Do You Have To Be Treated By A Va Doctor

[ocreswell]

if amyone can help. I notice that every time i look back in my recordsand sumitted claims for lower back condition for back the va doctor has never put anything to help you with your claim. I have a lower back condition 3 bad disc spinal stenosis and to many to list . My private doctor neurosurgeon has recommend surgery fusion and put in paper work its from my post operative surgery, which i received at the va that im having problems with instability. I submitted my new claim also went back to va doctor this happen 4 months ago and now in the past 2 weeks va has sent me letters telling me its time for a follow up appoitment. In the past I have called couldnt get an appoitment sometimes 4 months to see a doctor it looks fishey to me. I have other ways of paying for my private doctor Do you have to be treated by a VA doctor scared if I go their it will hurt my claim just had a c&p exam an I think it went good.

[Berta]

You could potentially need an opinion from your private doctor to succeed in the claim.

Does VA have the private doctor's records?

Do you have an established service nexus to this disability?

Have you requested a copy of the actual C & P results yet?

Edited December 7, 2010 by Berta

[john999]

You don't need to be treated by VA doctor for your back, but it helps to show up and ,and at least pretend that you are listening to the VA. I would not let the VA do a back fusion on me if I had other options and that's for sure. Every time you go to the VA you help to build up your file of documentation of your disability. It is kind of hard for the VA to kick you to the curb if you have been a compliant patient for 20 years. Use the VA for the things they can provide and use your private doctor for other things.

[Testvet]

you should do like John says stay in the VA health system but as far as surgery goes if you have private insurance you have every right to let a civilian doc do the surgery you do not HAVE to let a VA doc do it, but for rating purposes it does help to have a current treatment record in the VA system especially if they are reviewing your rating status every few years but I don't think they really care if you have private docs do it as long as you don't send them the bills

to many veterans get the checks coming and then quit going to the VA and then wonder why they get called in for a review and the VA tries to reduce them because they haven't been in treatment since they obtained their disability check this is more a problem for veterans with mental health issues rather than physical issues. But regular treatment records either from the VA or civilians are beneficial to the claims system