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Posts Tagged ‘gulf war veterans’
Wednesday, December 19th, 2012
Gulf War illness is a number of service-connected illnesses that may have been caused by environmental exposures during a Gulf War veteran’s military service. Since the war ended in the 1990s there has been debate over the potential of nerve agents released upon the bombing of Iraqi chemical weapons to carry far enough to affect American troops in Saudi Arabia.
A recently published paper released in the journal Neuroepidemiology is challenging the long-standing belief that the nerve agents could not have contaminated the American troops.
Chemical Exposures Causing Gulf War Illness
Currently, it is believed that the neurotoxins were not carried airborne far enough to affect American troops stationed on the ground in Saudi Arabia. But researchers analyzed intelligence and meteorological data to determine that the plumes from the bombings could have been rapidly transported over a long distance.
The researchers examined plume height predictions, weather charts, weather satellite images, and the observations of a stationary weather front. The report also points to the sounding of nerve agent alarms that have largely been discounted as false positives.
How Gulf War Veterans Can Prove a Service-Connected Illness
There are many health conditions currently associated with Gulf War illness including:
- chronic fatigue syndrome;
- fibromyalgia;
- irritable bowel syndrome;
- functional dyspepsia;
- functional abdominal pain syndrome; and
- other undiagnosed illnesses.
To begin a veterans’ disability benefits claim you will first need to obtain a medical diagnosis for your service-connected illness. This is done through a medical examination either through a private doctor or the VA, and will give you a disability rating.
Those who served in the Gulf War and are applying for benefits due to environmental exposures must show evidence of service in a known contaminated area and an illness that is considered service-connected. These vets do not need to prove the connection between military service and the illness, as it is presumed to be connected.
The Law Offices of LaVan & Neidenberg is here to Help
LaVan & Neidenberg, PA in South Florida can help file a claim for disability, whether your illness is presumed to be connected to military service or not. Consult an attorney if you wish to file a claim for Gulf War illness or another disability. Contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: gulf war illness, gulf war veterans, service-connected illness
Posted in General | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 30th, 2012
Following the end of the Gulf War, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) began a long-term study on the progression of health and aging issues among the veterans of this era. Starting with a baseline survey in 1995, the project has grown over the years to include some 15,000 Gulf War veterans and 15,000 veterans active during the 1990-1991 years but stationed elsewhere.
A follow-up survey in 2005 and the latest survey that’s currently heading out to the participants cover a variety of health issues that are of concern for this population of veterans. Chronic and disabling conditions such as cancer, respiratory, neurological and immunological conditions are focused on alongside the general effects of aging. Women’s health is also a main factor studied in the surveys.
The VA is also asking Gulf War veterans in the study about their use of VA health services and their level of satisfaction with the care they receive. Many Gulf War veterans are developing serious disabling conditions such as multi-symptom illness, cancers, chronic fatigue syndrome and many other diseases that have been difficult to manage.
Studies like these seek to improve the care and services available to disabled veterans who seek veterans’ disability benefits through the VA. If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: Gulf War Syndrome, gulf war veterans
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Thursday, March 29th, 2012
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has released the second in a series of reports published annually by the Gulf War Veterans Illnesses Task Force (GWVIT). This report contains input from hundreds of Gulf War veterans and hopes to serve as a plan of action for enhancements for care and services provided to this specific population.
Gulf War veterans are from an era where many of the combat-related exposures are just now manifesting as disabling diseases and conditions. The term “Gulf War Syndrome” was coined from these seemingly unconnected ailments and has been a subject of extensive research for several years.
The GWVIT focuses their concerns on providing health care and services to Gulf War veterans who may now be experiencing service-connected disabling conditions and need good quality care. A new clinical care model is detailed in the report, as well as the need for creating better links to specialized care and treatment methods for illnesses developed from that war era.
It’s important for Gulf War veterans to keep a good record of their health after service, as many new illnesses have been connected to exposure to the combat conditions in these areas. Regular checkups from your VA clinic can help with early detection of some of the illnesses that may qualify you for veterans’ disability benefits.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: gulf war veterans, Veterans Health Care
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General, VA News, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Monday, January 16th, 2012
The window of opportunity was closing for certain Gulf War veterans to qualify for disability benefits, but a recent amendment to the U.S. federal code has extended an important deadline.
Many Gulf War veterans have been diagnosed with multiple, seemingly unrelated diseases sometimes referred to as “Gulf War Syndrome.” These conditions range from diabetes to chronic fatigue and can impair several body systems without an apparent underlying cause. It may also produce multiple disabling symptoms, which cannot be medically explained or connected to a single condition.
The legislation in question, Title 38 CFR 3.317, placed a December 31, 2011 deadline for Gulf War veterans to file and qualify for disability related to an undiagnosed or multi-symptom illness. As the deadline approached, disabled veterans’ advocacy groups and lawmakers lobbied to have the date pushed back.
Veterans of the Persian Gulf War now have until December 31, 2016 to obtain the medical evaluation necessary for their disability rating. With the proper rating, Gulf War veterans can apply for veterans’ disability benefits through the VA.
Unlike many other qualifying conditions for disability, Gulf War veterans who suffer from illnesses that cannot be medically explained or produce multiple unrelated symptoms may qualify for benefits without establishing a connection to their military service.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: Disabled Veterans, Gulf War Syndrome, gulf war veterans, Veterans disability, Veterans' Benefits
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Monday, December 19th, 2011
According to an article in The Navy Times, in an attempt to secure some solid answers about the general condition of the war area in the Middle East, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is going to study the “medical records and stored tissue samples” collected from 450 military dogs that were deployed to that region. This study is part of the continued effort of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses Task Force to identify sicknesses in U.S. veterans and troops.
Researchers will create a database of information and then use it to locate “trends in canine diseases.” They will then compare those results with human diseases and look for common elements that could be due to the local environment, such as toxic dust.
The canines will serve as the proverbial canaries in the coal mines, but in a more retroactive sense. Researchers hope to be able to use the information from the canines’ tissues to determine if there are any future health problems expected in veterans.
Modern day soldiers are being exposed to “a host of environmental health hazards,” which can and has included low levels of toxic chemicals, as was reported in an earlier VA report, just as Gulf War veterans were in the early 1990s.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: gulf war veterans, Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses Task Force, military dogs, U.S. veterans, Veterans disability, Veterans Health
Posted in General, Iraq-Afghanistan War, Veterans' Events | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 28th, 2011
Gulf War Syndrome is a particularly challenging disease for veterans, as it cannot be definitively diagnosed. Essentially, one must rely on a process of elimination of symptoms in order to reach a diagnosis. It’s been 20 years since the Persian Gulf War, and veterans with Gulf War Syndrome are still filing veterans disability claims for this complex disease.
According to the San Diego Union Tribune, a group of researchers in San Diego are working on developing a single definitive diagnostic tool for Gulf War Syndrome. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) currently diagnoses Gulf War Syndrome based on a series of presumptions depending on veterans’ symptoms. Doctors issue their final Gulf War Syndrome diagnosis by eliminating all other physical disorders.
Researchers attempting to develop a diagnosis are doing so by focusing on lung and nerve receptors tied to various respiratory problems that seem to be common in many Gulf War veterans. Although they demonstrate many of the tell-tale symptoms of respiratory illnesses and lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis or asthma, they do not test positive for the inflammatory lung diseases.
Being able to diagnose Gulf War Syndrome with a fair degree of accuracy will help all those involved as it is only then when effective treatments can be developed.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: Gulf War Syndrome, gulf war veterans, Persian Gulf, Respiratory Illnesses, Veterans disability
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Disability | 1 Comment »
Thursday, March 25th, 2010
The United States has been forced to redefine and rethink policies that have been in place for years. Indeed, unconventional warfare has forced the U.S. to adapt to new ways of waging war. There has been a long standing ban on women in combat and US military commanders are now rethinking those policies.
The current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have forced women into combat roles. Female soldiers are currently battling an enemy who does not discriminate by sex but has the sole goal of killing American troops. Because of their actions in combat, women have been rewarded with medals for valor and bravery.
One constant reality is in the theatre of war, commanders want the most qualified and capable people in their units. There is no reason combat units in war should be denied the most qualified soldiers because of an outdated and sexist policy against female soldiers.
Despite serious concerns from male superiors, military organization and regulation did not crumble when women began serving along with men. The positive performances from female soldiers in the 1990-1991 Gulf war paved the way for such groundbreaking events as:
- Women serving in combat aircraft;
- Women serving on naval warships; and
- The Navy lifting the ban against females serving on submarines.
To date, more than 120 women, out of the 220,000 that have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, have been killed in combat. If women are good enough to die among men they are good enough to serve among them. It is important the military’s new policies focus on the requirements for specific jobs because the current policies operate under the assumption it is not possible for a woman to meet the standards.
Learn more about women serving in combat roles and the military’s response to the demands of the current wars.
Tags: female combat soldiers, gulf war veterans, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, women veterans
Posted in Iraq-Afghanistan War | No Comments »
Friday, February 26th, 2010
Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric Shinseki has a bold new vision for the VA. For many years Gulf War veterans have complained about the “Gulf War illness” and that the government has done nothing to help them. There have been thousands of disability claims filed and denied.
But that was all before Eric Shinseki. Now, the VA is going to re-examine disability claims of potentially thousands of Gulf War veterans who claim they are disabled due to their service related Gulf War illness.
According to Shinseki, this change is not only going to affect how VA clinic staff currently work with Gulf War vets, but how the VA will care for future veterans with service-related illnesses. Shinseki also stated he plans on establishing a standard that prevents veterans from waiting for decades to have their service-related illnesses acknowledged and treated.
Gulf War illness has afflicted approximately 175,00 – 210,000 Gulf War veterans. While the source of the illness has been sternly disputed, some symptoms of the illness are:
- Rashes;
- Joint and muscle pain;
- Sleep issues; and
- Gastrointestinal problems.
A 1994 law allows veterans to collect payment from the VA for chronic disabilities the VA could not diagnose. Under this category, 3,400 Gulf War veterans have received benefits to date.
Approximately 300,000 Gulf War veterans submitted claims to the VA. About 14% of these claims were denied and of the claims that were granted, none of them were granted in full. The VA will review how the regulations were written and if there were issues preventing claims from being granted, the VA will give veterans an opportunity to have the VA reconsider denied claims.
Learn more about the VA re-opening Gulf War files.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: denied disability claims, Eric Shinseki, gulf war illness, gulf war veterans, Veterans disability
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
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