VietNam Vet seeking Info on Espohageal Cancer and Agent Orange Relationship

Hi There,

I am a VN Vet seeking supporting info on Agent Orange. I understand the VA has approved several cases of Esoph Cancer related to Agent Orange but 95% are turned down. Any direct reference is greatly appreciated.

Raymond,

      First, " Welcome Home ".

      Secondly, send me a private message so we can exchange phone numbers and e-mails. I have allot of questions to ask you as to what you have done so far about putting in a claim. The information is allot to give and would take pages on this board.

      Semper Fidelis, Pop-Pop

My husband has been diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer, which has metascized to the lungs, liver and kidney.  Quite a coincidence, he was just at the VA yesterday to meet with them to apply for disability.  He is a VietNam vet also.  He was disabled while in the service and did not take his disability at discharge.  He has applied for disability now and AO is one of the factors.  I am interested to hear if anyone else has been approved or totally denied.  I will keep in touch with you and let you know the outcome, which could be as long as 6 months.  Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with cancer? 

I am also a Vietnam Vet disabled and AO connected with Peripheral Neuropathy and applied for EC and was denied in 2007 and the DAV forgot to appeal until late 2008. I submitted new and material evidence with the VVA reps. and I await the appeal. I am presently rated at 100% and need 22 months to have ten years for the wife to be able to receive DIC, in the event of my death. I wish you luck on your claim but they will drag their feet on anything to do with EC connected to AO.  Phil A.

I am the widow of a Vietnam veteran who died from EC in 2006, at the age of 57.  He filed a claim for his cancer but was denied.  After his death I continued his pending claim, was denied, then appealed, and won my appeal for DIC and accrued.  The BVA stated that my husband had enough evidence in his file at death to have won at the regional level and the evidence he had were doctor's letters stating that his cancer was more likely than not caused from his exposure to agent orange.  I can only tell you that without doctor's letters (and the more the better)you will not have a chance as the only thing the VA has against your claim is their VA doctor opinion.  The one piece of evidence my husband did submit was the Zumwalt report.  You can access this via the internet.  It's a very large report and you do not need to submit the entire report to the VA.  Just copy the first several pages where Admiral Zumwalt states that dioxin causes gastric/esophageal cancers.  You could also take this report to your doctors and they can use it to base their opinion or rational on. 

There is much info regarding filing a claim for agent orange on the Military.com web-site. 

Susan

On Jun 30, 2010 8:17 PM Phil_A wrote:

I am also a Vietnam Vet disabled and AO connected with Peripheral Neuropathy and applied for EC and was denied in 2007 and the DAV forgot to appeal until late 2008. I submitted new and material evidence with the VVA reps. and I await the appeal. I am presently rated at 100% and need 22 months to have ten years for the wife to be able to receive DIC, in the event of my death. I wish you luck on your claim but they will drag their feet on anything to do with EC connected to AO.  Phil A.

Phil,

DO NOT EXPECT YOUR REP TO HAVE YOUR BEST INTEREST AT HEART.  MY HUSBAND'S REP AND MY REP WERE WORTHLESS. You must educate yourself to the claim/appeal process and submit your own paperwork in a timely manner.  By forgetting to appeal cost you a minimum of 12 months of compensation should you win your claim.  YOU make sure all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed.  It is up to you to see to it that everything is done and done correctly.  Good luck!

Susan 4951, Thank You for the info that you posted. I have forwared all letters from Doctors and have cited Zumwalts findings. I had received a letter in April 2010 that they are working on my case again with the new evidence and a BVA case decision that I included. I feel that just maybe it will go because of my recent case of Peripheral Neuropathy granted without Diabetes of any kind. The AO exposure is there and being 100% already will not cause the system any additional money. I pray that I make another twenty months so the wife will receive the DIC. I was happy to read you received what your late husband was entitled too. We have e-mailed each other before and I know we have a mutual friend, Charles Kelly. Please take care and I will post when I hear something. Take Care and GOD Bless.  Phil A.

Hi, my husband was diagnosed with signet ring cell adenocarcinoma of the esophagus in October 2013. Based on my research it looks like we may have a very valid claim for AO causal as he did not have any of the 3 risk factors associated with this cancer (GERDs, Barrett's and obesity).

I saw your post and am hoping you can provide me some guidance as I am one, brain dead and exhausted from taking care of him for more than a year and two, confused about the best way to handle a claim.

Thank you Pop-Pop (love the name by the way:)

Hello I am not sure if anyone is able to help me. I am seeking information about esohageal cancer thats been connected to agent orange.  My father was diagnosed in 2010 and then passed away in 2011 since the cancer had spread to other organs. He started his claim so he could become service connected for his cancer and unfortunately passed away before and my mother has been trying to fight the case since then. If anyone has any information I would greatly appriciate it. Thank you.

I  AM A VIETNAMVET AND I  TURNED A CLAIM IN AND IT TOOK A LONG TIME  they  came up with that it was not associated with it ,,i  had a dr, statement which says it  definitly does ,,had a whole bunch of papers on it and still lost out ,,i am contemplating on turning it into washington now ,,any  thoughts on this ,i would appreciate ..thank  u  ...need  help  now .....///contact me ,,