Nexus Letters & DBQ

Dr. Syed Nawas Ahmed, DPM

Dr. Syed Nawas Ahmed is a board-certified podiatrist serving patients in Los Angeles and Riverside, California. He specializes in lower extremity conditions, providing treatment for various foot and ankle issues, such as neuropathy, flat feet, Charcot foot, cavus foot, plantar fasciitis, and traumatic injuries. Clinically, Dr. Ahmed is interested in wound treatment, limb salvage, reconstructive foot surgery, and minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for foot conditions. His expertise covers diagnosing and treating numerous foot conditions, recognizing the essential role feet play in overall health by offering stability, shock absorption, and facilitating movement. Dr. Ahmed often focus on areas such as surgery, wound care, sports medicine, diabetic foot management, and pediatric podiatry.

Dr. Syed Awais Ahmed, MD

Dr. Syed Awais Ahmed is a resident physician in internal medicine at Temecula Valley Hospital in California. His patient base is diversified, and he treats a broad spectrum of medical conditions. His main areas of concern are obesity and heart disease prevention. He has contributed to the field by publishing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Cardiology on adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy in heart failure patients. Dr. Ahmed is also involved in medical writing, clinical research, and providing independent medical opinions for veterans. His professional interests include disease prevention and patient education. In addition to his residency, Dr. Ahmed holds a Doctor of Medicine (MD), is certified in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Basic Life Support (BLS).

Dr. Angela Venda

Dr. Venda graduated with her Psy.D. from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She is an Army Veteran and has extensive experience treating a culturally diverse population who experience symptoms from combat Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Military Sexual Assault, and childhood trauma. Dr. Venda specializes in trauma recovery and has been trained in a wide range of therapeutic orientations to include Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She uses a client-centered approach while conducting both therapy and interviewing for mental health nexus letters to create a safe space for our Veteran population.

Dr. Christine A Erickson AuD CCC-A

Dr. Christine Erickson is a board-certified forensic audiologist. Dr. Erickson has been taking care of patients for more than 25 years and has worked in a variety of healthcare settings, such as private practice, educational audiology, VA hospitals, nursing homes, rural audiology arenas, and ENT clinics. Hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, meniere’s disease, and all conditions that are secondary to these are what she specializes in, like tinnitus after a traumatic brain injury. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has granted her a Certificate of Clinical Competence Accreditation (CCC-A), and she is licensed in several states. Her other areas of expertise include Worker’s Compensation, SSA/SSI, Nexus Letters, Independent Medical Opinions, DBQs, and tests for Compensation and Pension. For Dr. Erickson, caring for veterans’ health care, veterans’ rights, Compensation and Pension tests, Nexus Letters, SSI/SSA cases, and workers’ compensation cases is very important.

Nathalee Truong, MSN, NP-BC, CCRN

Nathalee Truong is a dedicated nurse practitioner with over a decade of experience in intensive care, where she has specialized in critical care, patient management, and providing compassionate treatment in high-pressure environments. Ms. Truong has earned advanced certifications, held leadership roles, and contributed to evidence-based practice and quality improvement initiatives that enhance patient outcomes. Beyond the hospital, Ms. Truong is committed to community health education and advocacy, finding fulfillment in supporting patients and families throughout their healing journey.

Tara Thompson, PA-C

Tara Thompson is a board-certified physician assistant who earned a Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree from Chatham University in 2007. She also specializes in otolaryngology, with an emphasis on head and neck oncology. Ms. Thompson has clinical experience in several surgical subspecialties, including cardiovascular surgery, obstetrics & gynecology, and plastic and reconstructive surgery. Her career has primarily been in emergency medicine, where she has offered comprehensive acute care to a diverse spectrum of patient populations. Ms. Thompson also happily served as a Physician Assistant in the United States Army from 2009 to 2021, retiring as a Major.

WHY NEXUS LETTERS ARE IMPORTANT

Nexus letters are essential documents that connect medical conditions to specific incidents that occurred during military service. These letters play a critical role in the claims process for veterans seeking disability benefits, as they serve as medical proof linking current health issues to the time in service.

Our
Capabilities

We completely review your medical record using our medical knowledge, education, and military experience, and we offer a letter that you can submit with your claim to the VA. In this letter, we are striving to demonstrate to the VA that your illness or condition is related to your military service.