shieldsy71

One more question that I'm going someone can help me with. If the VA does decide to expedite my claim for convalescent pay, would it come as a separate payment or would it come with my regular monthly payment? Thanks in advance.

Buck52, thank you for the advice. I already used my VocRehab a couple years after I got out. I used it to get my bachelor's degree to get into finance. Even went on to get my MBA with what I had left of my GI Bill. I've been dealing with my medical issues for years. I ignored them, didn't get the medical care I needed, and pushed on. They finally got to the point that I couldn't go to work any more, physically or mentally.

Thank you for your reply. The initial claim that is being appealed had TDIU. The VA, and Social Security (I put in a claim for SSDI) said that due to my age and education, I can do "sedentary work". I walked away from a $60000 a year job due to my mental and physical issues. I was a manager for the second largest finance company in the country. Believe me, If I could do sedentary work, I'd still be there. My SC disabilities caused me to leave my job in June. I WISH I could go back but I'm not mentally our physically able to.

Hopefully someone can help me out with this one. I'm 70% service connected for my back, knees, ankles and mood disorder/depression. I had surgery in the beginning of March to replace a ruptured tendon in my ankle. I'm service connected for both ankles at 0%. The surgery was done by a civilian orthopedic surgeon through the Veterans Choice program. I have an attorney working on an appeal of a claim I put in that was denied. After the surgery, the attorney also put in a claim for an increase for both ankles, for convalescent pay for the surgery (I've been in a cast or boot since the surgery and will be in a brace until June) and to have my claims expedited. My doctor a letter staying that my total recovery time will be 11 to 12 weeks. He's also providing a letter to my attorney that my ankle will never be the same even after surgery. I haven't been able to work since June and I'm on the edge of homelessness. To make a long story a little shorter, I'm trying to figure out when I'll get the convalescent pay. Can they approve that and give it to me first or do I have to wait until everything is adjudicated? Thanks in advance.

I thought I'd give an update on my PDBR appeal and let people know what's going on, how long it can take and answer any questions if I can. I was medically separated from the Navy after 12 and a half years as a Crypto Tech (started out in communications, crossrated to Arabic linguist). I was given severance pay, but not retired. My PEB rating was 20%. I can't remember what the VA code they used on the PEB was but it was basically "lower back strain". From what I understand, the services were and still are using out of date and incorrect VA codes on PEB findings. I am currently rated at 60% by the VA for: Degenerative disc disease (40%) Degenerative joint disease (10% in each knee) Radiculopathy (10% in each leg) I also have a 0% rating for each ankle and for hypertension, so they're service connected, but I don't receive any money for them. The VA takes $115 a month to pay my severance pay back to the military. I currently have an appeal in because my conditions have worsened. I will also be putting in another claim shortly because I have been put on anxiety/depression medication and will be claiming depression secondary to the chronic back pain/problems. I submitted my package to the PDBR, sent it to the inprocessing unit in Texas in March 2010. It took 6 requests from them to get the VA to send my records, so my case was not forwarded to Crystal City until October 2010. From what I've been told when I call for updates, the processing time in Crystal City before your case goes to the board can be pretty lengthy. To compound the issue, with the class action lawsuit concerning PTSD, many of the complainants from that case get put ahead of other claims due to a time limit set by the court to have their claims decided. I called yesterday and was told that my case is still in the processing phase and that they couldn't give me any time frame as to when it would go to the board. The last time I called for an update, I was told that, if you are not involved in the PTSD lawsuit, it can take a year to a year and a half from the time your case arrives in Crystal Cityfor it to be decided by the board. The board makes a recommendation to the service you were in (in my case, the Navy) who then has the final decision as to whether they will accept the findings of the board or leave your PEB rating the same. If you do get medically retired, you then have to wait to get info from your service, you have to get put back into DEERS to get i.d. cards for you and your family, the money situation has to be worked out as to whether you should receive any back pay. I've heard that part can take up to 6 months unless you go to a base and do alot of the legwork yourself. I just thought I'd share my experiences with the PDBR process and hope this helps. Thanks, Sean CTI1, USN 1992-2005