VA Medical qualification question

If it's not on your DD-214 or associated they won't rate it.

 

It does not seem that you stirred up anything to me. We are just trying to provide complete, or in some cases to the point facts. The one comment about not filing if you don't have any service related claims should not be taken as anything other than a fact that would be revealed to those who attempted to claim for issues that were not service connected, not a slight at you.

My suggestion is to take your DD-214 to a local American Legion or to your local Veterans Service Officer and have them look it over. If they tell you you should file, or they believe that you 'might' qualify, they know their business. They won't, or should not tell you that you do qualify, as that is a decision made by the disability eligibility group somewhere out there in the ether.

Even if you file, a 0 (Zero) rating says they acknowledge you have a service connected issue that might not be perceived as an impediment, but could turn into one later in life, and at that time you would simply file (have help to file) an appeal, and you'll be sent for medical review, after which if it is determined that you now have problems, they will give you a percentage rating.

Best of luck.

 

Eh, I know of a few people that are getting disability that shouldn't

 

I served from 78 to 83, and my records were accessed via computer, and the Veterans Services Officer found medical issues that were not covered in my medical discharge review.

He also said getting records going back beyond 1980 was hit and miss, but mine were there.

 

The other bad thing is our mindset. We were told to "deal with it" and when being reviewed we don't want to seem weak, so we'll act in a way to minimize the perception of our ailments. When we're being given a review we need to swallow our pride, drop our at the ready handful of dirt, and admit to the challenges we're encountering due to our service ailments.

For 33 years (working with vets I truely considered disabled), I said "compared to them I'm fine" but was I? Now that I'm almost 64 many of those services issues have me squarely in the no longer able to function without sometimes severe pain.

In my seven years under their care, the VA has been a godsend, and caught some serious issues early, and remedied them or are treating them. I'm not a couch sitter, I'm 30lbs over weight according to the charts, but I'm as active as possible.

Don't let perfect be the enemy of the good.

 

You can get copy of your medical records from the time you served via archives.

contact DAV in London, they have service officers there to help you. With VA claims etc. You also need to get a hold of Lexington VA. To get in the system also if you try calling Somerset it goes to Lexington anyhow but they might be able to get your card in Somerset.

 

https://vetrecs.archives.gov/VeteranRequest/home.html#BasicInformation