For over three decades, from 1953 to 1987, the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina was the epicenter of a silent health crisis. The water that service members, their families, and civilian staff relied on was laced with dangerous chemicals associated with multiple diseases, including Parkinson’s.
The VA recognized the toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune and determined that Parkinson’s disease is presumptively caused by the contaminated water. In this article we will look at how you can ensure that you are rated correctly and are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to.
An Overview of Parkinson’s
Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease may vary from person to person, so not all Camp Lejeune veterans will experience them. The early warning signs of Parkinson’s are usually mild and may even go unnoticed. Symptoms may include the following:
- Tremor: This usually begins in a limb, often in the hand or fingers. One common characteristic of Parkinson’s is experiencing a tremor in the hand when it is relaxed/at rest.
- Slowed Movement (bradykinesia): This occurs over time. Parkinson’s can reduce your ability to move, making even simple tasks difficult and time consuming. Examples of slowed movement include steps becoming shorter when you walk, finding it difficult to get out of a chair, dragging of the feet when walking.
- Rigid Muscles: Stiffness in your muscles can occur in any part of the body. This can limit your range of motion and cause pain.
- Loss of Automatic Movements: This would include experiencing a decreased ability to blink, smile, or swinging of the arms when walking.
- Impaired Posture and Balance: Posture becomes stooped, or you find it harder to balance.
- Speech Changes: This includes speaking softly, quickly, slurring words, or hesitating before speaking. Speech can also become more monotone rather than usual changes in tone.
- Writing Changes: Difficulty writing, and writing may appear small.
Additional Health Issues Associated with Parkinson’s
- Thinking Difficulties: For example, dementia or other cognitive problems. This usually occurs in the later stages of Parkinson’s disease.
- Depression and Emotional Changes: Some examples of emotional changes that occur with Parkinson’s may include depression, fear, anxiety, or loss of motivation.
- Swallowing Problems: These may develop as the Parkinson’s progresses. Examples of problems include excess saliva in the mouth because of slowed swallowing.
- Sleep Problems: These include waking up frequently throughout the night, waking up early, or falling asleep during the day.
- Bladder Problems: For example, inability to control urine or difficulty urinating
- Constipation: This is caused by a slower digestive tract.
- Blood Pressure Changes: Sudden drop of blood pressure when standing
- Sense of Smell Problems: Difficulty identifying certain odors.
- Fatigue: The specific cause of fatigue in those with Parkinson’s isn’t always known.
- Sexual Problems: Some people notice a decrease in sexual desire or performance.
New Findings on Parkinson’s Disease in Camp Lejeune Veterans
In a 2023 study, researchers examined medical records of 84,824 veterans stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, in the 1980s, when drinking water at the base contained TCE, PCE, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). When compared to veterans from Camp Pendleton, California, the results were striking. Camp Lejeune veterans showed a 70% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
The research also revealed that Camp Lejeune veterans without Parkinson’s diagnoses showed significantly higher rates of conditions that may signal early Parkinson’s disease, including anxiety, tremor, and erectile dysfunction.
The results of the study suggest that exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE) and other VOCs may be a contributing factor to the surge in Parkinson’s disease cases worldwide. Camp Lejeune veterans, as well as those stationed at other bases with TCE contamination, should be attuned to Parkinson’s symptoms and seek medical evaluations to ascertain their condition.
Who Is Eligible for the VA Presumption?
You may be eligible for disability compensation payments on a presumptive basis if you meet all the following requirements.
- You have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease
- You served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River, North Carolina, for at least 30 days total between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, and
- You didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge when you separated from the military
These requirements apply to Veterans, Reservists, and National Guard members.
Getting the Correct Rating
The VA frequently messes up ratings for Parkinson’s disease. However, by following three simple steps, you can make sure you are receiving the correct rating. To begin, the three steps are:
- Look to diagnostic code 8004 for the minimum Parkinson’s disease rating.
- Evaluate the symptoms you experience due to Parkinson’s and whether there are ratings available for those symptoms.
- Combine the ratings of each symptom along with the minimum rating found in step #1.
Let’s look at each step in a little more detail. Parkinson’s is rated under the diagnostic code 8004, Paralysis agitans. This diagnostic code assigns a 30% rating if the veteran has ascertainable residuals. Before getting into the rating, it is important to understand what ascertainable residuals are. Ascertainable residuals are symptoms that can be seen, or that a non-medical expert can observe.
Examples of ascertainable residuals include things such as your gait, tremors, speech, loss of smell, dementia, etc. If you have symptoms such as these (but not limited to these examples) then you should at least have a 30% rating for Parkinson’s. If the VA assigned anything less than 30% you know they made an error right away.
The next step of the rating process involves rating each of the ascertainable residuals separately. This is where the VA often makes mistakes. Instead of considering the residuals, the VA stops at the 30% rating without looking at the symptoms a veteran is suffering from. The 30% rating should be the starting point for the VA when rating Parkinson’s rather than the ending point.
A good place to look for a general overview of things the VA looks at when evaluating Parkinson’s would be the Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ form). The form lists the symptoms mentioned above along with the secondary problems associated with Parkinson’s. Here are some of the diagnostic codes to look to when evaluating the symptoms and secondary problems:
-
Tremors, rigidity, stooped posture, and slowed movement can affect the upper and/or lower extremities.
- For upper extremities look to diagnostic codes 8513-8515
- For lower extremities look to diagnostic code 8520.
- Difficulty swallowing: diagnostic code 7203
- Speech Problems: diagnostic code 8210
- Facial Muscle Paralysis: diagnostic code 8207
- Cognitive Problems: diagnostic code 9310 or 9326
- Bladder Problems: diagnostic code 7542
- Bowel Problems: diagnostic code 7332
Remember, each symptom and/or residual needs to be rated individually on top of the 30% minimum rating. Also, as Parkinson’s progresses keep in mind that you may need to file a claim for an increased rating. You may also need to file claims for any new symptoms/residuals that you develop as the disease progresses.
If the VA underrated you, an experienced VA-accredited attorney can help you appeal the decision and get the rating you deserve (with back pay), as well as any Special Monthly Compensation you could be entitled to. Get a free case evaluation here.
