No LODs, am I SOL?

As an officer, I'm a product of the "push through it" mentality that lingered around from the 1990s- early 2000s when I entered, but is now lightened up (although looks like its coming back). I never had LODs completed on any of my injuries. But I did have PA/DOCS document either through visits, profile, etc...

Although, reviewing my records it looks like a few of army docs heard one thing, and ran with it as primary source of injury. I.e. if I were to hurt knee during PT, if he asked If I ever had issues before and I said yes during a sport while in college - it seemed like a few doctors wrote up the event like that was a prior injury.

As long as documented, am I good, or is it going to be a fight?

 

[theformerOX]

While this is not my exact AO, I can share with you some personal experience some of my soldiers have shared with me. It is always better to have your LOD's completed before you ETS, which I assume you have based on your post. However, I had a soldier of mine who ended up ETSing while he was in a unit which did not assist him with many of his issues. They would not let him speak with his LOD NCO, so his last surgery did not have an approved LOD. However, he was able to have this injury documented when he was dealing with the VA, because of the extensive paperwork that he had regarding it. His case was simple though as he tore his ACL during PT and had those exact doctor notes in his paperwork so the VA knew it was a LOD injury. I am not sure at all of what process you are in of your career or your retirement, but if you are in the retirement you have some time to be evaluated or re-evaluated by the VA. Off the top of my head I am not sure exactly what the time frame is, but I have had good experience with getting questions answered by the VA...that is once you get in contact with someone. Good luck and as long as the injury is not completely documented that you were drunk and decided to punch a car window and broke your hand, you should be able to have them update your records with the injury included. I don't know too many officers that punch car windows so I wish you the best. Good luck.

 

[gsfowler]

As an officer, I'm a product of the "push through it" mentality that lingered around from the 1990s- early 2000s when I entered, but is now lightened up (although looks like its coming back). I never had LODs completed on any of my injuries. But I did have PA/DOCS document either through visits, profile, etc...

Although, reviewing my records it looks like a few of army docs heard one thing, and ran with it as primary source of injury. I.e. if I were to hurt knee during PT, if he asked If I ever had issues before and I said yes during a sport while in college - it seemed like a few doctors wrote up the event like that was a prior injury.

As long as documented, am I good, or is it going to be a fight?

Judging by your Avatar, you are a Major, correct? You have also mentioned 1990s-2000s.

I'm going to assume yes, but have you been in the military for more than eight years?

If the answer is yes, then all of your conditions will be considered service connected or aggravated by service.