Another win for veteran with PLS!

[TxRR]

I am happy to report that my claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs for PLS as ALS has been granted. This comes after a 6 year battle and a final decision from the Board of Veterans Affairs. I advise all veterans in my situation to keep fighting. The VA is slowly coming around and recognizing the similarities between these two multi system disorders.

 

[AfraidButNotAlone]

Yay!

 

[Mike in Maine]

Congratulations and thank you for fighting the good fight

Mike

 

[TxRR]

Thank you and if any veterans out there need any help or have any questions, I will be glad to help in any way I can.

 

[machaffi]

Just a heads up my Dr says Pls is covered just the same as ALs there Are documents out there from boards in Saint Petersburg and Cleveland where decisions to deny have been overridden. the precedent is well established. I would need to re search for them but the DVA should not have had a problem getting them. so glad you got this done it is a
big help

 

[TxRR]

Those boards decisions definitely helped pave the way. It's still very important to present a good argument citing medical opinions, research articles, studies etc. If you notice in some of those board decisions they never directly reference a past decision. I think it's because each case still has to win on it's own merits in addition to past cases. Until they pass a law that PLS is recognized as ALS, I wouldn't take any chances. Just my two cents.

 

[IhavePLS]

TxRR, congratulations!

 

[FSHolbrook]

That is great news. It is really great that the VA is on top of this disease. I just listened to a webinar and the VA was praised for it role with this disease.

Rick

 

[MaxEidswick]

>I am happy to report that my claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs for PLS as ALS has been granted. This comes after a 6 year battle and a final decision from the Board of Veterans Affairs.

congrats! tenacity pays off. I am continually impressed with our VA, albeit often tedious with the paperwork and appoint timing ...

 

[TxRR]

Thank you.

 

[terpaul]

TxRR,

Congratulations on your appeal.

I am a Vietnam veteran. I was with the 173d Airborne infantry in 1970-1971. I was wounded in June 1971. I also contracted Vivax Malaria that same month while in the hospital in Qui Nonh. The wounds were from claymore mine. The Malaria almost finished me off. It really cooked my brain with temperatures of 106. We were sent out on 20 day missions and we drank from the streams which were interlaced with Agent Orange from the monsoon rain runoff. We also slept in the mud during the monsoon rains. I don't know whether or not this contributed to my diagnosis or not.

I currently am diagnosed with ALS. I am in a wheelchair but can still transfer to my bed. I can no longer speak.

I would like to advocate for veterans with PLS. I would like to see PLS added to the presumptive list. Any thoughts on who to contact? I don't think that there would be a problem with getting Neurologists to say that PLS is a rare form of ALS.

Would you mind sharing you BOV decision with me. You can black out any private information.

I would like to do something positive for veterans.

Thanks.
Terry Paul
[email protected]

 

[MaxEidswick]

Hi, Terry --

>I would like to do something positive for veterans.

some of us are going to MDA/ALS Advocacy Day in DC in early May ...

>I am a Vietnam veteran. I was with the 173d Airborne infantry in 1970-1971

USN 1970-1974, 3 tours, last in '73, mainly nest in Da Nang

Welcome to the forums!

Max

 

[Clearwater AL]

Hey Max,

My unit (1st Field Forces) worked with the 173rd around DakTo early 1968.
Served from Jan 68 to April 69 all around the Central Highlands, Tri Border.

Welcome Home Brother.

 

[MaxEidswick]

>Welcome Home Brother

Tet was bad, i was there way at the end. In '70 a $20 was worth 80 MPC

 

[Clearwater AL]

On second thought I better edit my original post down to this... A U.S. $20 dollar bill was worth $80 in MPC back in ’68 too! Days gone by.