The physician’s credentials, particularly ones that make them a trustworthy source for the following opinion (i.e.Regardless of the type of claim, a Nexus Letter must contain four vital elements: Under such circumstances, the only way to win a claim is to have very strong Nexus Letters. In the majority of these cases, there isn’t enough medical research to always support a claim. A Nexus Letter from the physician stating their opinion that the exposure caused the diagnosis in this particular case.
Any medical research they can find showing that similar exposure causes the same diagnosis.Evidence of the amount, length, and type of exposure that they experienced in the military.In these complex cases, the veteran needs to submit all of the following: The veteran’s exposure is not on the Presumptive List, so it is their job to provide evidence that similar types of exposure to the same chemical is known to cause that particular type of cancer. Fifteen years after separation, the veteran develops cancer. During this time, the veteran was exposed to _amounts of _ chemical for _ years/months. If not, it is the veterans job to prove the connection, and a Nexus Letter will greatly strengthen your case.įor example, let’s say a veteran worked in a laboratory while in the military. If a condition is on the Presumptive List (exposure to radiation, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune water, etc.) or the Noise Exposure Listing (for hearing loss and tinnitus), it is automatically considered service-connected. Nexus Letters can be used similarly for conditions that develop more than a year after separation but were caused by exposure to chemicals, noise, medical treatments, or other circumstances in the military. It’s important to be able to show that the military service was the main cause of the disorder, and a clear nexus detailing the circumstances that triggered the symptoms will be crucial if minimal records exist of the condition during service. In cases of mental disorders, like PTSD, a Nexus Letter can help connect the disorder to an event or circumstance related to military service that caused the disorder. In order to “prove” this, however, the veteran needs their physician to write a Nexus Letter detailing this connection. Because there is plentiful medical studies to show that injuries in a limb can cause wear and tear on the joints in that limb, it is medically logical that the arthritis was caused by the broken bone. Ten years later, the veteran is diagnosed with degenerative arthritis in the left knee. They separated from the military and the broken bone was determined service-connected and rated 10% by the VA. A Nexus Letter is a strong form of proof that can bridge gaps in a condition’s link to military service.įor secondary conditions (conditions caused by other conditions), a Nexus Letter must clearly detail how the current condition was caused by the original.įor example, let’s say while in service a veteran broke a bone in their left leg that never healed properly. It is the veteran’s responsibility to provide that proof. The VA is required by law to have clear and definite proof that a condition was caused by military service and no other cause before they can provide disability benefits. Return to TopĪll secondary conditions or conditions caused by military exposure/circumstances not included on the Presumptive List benefit from a Nexus Letter supporting the claim. Conditions are automatically considered service-connected if 1.) there is ample evidence that it occurred during the veteran’s service or 2.) it is on the VA Presumptive List and the veteran meets the qualifications for the list. Nexus Letters are essential for any condition on a VA Disability Claim that is not automatically considered service-connected.
Nexus Letters are letters from a veteran’s current physician(s) stating their medical opinion regarding the service-connection of a veteran’s condition(s). Thus the purpose of a Nexus Letter is to clearly connect a veteran’s current medical condition to another service-connected condition or to circumstances directly related to military service.
A “nexus” is a link or connection between two or more things.
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