Question:
I am 81 years old. I served in the U.S. Navy from 1958 to 1969 and was medically retired at that time for Epilepsy. I was stationed in Saigon, Vietnam from 1964 to 1965. Now have following disabilities:
- 40% = prostate residues Agent Orange;
- 20% = Diabetes 2 Agent Orange; and
- 10% = epilepsy
I now have severe COPD, chronic hypoxic respiratory failure, etc. I cannot connect this as happening while I was in the Navy. Is there anyway I can file a disability claim for respiratory problems?
Jim's Reply:
Yes, you may file for a respiratory rating. Sailors, Navy vets and others who served on board ships or in repair facilities and even training stations were exposed to chemical agents like asbestos in ways most of us never dreamed of. The tight quarters and reconditioned air supply while confined to a sailing vessel of any sort raised the chances of exposure to noxious chemicals.
That you didn't suffer ill effects while you were active duty isn't at all unusual with these sorts of injuries. Cancers like mesothelioma can take decades to develop after exposure to asbestos and much the same is true of other HAZMAT exposures that you encountered as you fulfilled your duties.
Were I you, I'd first try to recall and then document the sorts of things you were exposed to...like asbestos, a #1 culprit in lung disease. Research ships logs and so on for as much as you can gather, then talk to your doctors about whether or not your current conditions may have been caused from exposures back in the day.
Once you've done your homework, file the claim. Good luck sir.