What is the Impact of Smoking on Veterans Disability Benefits ?
In the video, Leah discusses the implications of smoking among veterans and its potential impact on VA disability benefits. She highlights the high prevalence of smoking among veterans and active duty service members compared to civilians, often starting during military service or deployment. Leah emphasizes that for veterans to qualify for compensation for smoking-related health issues, they must demonstrate a connection between their condition and military service. She also outlines the resources available for quitting smoking and the significant health risks associated with tobacco use, encouraging veterans to seek help and use available support systems like the VA's smoking cessation resources.
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At Prestige Veteran Medical Consulting, a veteran-owned company, we specialize in Independent Medical Opinions (IMOs) known as Nexus letters.
The purpose of this channel is to empower YOU, the veteran, to take charge of your medical evidence and provide you with valuable educational tools and research to guide you on your journey.
Understanding the unique challenges veterans face our commitment lies in delivering exceptional service and support.
Leveraging an extensive network of licensed independent medical professionals, all well-versed in the medical professional aspects of the VA claims process, we review the necessary medical evidence to incorporate in our reports related to your VA Disability Claim.
Prestige Veteran Medical Consulting is not a law firm, accredited claims agent, or affiliated with the Veterans Administration or Veterans Services Organizations. However, we are happy to discuss your case with your accredited VA legal professional.
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This video is not medical or legal advice and should not be substituted for advisement from your VSO, accredited agent, or Attorney.
#vadisability #va #veteransbenefits
Пікірлер: 46
Hi Leah I was attached to the 82nd…’89-91! Just a little PSYOPS for all… Recall this phrase! Especially for those Veterans who served through the late eighties & trying to link smoking & tobacco chew to current disabilities. “SMOKE EM IF YOU GOT EM!” How many times did soldiers hear those words during Boot & AIT?
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
Tons of times I agree. Thank you for watching
@user-ll4ov1jy8z
2 ай бұрын
2/504 Strike Hold Airborne All The Way Great cast thanks Airborne
@user-ll4ov1jy8z
2 ай бұрын
2/504 Strike Hold Airborne All The Way!! Thanks for your time!!!
I quit smoking when I quit drinking, the two coincided for me. I don’t think I could have quit one without the other. Drinking had to come first though.
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
I am sorry to hear this. Best of luck to you
Thanks for sharing this
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
Thank you for watching!!
I didn’t smoke when I enlisted in 1968 at 18. On a march out to the firing range we got a break and the old “smoke em if you got em”. Soon one of the DIs came up to me and said “bum me a cigarette Simpson “. I replied I don’t smoke Sargent “. Then he said “Well since you’re not doing anything start policing this area. “ Needless to say I started carrying a pack of cigarettes and soon started smoking them myself.
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
I am sorry to hear this sir. Thank you for watching
Didn’t smoke before I went in at 17, Drill sergeant constantly says, smoke if you got’em. Ait in formation says same thing, regular duty same thing. Being exposed and peer pressure yep started smoking. Up until 1989 you could claim smoking as a disability. I was in before then out after. But can’t claim it because they stopped granting disability for it and NO they don’t tell you when your in that you can claim disability for something while on active duty. That’s wrong!
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
I am sorry to hear this sir. Thank you for watching
2/504 Strike Hold Airborne All The Way. Thanks for caring for us !!!
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
😀Thank you for watching H-minus
I had stopped smoking for 18 years and it made me a very mean person and my body was in way more pain than before i quit so i decided to start back up smoking and ill be damned if that didn't make some of the pain go away and it made me a better person to be around. Im just different than others my family always said they found me after a meteor landed in the woods behind the land
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
I am sorry to hear this sir. Thank you for watching
I hope my suggestion will get to the secretary, Mr. McDonough. It would be nice if veterans could go to a; Patience First, Urgent Care, Community Care or a Doctor that he/ she chooses. It seems like the deck is stacked against veterans walking through the door. I think this way would save time and money. The Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) could run though a database and tell the rater within minutes whether a veteran claims are denied or granted and it would be coming from a neutral party. Optum Serve/LHI gets paid from the VA and then they subcontract to a Nurse Practitioner, who then gets paid. I have one more thing to add, how much is a C&P exam? I’m curious as to how much money is being spent weekly, monthly and yearly, because someone is getting rich off C&P exams whether it’s Optum Serve/LHI or Nurse Practitioner or both. Sincerely yours,
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
Those are some great comments and questions. Thank you for watching sir
@waltermcnameejr6626
2 ай бұрын
Don't forget VES and QTC also
Great Topic! I remember when smokers would smoke in dod buildings and I had to take it! 2nd hand smoke has chemicals known to cause cancer. Here's an article "Secondhand smoke: A danger in the air". Also, remember when cigarettes were in c-rations yes they were. Cigarettes were/are much more affordable at the PX/BX.
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
That is crazy! I hope you enjoy the video!
@TK-76054
2 ай бұрын
To get kids to quit smoking, the military now requires the bx/px/commissary to charge off base prices for tobacco. When I was at Incirlik Air base (Turkey) in 1990, cartons of Marlboro were $5 but always had a $5 coupon attached - so free. I believe up to the late 80's smoking was a 10% VA disability.
Leah great video. Leah any chance you can do a video on alcohol? When I was stationed in Germany back in the 80's, and I signed into my duty station. I was given a ration card before I was assigned a room. Ration Cards were issued so a vet could buy cigarettes and liquor at government prices. Its a proven fact that alcohol causes depression and other mental health conditions. Other health conditions liver disease, diabetes and so. As a recovering alcoholic, I would of been better off never picking up a drink. I never knew that back then. I never heard of an alcoholic or even knew what one was. I can only wonder how many vets struggled from alcohol? I cant imagine all the vets who we're put out of the service because of misconduct while under the influence. Cant believe our government would do that not know how everyone has a different reaction to it. Plz help if you can Leah, your so informative in your videos
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
I am sorry to hear this. Thank you for your support and I will add this to the list
@tomsmind11
2 ай бұрын
Much love and success Leah!
I never smoked or drank coffee until i joined in 1972, in fact they put cigarettes in our c-rations so I started smoking them can this be used as evidence for smoking related issues which I now have.
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
I am sorry to hear this sir thank you for watching
@lg7728
2 ай бұрын
I read in a Board of Veterans Appeals citation that the VA stopped granting smoking as a secondary condition in 1998.
@tinkeroonie
Ай бұрын
You can't claim smoking as a s-c disability, however you can use it as an intermediate step. Example: If you have s-c PTSD, and to ease the symptoms of your PTSD you smoke AFTER you were in service, and that smoking caused asthma or COPD, that works. I wish someone would do an in-depth video on filling out the 526EZ when there are secondary disabilities and things that are intermediate steps. It's hard to figure out the correct wording.
@slapout9
Ай бұрын
@@tinkeroonie thanks
You just re-lit the candle of memory 🤣fire 1 up and dbl time down the street!! Wow!! I never smoked until 3 week of basic @ Ft Bliss in 86...DI said smoke em if ya got em, I ddnt have em cuz never smoked. Athlete type in HS. Boy oh boy ...1st cig I ever had Kool super long...I thought I was high as hell but with a minty taste lol..And it will always be Bragg!!😉
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
Thank you for sharing those memories sir and thank you for watching!!
one question asked when i started VA health and they saw i lost a lung was when did you stopped smoking. I said 35 years ago, but they never asked how much you smoked until then, not once. just like medication the amount one smokes is dosage of nicotine and the other chemicals, dosage along the lines of dosage amount of a medication. my attorney linked asbestos and lead paint, landfill and known contaminated water to win claim. I actually only smoked a couple of packs a month and mostly took a puff or 2 and put it out. I did not smoke for 3 years at ERAU while getting my comm pilot license and BA so not to crave a smoke on a cross-country flight. there was no smoking in school planes. I had buddy letters from high school and college backing up my claim of being a light intermittent smoker. VBA would like to link all lung cancer to smoking if they could. madness
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
I am sorry to hear this sir. Thank you for watching
Yeah VA tried helping me quit, with hypnosis, They have you talk to a coach for weeks on end to get you to stop smoking because you can’t have the hypnosis until you’ve stopped smoking, how does that make any sense other than VA sense?
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
That sounds crazy I agree. I am sorry to hear this sir
The VA offers help for quiting smoking....start a "paper trail" there to help you win your claims 😊
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
Thank you for your insight and thank you for watching my friend
Cigarette breaks were allowed with no problems but non smokers were told that they didn't get breaks but smoke breaks were allowed.. only the elite few were not smokers before long.. haha
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
I remember this for sure! Thank you for watching
Once upon a time ...... the dod allowed smoking inside dod buildings ..... smoking in start up meetings....smoking eveywhere on base and second hand and third hand smoke has its problems. google second hand smoke military
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
That is crazy!
@DavidWDavis-xo4tj
2 ай бұрын
Yes, I remember all that! I truly believe that when I went into basic if they did not allow smoking I would have had a better chance coming out as a non-smoker, I caught the tail end of the sea rations that had packs of four cigarettes in it... my question is do you think I could win a claim against the military for causing my addiction or aggravating it? something to think about!!!!
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
@@DavidWDavis-xo4tj It is crazy!
US Navy sold me my first cigarette ( no warning) no not there fault they told me bull
@prestigeveteranmedical
2 ай бұрын
I am sorry to hear this sir thank you for watching