mrueckert

Thank you all for the kind words and help i am getting a second opinion so we will see how that goes thank you again.

So on January 2 of this year i had a TKR, I was already disabled at 20% filed my claim on January 5 and till this day over 6 months later it has gone back to gathering of evidence 4 times. I have called the 1-800 number they were no help, called the DAV and they have been no help either even though there the ones handling my claim. I am at my witts end with this crap and i finding there is nothing i can do does anyone know anything that i could do that has been through this process. The other thing that pisses me off is my knee is still messed up and all the VA surgeon keeps telling is the your doing all the right things and i have heard that even after a year it will still heal. I mean i have a range of motion at 108 degrees that it still have swelling and lots of pain, and physical therapy released me all of this was done at the VA. I have also learned that my surgeon report was sent to another DR to get his opinion on if my knee replacement has anything to do with my currenet dissability and what i have read so far is he is saying no. I really think i am going to get screwed here and not sure what my next course of action should be. I have know idea what to do could use some help or some answers i would really appreciate it.

Thank you TiredCoastie for all your help i guess i will know more once i receive paperwork on my claim right now it is still in prep for decision phase so hopefully it won't be much longer but i know i will continue to fight the VA and appeal the decision if they reject my claim and the DAV said they would do everything in their power to help.

The reason i had a PKR was due to the knee deteriorating cartilage was gone on one side of my knee which happened from a injury i suffered while serving in desert storm. I had already had multiple arthroscopy surgeries plus cortisone shots and nothing help it only got worse till the DR decided to due a PKR. I believe the torn acl was a result of the PKR because my knee was never right i just dealt with it till it became to much to handle. They told me the could not due a MRI due the fact i had a PKR and the chances of being able to see it would be slim to none, so i took them at there word they are the experts.

The surgery was done at the VA. I have been out of the service for quite some time i believe the torn ACL was a result of the partial knee replacement, my VA DR said he did not see the torn ACL but was not looking for it either so it could have been there all along. When i complained about more pain in my knee they did an X-Ray and could not see it they had to actually go in there surgically to find out what the problem was. From the time i have my PKR i have had nothing but problems should have made them do the full it was my choice and i took the DR's advice bad move. I have know idea what kind of DR the C&P examiner was, do they always send it to a C&P examiner when you file a claim? I have been on disability for about 8 years now and i am already at 20% prior to both surgeries. I just think it's the VA way of trying to screw us vets over.

So in 2012 i had a partial knee replacement i was already rated at 20% for my right knee. Fast forward to August 2014 i had been having difficulty with the knee never seemed to be right after the surgery but i went on with living with pain till it go to be to much, went to see my DR did x-rays and then exploratory surgery to find a torn ACL. My options were to fix it rehab it or just get the knee replaced i opted to have Knee replaced. Since i was already 20% disabled for this knee i figured it would be covered at 100%, filed my claim they sent it to an VA evaluator and his opinion said my disability had nothing to do with my original claim when i was diagnosed not once but twice by VA dr's. I have not gotten a decision yet but i am starting to worry after reading the evaluators opinion should i be or am i putting to much stock into it. I would not worry so much but i have been out of work since the surgery 3 months now so just kind of freaking out a little thanks for letting me rant. Any advice or comments would really help.