the years, and the approximate dates he/she noticed your sleep apnea symptoms began in-service IS lay evidence. Post Apr 17, 2011 #1 2011-04-17T05:25. VA Buddy Letter Tips with Buddy Statement Examples - YouTube Take a look at our HOME OF THE WORLDS LARGEST INFORMATION BANK! In short-it was a very bad situation for which if I talked well you get the picture. I would tell anyone considering a military career forget it it just aint worth it. #4567876. Never about Iraq and my whole Army experience. Important: Medicalevidenceof a link to a current condition is still needed to establish SC. 4. I am attaching a copy of my DD 214 to reflect my service with the veteran. Stanley J Jenczyk. Went to all their doctors too. Veteran Secret Codes on DD Form 214. KEEP GOING!!! They state that if I have an on-going chronic condition but havent been seen by a VA doctor about it, there is NO CHANCE it will be considered. Also have them check the archives of medical records. It is so true that the people sitting behind the desks and making these decisions about our livelihood do not have a clue. it was hoorible and I still have a large pocket of mucuos in my sinus cavity, I am having a sleep study done, could this condition be from being stuck in the head witk a M-113 Drivers hatch without a CVC on? Heck no-I would just have to wait months for the next one. This event took place in the US Army back in 1971. Google searches can provide inform, Harvest Delicious Red Tomatoes with Red Rocket in Hot Climates South of Memphis, Tomatoes are a popular and versatile crop that can be grown in many climates, but it is important to choose the right variety for your climate. 112 Comments. He was also paranoid and reactive. See 38 C.F.R. 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. The author can use VA form 21-4138 but it is not required. 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. You're not alone. Feel free to reach out to us. Signup to never miss a beat with special offers, blog updates, exclusive trainings, and more delivered right to your inbox! When I finally found some stability I tried giving it a second shot. I also deal with many clients who have been diagnosed with it, post-military-service and do not know how to establish a service connection for sleep apnea. 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. We all work for our payxchecks but work for our veteran especially. @mstaiadair The thought of the VA letting vets die before they decide a claim makes me want to punch whoever is in charge. Then the legislation is flawed and riddled with loopholes, a WWII hero with an amazing service record is denied because his income is slightly over the limit (he did the right thing by working and saving money); yet some dirtbag who sprained an ankle in basic training in 1995, who got separated and subsequently gets the HIV (how that is service connected is beyond me..my drill sergeant forced me to share needles or have unprotected sex?) 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. There are some nasty habits in VA that are part of the institutional culture. (DO NOT OPEN IN MAIL ROOM) Anxiety, moderate depression and knee pain. The VA-certified disability benefits lawyers at Woods and Woods have helped thousands of veterans. Both the Va and Sen.Levins office called me about this and said it was in the highest level. If a veteran has persistent difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep or is unable to fall back asleep after waking up, they may qualify for disability compensation for insomnia. Here is what I have done, I ask my VFW rep to provide me with a letter specifically what to state on her letter for my claim, he told me he would give IRON CLAD, evidence to win my case. I dont know about you but the times I get a rejection letter, I put it in my bible because I know It is already DONE. How do I know this to be true, because GOD said so. I havent worked since and have difficulty sleeping amongst other things. left side of the screenthere it is folks!! I need an updated award disability letter since the bank i am applying for a loan doestn want to work with my original one i need help. As a result, I agreed to move back home. I have sleep Apnea and report states most my family of 10 brothers and sisters have it when in fact none do. Anyone 18 and older with personal knowledge of the objective facts relevant to a claim is competent to write a buddy letter. Sample Letter for Spouse Signature - US Legal Forms Contact your Senator in Wash., DC. These changes should include at least some of the symptoms of sleep apnea. VA Disability Rating for Sleep Apnea Secondary to Tinnitus He refused to see a psychologist because he insisted he could care for himself and went back to work as a chef. connected because it not documented in my record but I was granted 50% for my PTSD I, Know that theres a connection somewhere can anybody help me with this or give some advice, And if you need to do an appeal here is the link for the questionnaires you will need : One last important detail is the need to request a copy of your file. Honestly, they are just "saying" it. Buddy letters are lay statements provided in support of a veterans claim for VA disability benefits. I suffer from MST/PTSD, and medical issues. Im not ready to give up yet. Vietnam Veterans: Is Your Medical Condition on the Agent Orange Presumptive List? appreciate you, 2 Sample Nexus Letter For Sleep Apnea (How to write) Now, I am just trying to understand, that it is a lawyer and not VSO rep., correct??? Copyright 2023 VA Claims Insider, LLC. I wrote up a free eBook for veterans to download that will help you get a copy of certain files that VA likes to hang on to like your health records, VocRehab records, and similar files that are more difficult to request. If I were to hire an attorney, he would get his normal retroactive fee. The faster your start it the better it is, plus they will give you retroactive pay. mode to head Tag nexus letter for sleep apnea Showing 1 1 of 1 Items With hundreds of chapters across the globe ASIS is. Buddy Letters (Buddy Statements), also known as Lay Statements, can serve as valuable pieces of evidence for VA claims. A Disability Benefit Questionnaire (DBQ) can help you prove your medical diagnosis and your current symptoms of the disability or condition. Because you often didnt go to the doctor enough while you served on active duty, and thus, your service treatment records do not contain any evidence of a disability or condition. I have working with the VFW, however, they have had quite a bit of turnover, and the person helping me, more or less files the forms and really doesnt give me any guidance. The VA has someone with a security clearance who can research classified operations and verify veterans statements. It takes 60 days for Red Rocket tomatoes to reach maturit, Growing Tomatoes in Containers: Essential Tips for a Successful Harvest, Growing tomatoes in containers is a great way to enjoy homegrown fruits and vegetables without taking up too much space. In Feb 2005, I was informed by a doctor at Fort Hood that I had COPD secondary to my asthma. The specialist needs to sign the letter at the end with the full credential. Hi Danny, why one was never done i dont know, what i do know is that a friend of his injured his knee playing flag foot ball while inthe USAF and receives a benefit of over $800 per month and will continue to for the rest of his life. According to the VA C & P experts, I was never there, if I was then Im making too big of a deal of it and deserve no compensation because it wasnt a designated Combat Zone. Who is OTC? More and more research is being done about it, and much news is being written about t. If you are considered service-connected, you will receive a VA disability rating for Sleep Apnea 0%, 30%, 50%, or 100%. While each VA buddy statement will be slightly different, here is a VA buddy letter example to consider. When filing a VA disability claim, former military service members can fill out the VA Form 21-4138, also known as the Statement in Support of Claim.This is a multi-purpose form that has been used by the VA for many years, on which veterans are able to write any information . The new PTSD rules cover combat veterans. They screwed up the address again. As a couple, we often took our dogs hiking on the weekends and spent our weeknights watching stand-up comedy after work or cooking dinner together. If your issue on service in Vietnam has not been resolved as of this date-let me give you a bit of advice/help. 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. I buried the event as if it did not take place until 2005 when it came out like an atom bomb. I am having difficulty finding the wordage to use. 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. 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.! Journalist. 3. Since 2016, VA Claims Insider has helped thousands of Veterans just like you get the VA rating and compensation they deserve in less time. Sample letter for sleep apnea - disability benefits questionnaire. I recently submitted a claim for sleep apnea secondary to PTSD with the assistance of the Disabled American Veteran's org (DAV). i was diagnosed with having seziures likes activities on active duty and discharged with only 10% rating for my disabilities. The young girl then picked up her fathers weapon and aimed shot it in my direction, forcing John to shoot her too. Below is wife statement, please comment if it is good to go. I had an appeal for 2 1/2 years and when I submitted the paperwork after my second back paperwork, I went up to 40% retroactive to when I filed my appeal. I would suggest you contact your service organization, VFW, etc which is ususally located in the same VA Regional Office, Winston-Salem and have them make contact on your behalf. Service connection requires competent evidence showing: (1) the existence of a present disability; (2) in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury; and (3) a causal relationship between the present disability and the disease or injury incurred or aggravated during service. As my boy mind is clearing up I see other issues that will raise his ratings. 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. I submitted my claim online in May 2010 (received a confirmation number) and inquired in Aug 2010 only be told that the claim have been erroneously closed and would be reopened. If you are a veteran and have been struggling with sleep problems, you may wonder if a VA sleep study is the right solution. They make so many mistakes and if the info was in, and it wasnt reviewed properly and a erroneous disability determination was determined, that is a mistake they made. On the other hand, buddy letters corroborating the severity of your disability will not demonstrate a nexus between your present disability and your military service in a claim for service connection. I have had some amount of experience with the C&P folks, and it has been my experience that it is always to your benefit to include a reference to every single visit to any doctor, hospital, clinic, dispensary, etc., including military, VA and civilian facilities. Should I apply for Sleep Apnea on its own or is this way good enough? I have no idea who to contact, the American Legion that I am involved, well they are all older and not sure they would know about this, maybe you can point me in the right direction thanks. The value accorded to other types oflayevidencedepends on such factors as. His frustration with the8-step VA disability claims processled him to createVA Claims Insider,which provides U.S. military veterans with tips, strategies, and lessons learned for successfully submitting or re-submitting a winning VA disability compensation claim. Youll be glad you did. One thing I found is my doctors never did Blood sugar tests on me in-service, My diabetes was diagnosed post discharge by the VA, but since I have diabetic family members, they said Non-service connected. The doctor indicated that it was likely that the Veteran first developed sleep apnea around 1970. my claim is going on almost 2 years with a congressman backing me an nothing has happen. Our VA system are far remove from the veteran all is seen is that some civilian or fellow veteran working are not truly dedicated to our voices and hurt. I have also put in several inquires and have not received a reponse. Westley Thomas / USMC / Vietnam Veteran 1966-1968. The worst part is the QTC doctor I was sent to is an orthopedic/spinal doctor. I have been working as a VSO for 3 yrs and i came across various atrocities. Therefore, we are out in the middle of nowhere. Just about every Vet from my time at the VA hospital in Ann Arbor Mi feel the same way. It can turn a devoted husband or wife into a spouse who's moody and distant, or even . I tried not to worry and hoped things would return to normal once he returned home, but they only got worse. Any ideas. All I have to say, you are ready to serve again? Cir. @John B You are obviously a veteran service officer who has zero legal training. When I tried to question him, he became angry and yelled louder than Id ever heard him before. By escalating a claim to Congressional, it ensures that management is tracking the claim and VA must respond in a reasonable time frameusually 7-12 days. Maybe you can help me out. Daniel Lawson, Sfc US Army Retired. I have been searching for that sample letter and am having a difficult time finding it. Nexus Letter Military Disability Made Easy #1 in Veterans Disability Unfortunately, the truth is VA works ardously to help vets, but the the C&P evaluators are the ONES who run the show. 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 have the exact same problem . Base Total sample Letters indicate. Our Veterans are well versed in all VA claims, and have plenty of experience with sleep apnea claim! VA Statement in Support of Claim Example | Bross & Frankel I hate to hear of so many verterans having to go through so much red tape for help. hi my name is anthony brown and i served in the united states navy from 1987 to 1995 which the military has lost my medical records serveral times. The VA uses certain criteria defined in 38 Code of Federal Regulations 4.130 to evaluate the severity of a former servicemember's sleeping disorder. 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. 3.102. 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. It should clearly describe how he or she knows the veteran and for the length of time. It requires several key components, service connection, medical diagnosis, and some proof of life impact or how this disability affects you today. I have been seeing my private physician for many years and have been approved for several service connected disability but all of a sudden I need to go to one of their doctors. I was as thorough as possible with the original application, with assistance from the local rep. Other than the notification of receipt, Ive received no requests for additional documentation, ect. [emailprotected] If you have ever seen the movie Office Space, then you have an accurate depiction of what the Philadelphia PMC is. I was told by a military lawyer to keep fighting. Before John deployed, he was stationed at Camp Lejune and wrote me at least once a week. His eBook, the9 Secrets Strategies for Winning Your VA Disability Claimhas been downloaded more than 300,000 times in the past three years and is the #1 rated free VA disability claims guide for veterans. Attorney. You have to respond specifically to the reason for denial and, if possible, provide additional evidence to counter it. She says in a nexus letter from sleep apnea occurs most appeal letter reasons local legion for. This can establish a life impact for a veteran. I have no language interpreter today and no American group or person to assist. Sample Letter To VA For . I am now 100% and also the Post Service Officer with The American Legion Post 147 of Jasper Indiana. Its very discouring to see that applications are routinely denied and delayed, sometimes until the time that the applicant is deceased. and the icing on the cake, they chose to ignore a sworm letter by my. I am very good with SSI/SSDI cases because that is my actual job 9 to five.. A year or so later, John received a DUI and was forced to attend substance abuse meetings. I have applied for military disability. I, Joe Smith, hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the following is true and correct to the best of my knowledge: John Doe and I served together as combat engineers in the U.S. Marine Corps from August 1984 to August 1992. Now the VA after turning me down for PTSD because I cannot give them names I again am fighting the system. Ive since recieved 2 letters in the last 2weeks telling me they are working on my benifits. . I got a rash within two years after I left Vietnam, While in Vietnam awoke with a blood stained pillow from my ear. PTSD Statements from Friends and Family Members - Swords to Plowshares For lay persons, personal knowledge denotes facts and information the author came to know through the use of the sensesthat which is seen, heard, felt, smelled, or tasted. I served on the Enterprise and wanted to know what where some of her findings about the ship. 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. My hunch is that they are not having success proving that the Agent Orange they were exposed to is the cause of the conditions they have now. How To Write Convincing VA Statements in Support of Claim If you need some help to win, service connect, and get your VA claim rated at the appropriate level under the law, join VA Claims Insider Elite now. I would rather die which I will do as a result of malpractice at the hands of an incompetent foreign doctor in the VA emergency room, than to go thru this arduous and torturous dog and horse show and reems of paperwork to add to my misery before I die and then wait an enormous amount of time which I do not now have thanks to the VA uncaring attitude. Depression, for example, may have been the cause for the daytime sleep patterns, not OSA. VA court Sleep apnea now a rated disability Roswell Daily. He is most recently employed with the National Park Service and that job will be terminating 8/12/2011 due to budget cuts. I hope that the apeal wont take forever. Please send me that sample letter I so desperately need. Here is a sample of the first two pages of my application for disability compensation to the Dept of Veterans Affairs. Then medical records and personnel records sent to me from St Louis and VA were totaly incomplete. In this example, the brother of a veteran is writing on behalf of his brother with PTSD. I have asked my VSO to file a letter of disagreement along with a second letter from my immunologist stating that I was not born with this disease but rather developed it in while in the military. If not, did you have a verifiable stressor statement? He is also featured regularly in national publications as an authority on Department of Veterans Affairs policy such as Bloomberg News, Foreign Policy Magazine, Washington Times, Fox News, CBS, NBC, Star Tribune and more. 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. All Rights Reserved. CALL US TO GET STARTED (800) 800-3332. . And the most frightening thing was during the time of his snoring, he would stop breathing for a while. 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. Is designed for loss, and was not hold to be. He would not return phone calls e-mails ext upon looking into this-I decided to enlist the help of Sen.Carl Levin from our great state of Michigan. I have shrapnel in my right knee from a grenade that got me just outside of Camp Dobol and the nightmares from the bodies in mass grave sites. These changes should include at least some of the symptoms of sleep apnea. I am a military mom, my boy served on the USS EnterpriseHe came home a wreck. Good luck James and God bless. I did not do the Form 9 because my advocate retired, and he did not turn my file over to someone. The diagnosis is a suspected genetic diesease that started with the symptoms while I was in the military. He started my process for me and also got back my VA benefits. 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.