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You twisted your ankle during a ruck march last month. It still hurts, but you didn’t go to sick call because you had a field exercise coming up. Your knee started bothering you after jumping out of aircraft for three years, but you figure it’s just part of the job. Your back hurts every morning, but you don’t want medical paperwork in your file before deployment.
Every day you don’t document these injuries, you make a future Department of Veterans Affairs disability claim harder to prove.
The Cost of Skipping Sick Call
A Marine veteran filed for VA disability for both knees after eight years of service. He jumped out of aircraft, carried heavy loads and trained on concrete most of his career. The VA denied his claim. No documentation in his service medical records showed knee problems during active duty. He never went to sick call.
He eventually won his claim after getting buddy statements and a medical opinion linking his current knee condition to his service. It took three years and cost him thousands in back pay he’d have received if he’d gone to sick call once.
The VA requires three things for service connection: a current diagnosed disability, evidence the injury occurred during service, and a link between the two. Service medical records make that proof straightforward. Without them, you’re fighting an uphill battle.
Read More: Tricare After Active Duty: What Actually Happens to Your Health Insurance
What Needs Documentation
Go to sick call even if the injury seems minor. That rolled ankle might develop into chronic instability. The headaches after that vehicle accident might indicate traumatic brain injury. The sleep problems since your last deployment might be early PTSD symptoms.
Document changes in existing conditions, too. If you had asthma before you joined and it got worse during service, get it documented. The VA can rate aggravated conditions separately.
Environmental exposures need documentation. Burn pit exposure, asbestos, contaminated water, hazardous materials. Write down locations, dates and what you were exposed to. Take photos if possible.
How to Document Properly
- Tell the provider everything at sick call. Don’t minimize symptoms to avoid getting pulled from duty. The corpsman writing the note isn’t deciding whether you deploy. They’re creating a permanent record that might determine your financial security for the rest of your life.
- Request copies of your medical records periodically. You may need to request them through your medical treatment facility or milConnect. Service medical records sometimes disappear or get misfiled. Catching problems while you’re still in uniform makes them easier to fix.
- Keep a personal health journal. Document dates, symptoms, treatments and how conditions affect daily activities. Note specific incidents: the date you fell during an obstacle course, the convoy where the IED went off, the training accident that injured your shoulder.
- Get buddy statements before you separate. The contact information for people you served with gets harder to find years later.
Read More: Military Families Finally Get More Money During Deployments
The Math
A 70% VA disability rating pays $1,716 per month. That’s $20,592 per year. Over 30 years after separation, that’s $617,760 in benefits. Missing documentation can cost you those benefits or reduce your rating significantly.
You can file an Intent to File with the VA up to 180 days before separation. This locks in your effective date. If you file six months after separation, you lose six months of back pay. For a 70% rating, that’s $10,296.
The Benefits Delivery at Discharge program lets you file your claim 180 to 90 days before separation so benefits can start immediately after you leave active duty.
The Bottom Line
Military service breaks down your body. Ignoring injuries during service doesn’t make them go away. It just makes them harder to prove later. Document everything. Accept short-term inconvenience to protect long-term benefits.
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22 Comments
The article mentions that changes in existing conditions, such as asthma, need to be documented, and that the VA can rate aggravated conditions separately, which is something that I wasn’t aware of before.
The Marine veteran’s story about getting his VA disability claim denied due to lack of documentation in his service medical records is a wake-up call for all active-duty service members to take sick call seriously, as it can make a huge difference in proving service connection for future claims.
It’s alarming that the Marine veteran had to spend three years and thousands of dollars to get his claim approved, which could have been avoided if he had gone to sick call and gotten his injuries documented properly.
This is a prime example of how not documenting injuries can lead to a long and costly process.
The article stresses the importance of telling the provider everything at sick call, without minimizing symptoms, as this can have a significant impact on the accuracy of the medical records and the outcome of future claims.
I’m skeptical about how effective the current system is in ensuring that service members receive the benefits they deserve, and whether there are any plans to improve the process and reduce the burden on veterans.
I’ve seen fellow service members downplay their symptoms to avoid getting pulled from duty, but as the article states, the corpsman writing the note isn’t deciding whether you deploy, they’re creating a permanent record that might determine your financial security for the rest of your life.
This is a great reminder to always be honest about our symptoms, as it can have a significant impact on our future claims.
The article highlights the importance of being thorough and detailed when documenting injuries and conditions, including noting specific incidents and exposures, which can help build a strong case for service connection.
This attention to detail can make all the difference in the outcome of a claim.
I’m concerned about the fact that service medical records can sometimes disappear or get misfiled, which is why requesting copies of medical records periodically is crucial to ensure that all injuries and conditions are properly documented.
It’s concerning that some service members may not be aware of the importance of documenting their injuries and conditions, and may be putting their future benefits at risk as a result.
The article highlights the importance of documenting environmental exposures, such as burn pit exposure or asbestos, which can have long-term health consequences, and it’s essential to write down locations, dates, and what you were exposed to, and even take photos if possible.
I’m curious about how the VA handles cases where service medical records are incomplete or missing, and what steps can be taken to reconstruct the records or provide alternative evidence.
Keeping a personal health journal is a good idea, as it can help document dates, symptoms, treatments, and how conditions affect daily activities, and can also be used to note specific incidents, such as the date of a training accident or the convoy where an IED went off.
The process of getting a VA disability claim approved can be lengthy and complex, which is why it’s essential to have a solid foundation of documentation and evidence to support the claim.
The example of the Marine veteran’s experience with the VA claims process is a reminder that it’s crucial to be proactive in documenting injuries and conditions, rather than relying on memory or assuming that the records will be complete and accurate.
It’s essential to understand that going to sick call is not a sign of weakness, but rather a responsible step in taking care of one’s health and ensuring that any potential issues are documented and addressed.
This mindset needs to change, and service members need to be encouraged to prioritize their health without fear of being seen as weak.
The fact that buddy statements can be used to support a claim is useful to know, and it’s essential to get them before separating from service, as it can be harder to get in touch with fellow service members later on.
It’s surprising that the VA requires three things for service connection: a current diagnosed disability, evidence the injury occurred during service, and a link between the two, and that service medical records can make this proof straightforward, which is why going to sick call is vital.
I’m supportive of the idea that service members should prioritize their health and take the necessary steps to document any potential issues, as it’s crucial for their well-being and financial security.