Question:

I'm a Combat Veteran of the Vietnam war with Cancer. I filed an Agent Orange claim with the Veterans Administration. My claim was denied because my Cancer wasn't one that the VA presumes to be caused by Agent Orange. I appealed and after 4 yrs I'm certified for a hearing. Any advice?

Jim's Reply:

My best advice is that you should have long ago retained a veterans law attorney to guide you through this appeal. Going to the BVA without a lawyer is like going to a gunfight armed with a spork. VA has hundreds of really smart lawyers who will stand against you, you need a smarter one. In any case, if your cancer isn't presumptive, how do you plan to prove service connection? If you return to court and argue just what you already presented, you'll probably be denied. To prove that a non-presumptive cancer was caused by agent orange, you need a host of evidence to include (most importantly) an IMO. Click  here and here for more information.