Lacking Medical Evidence
Never went to sick call while on active duty service? Unfortunately, this is an all too common theme among veterans. There is a culture that has been created in the active duty military that if you go to sick call for every single injury or illness, you are looked upon as weak, feeble, and a bad example to other service members. No one wants to be on a profile while your fellow service members are out in the field. No one wants to be categorized as non-deployable while your fellow service members are gearing up to deploy. Out of fear of harassment and retaliation, many service members avoid going to sick call resulting in injuries or illnesses occurring during active duty military service that never get documented.
Creating a Nexus
The number one reason why VA disability claims are denied is the lack of connection between a veteran's medical condition and his or her active duty military service. When injuries or illnesses that occurred while on active duty military service are not documented, there is no record of them. When a veteran applies for VA disability benefits after he or she has exited active duty, he or she is denied because the VA rater cannot determine that the injury or illness was either caused by or made worse by the veteran's active duty military service.
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According to the law, there are three elements that are necessary and therefore required to obtain a favorable decision from the VA.
#1 - The veteran must have a current diagnosis of an existing disease or medical condition.
#2 - An event in active duty service that could have caused or aggravated the disease or medical condition, also known as the "stressor".
#3 - A medical opinion linking or "connecting" number 1 and number 2.
Nexus Letters
A nexus letter creates that connection or "nexus" between your current medical condition and your active duty military service. A nexus letter is simply a medical professional's opinion that your current medical condition was either caused by or made worse by your active duty military service. These letters must contain specific key elements in order to be effective, such as:
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the medical professional's name and credentials ("Dr. Steven Jackson, Orthopedic Surgeon")
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use of medical records furnished by the veteran ("after reviewing the veteran's pertinent medical records")
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current diagnosis ("veteran currently suffers from sleep apnea)
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the degree of likelihood ("It is my professional opinion that it is "at least as likely as not" or "more than likely" or "highly likely" that...")
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medical professional's signature
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In the case of a nexus letter for a secondary claim, the rationale for the doctor's opinion must also be in the letter ("it is well known in medical journals").
Nexus Letters
Although these letters are not always needed, they are powerful and significantly increase your chances of receiving a favorable decision from the VA when needed. When you sign up for our services, you will be assigned a Veteran Coach who will explain in great detail when these letters are needed and their benefits.