Did you wait till you were out to get your disability rating? If so, how long before you made your first claim?

I had to wait until I was out to file a disability claim. The Agent Orange claims weren't available for years after I got out in 1971. I waited about 20 years until I found out about the claims for Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam. I am curently getting good VA care for those disibilities incured while as an Army grunt in Vietnam in 1970.

I waited 8 years as I had no idea my health would decline so much.
What I should have done is looked through my medical records and been prepared when I went in for the post physical at discharge.
With that being said you have 1 year from the time you exit the service to file your claim and have the backpay retro back to when you left service, if you do not do it within that year then it will be when you started your claim.
Also if you wait and something happens to you then your family will have no chance at DIC benefits.

My ETS was in 1986 and in 1988 I attempted my first claim. The biggest problem was they disregarded the fact that I was treated for the injury to my left knee while I was active, I was also treated for a stomach issue that never was documented in my medical record, and my sleep apnea was not documented. I can no longer eat Beef and I had to go outside of the VA for treatment for that and he sleep apnea. I have had both of my knees replaced as a result of them not fixing my left knee many years ago. The saddest part is that my rating for my knees is only 30% for each!

My ETS was in 1986 and in 1988 I attempted my first claim. The biggest problem was they disregarded the fact that I was treated for the injury to my left knee while I was active, I was also treated for a stomach issue that never was documented in my medical record, and my sleep apnea was not documented. I can no longer eat Beef and I had to go outside of the VA for treatment for that and he sleep apnea. I have had both of my knees replaced as a result of them not fixing my left knee many years ago. The saddest part is that my rating for my knees is only 30% for each!

I waited about 4 yrs before I filed. And about a year going through the process before I got paid. But my experience went pretty well. I was a first time go and got 90%. It was a great day! They will back pay you a year.

I filed 47 years after discharge. Got out 1970 filed 2017. Filed for knees and tinnitus got disability for 1 knee only was told other not Service related. Still on going.

I finally put in a claim in 2017, I was discharged in 1970. I received a small disability for one knee and was told I had a disability in the other knee and a hearing loss with tinnitus also a disability but not Service related. So I get 10% so I put in my first claim 47 years late. If not for a Marine buddy and a Navy buddy I would not have put in any claim. By the way I was Army.

The VA in 1994 sent me a letter, saying I missed my physical in a state I did not live in, that after review I would recieve 10% rating but no money, untill my SRB Bonus was paid back. Crazy system. My Bonus had nothing to do with my discharge. Criminal....

When I got out in 1977, I went to the VA hospital in Ann Arbor, MI. They gave me a cursory exam and said "there's nothing wrong with you", and sent me away. About 10 years later, a friend advised me to try again. This time at the Battle Creek Medical Center. I was then rated at 40%. About a year ago, things were getting worse so I tried again - the VA raised my rating to 70%. I am a 30+ year member of the DAV. It pays to just keep trying.

I got out of active duity in 1968 and reserve 1972. I was having some trouble with my knees due to a jeep rollover. In 1974 I went to a VA droctor. He helped me with the fing process. Came back claim denied. In 2002 I was laid off. I applied for medical coverage. I was granted cat 6. In 2007 started working for FEDEX. Thank the lord I had insurance for family. In 2011 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I did not want surgery because of time off work. The Doctor suggested radiation treatment. I had 37 treatments over 1.5 month period. No more cancer. In 2013 I have a bad migraine after two day's off a fellow Vet asked me what happened to me, I told him. He suggested I file a claim with the VA. I did some research found that I could file a claim for prostate cancer as it was related to agents orange. I filed a claim. The VA sent me to a non government doctor for the exam. I was granted 30% disability. In 2015 the VA requested I get a full blood work along with a complete physical. They set up an appointment. This time I was sent to see a VA doctor. He was very professional. He told me that the blood work showed that my prostate cancer was back. He said while the VA was reviewing my paper work I would be rated 100%. In June of 2015 I retired from FEDEX. In 2016 VA classifieds my case as 100 % total disabled and unemploy due to angent orange and the radiation treatment I received. Today I spend my time reading and driving my wife around.