Jim,
I was reading your article about using a direct claim for IHD and agent orange. I'm a 65 year old Viet Nam veteran who is just discovering that I possibly have IHD and carotid disease. I will soon be having more tests at a VA hospital.
My question is: How does one find a qualified physician to write a nexus letter? I live in rural, western Illinois. I can ask the local VSO if he knows of anyone. But otherwise, I wouldn't have a clue.
Reply:
You won't need a nexus letter. Your claim will be one of the presumptive ones and things should fall into place automatically.
File the claim for IHD. Give VA all records that make the diagnosis. You have to have a diagnosis, not just think you have IHD. Then you wait. You'll get a C & P exam and so on. All this will take 1 to 2 years.
You don't need a VSO for this. You can easily do it yourself.
http://www.vawatchdog.org/how-to-file-a-claim.html