Countless veterans have encountered unfavorable VA rating decisions because a VA medical examiner issued an opinion that the etiology (cause of the condition or disease) of a claimed disability was not service connected. This is particularly true for claims related to the Camp Lejeune water contamination or conditions related to Agent Orange exposure that are not entitled to the statutory presumptions under Title 38.
However, medical research and scientific studies providing support for a veteran’s claim are commonly published after the VA medical examiner issues their opinion. Providing the VA with a copy of recent medical literature or scientific studies is an excellent way for a veteran to be proactive in disputing an unfavorable rating decision. Google Scholar is a great free resource for researching medical research and scientific studies and can be accessed at http://scholar.google.com/. Many of the articles are available to the public without charge.
If you have questions or concerns regarding your pending VA disability compensation claim please do not hesitate to contact Fink Rosner Ershow-Levenberg at (732) 382-6070 or online at www.finkrosner.com.