See Annex 4 for forms to file a claim on.
Compensation is not automatically granted, you must file a claim for it. This booklet is not meant to be a primer on Compensation, but here are some points to ponder:
1. You must have a diagnosis in order to claim disability.*
2. You must prove or document that the illness or injury happened during
service time. Remember that records from 50 years ago may be very incomplete.
3. The VA will assist you in gathering existing government records.
Finally, you can seek assistance in filing a claim from the Regional Office, a Service Organization or people such as your VIST Coordinator.
* For Gulf War 1 veterans an official diagnosis may not be needed. Part of Gulf War Syndrome can be undiagnosed conditions, which have clear affects on health.
NOTE: Benefits will change related to Gulf War Veterans.
In November of 2004 the government announced findings that concluded that Gulf War Syndrome was a real medical conditions. However, findings in 2006 disputed this. Over the next few years there will be further investigations into what can conditions can be permanently linked to Gulf War Syndrome. Currently the VA pays compensation for a list of things linked to Gulf War, and these provisions are in place until 2011, but these compensation provisions are not permanent at this time.
These symptoms include:
· Chronic Fatigue
· Signs and symptoms involving skin (including skin rashes and unusual hair loss)
· Headache
· Muscle pain
· Neurologic signs or symptoms (nervous system disorders which could manifest themselves in numbness in one's arm, for instance)
· Neuropsychological signs or symptoms (including memory loss)
· Signs or symptoms involving upper or lower respiratory system
· Sleep disturbances
· Gastrointestinal signs or symptoms (including recurrent diarrhea and constipation)
· Cardiovascular signs or symptoms
· Menstrual disorders
Lou Gehrig’s Disease is considered presumptive from Gulf War and benefits were paid to those veterans who served in the Gulf War and developed this disease.
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