Disability Benefits Questionnaires

[carlie]

Vel,

Thanks for all you do.

[MarkInTexas]

OK, I'll bite....

Vel,

I probably shouldn't copy/quote your response with my copy/quote because it would take 10 minutes to scroll down to read. However, thanks for your response. I had forgotten about this one because I typed it waaaaayyy back around August, and since that time I have been rated 200%. (Just kidding. I'm still in Gathering Evidence stage.)

First, I should apologize for the Angry Birds and Facebook comments, and really am astonished at the work conditions you are undergoing with the limited lunch/break times. I don't think I've ever seen a Federal office building without air conditioning, and that just basically makes me more aggravated at the VA for not providing an adequate work environment and resources for employees to perform their duties.

I believe we all are aware that the VA is way understaffed, and that it should really take a serious look at increasing personnel in key areas to truthfully push down the backlog. Sometimes, I just feel that the VA is taking it's time with this just in hopes that veterans/family members will either give up or just go ahead and die. When I say the VA, I'm not meaning you, nor your peers, but executive officials that are responsible for budgeting and personnel. I also am disappionted in Congress for not truly addressing the personnel and backlog issue. Although standing at a podium and bashing the VA for an embarrassing backlog makes for great political stump speeches at American Legion, VFW or other veterans organization rallies, or makes for good soundbites on television, it means nothing unless actual bills are passed funding more personnel and imposing true mandates upon the VA to dimiinsh the backlog.

I am saddened at the frustrations that you face in trying to perform to standards that the VA has established under the conditions that they provide. I have heard time and time again that raters will tackle smaller claims in order to make a daily quota, and have always hoped that it wasn't true. However, from what you say, it would make sense for a rater who is already under the gun to produce at a certain rate, to go to the easy catches first, and save the bigger stacks or files for later.

Although I don't particularly like this way of doing things, I can understand where a person wishing to draw a paycheck would do what it takes. Once again, it comes down to an adequate number of personnel to perform the desired function.

A lot of frustration that Veterans, including myself, feel is that we are lost in the shuffle. No word from the VA unless you finally reach the end, or file a Congressional inquiry (and yes, I've learned my lesson on that too...it only delays matters more.) If the VA could open its channels more, including making eBenefits and VONAPP easier to use, with realtime updates on data and the location of a C-File, then perhaps the anxiety might diminish during the wait time, regardless if it involves one claim or thirty.

I recently did a refinance on my home to get a lower interest rate. The company pretty much handled everything online, and I was able to upload files that were 10MB or more into their system. Status updates were frequent, and almost everything was handled digitally. The company even has an iPhone app to check status and upload documents/photos/information. Now if a private lending company can do that, certainly the Federal government, and more especially the VA, can create an up to date system that allow for documents to flow easily into a database, and for a Veteran to be able to review up to the minute status, along with realtime required documentation.

I know you are not part of this process, but I figure while I'm on my soapbox, I'd address eBenefits a bit.

I do want to thank you for your interest in Veterans, and for your participation on this website. And again, I apologize for the Angry Birds comment, but the remainder of it simply, and truthfully, echoes the frustrations of veterans awaiting a final disposition of their cases, whether they're sitting in a waiting line at a VARO, on the street, at a local VSO office or on here. (I may just ramble more than they do.)

I also want to admit that I am one of the Veterans that filed multiple claims, and unfortuntately also filed additional information during the waiting process. Some of it was due to my own ignorance of the system. (As I mentioned, we didn't have the Internet back in 1994, and I doubt I even got a pamphlet from the VA). I also dont have a local VSO capable of assisting. (The poor guy is elderly and seriously ill.) I trekked out on this one on my own, and have scraped along for over two and a half years, submitting some things as requested, submitting others when I found something in the attic that looked like it needed to be sent in to the VA. (I did that the other day actually.)

I think of a lot of the rationale behind sending in the whole truckload of information is the fear of being denied and having to go through the appeal process, which tacks on several more years to a claim. I know in my own case, I wanted to give everything I had to the VA up front in hope for an affirmative rating based on all of the information available rather than a NOD and the waiting game all over again with information that I had in hand. (I don't know. Maybe my logic was/is flawed. We'll see, I reckon.)

OK, I've rambled enough. Thanks again for taking part in this website, and for caring about the VA system and Veterans. I wish there was something that we as Veterans could/can do to assist. If there is, please let me know, and I'll be glad to write or call whoever you reccomend to address the personnel and work environment issues.

Thanks again, and I will take your advice and not send in my pediatrician records from when I was two. (I'm just kidding. I couldn't resist.) Have a safe and happy New Year.

Mark

Edited December 27, 2012 by MarkInTexas

[donh777]

I was discharged in 1964. Had surgery on my wrist 2 weeks before discharge. Had to go to local small town doctor for follow up as it gapped wide open one week after the stitches removed. In 2000 I filed for arthritis of the wrist. VA doctor c & p exam asked me why I was fooling with a 0% or max 10% rating when your med records show a higher possibility of higher rating. Susprised I asked him what he meant as I had a auto accident while on leave in 1963 with over 4 weeks in hospital at Tulsa, Okla and transferred to Tinker Air Base in Okla city before being discharged and then later a week at Brook medical center in San Antino for neurological tests. At the time I thought it had to be an accident while on duty. DUMB Axx me. And then it took me until 2005 to file on the back as I had got 0% for the wrist and my opinion was it wasn't worth the effort to file. Got 10% on back and filed Nod and went to 40%.. Thanks to this site I have filed other claims and got increase in % for connected issues. POINT is I was in such a hurry to get out that I had no idea of benefits allowed. I am now 70 but I haven't given up and still fighting and waiting......

[meghp0405]

I was discharged in 1964. Had surgery on my wrist 2 weeks before discharge. Had to go to local small town doctor for follow up as it gapped wide open one week after the stitches removed. In 2000 I filed for arthritis of the wrist. VA doctor c & p exam asked me why I was fooling with a 0% or max 10% rating when your med records show a higher possibility of higher rating. Susprised I asked him what he meant as I had a auto accident while on leave in 1963 with over 4 weeks in hospital at Tulsa, Okla and transferred to Tinker Air Base in Okla city before being discharged and then later a week at Brook medical center in San Antino for neurological tests. At the time I thought it had to be an accident while on duty. DUMB Axx me. And then it took me until 2005 to file on the back as I had got 0% for the wrist and my opinion was it wasn't worth the effort to file. Got 10% on back and filed Nod and went to 40%.. Thanks to this site I have filed other claims and got increase in % for connected issues. POINT is I was in such a hurry to get out that I had no idea of benefits allowed. I am now 70 but I haven't given up and still fighting and waiting......

it is not the doctors business on why you filed a claim. It's the docs responsibility, to determine what the diagnosis is and the nexus of the claim and the severity of the disability.

Edited December 28, 2012 by meghp0405

[meghp0405]

I'm in the process of utilizing one of these DBQs with my Orthopedic surgeon for a IME, and the only crucial item that has us stumped, is how does this form work it's way in when writing out the IME. I understand the format of the letter is going to change somewhat, but exactly how?

In my case, we're using it to rebut some of the items/opinions my C&P examiner noted in his DBQ for a current claim being adjudicated. Does my Dr just argue the differences of opinions pointed out in their exams only? Or does it changed anything at all, and just use the DBQ as a supplement. I realize this is something just coming out, and I probably won't get a correct answer, but I'm open to anyone's opinions.

Cooter, It would be in your best interest to have your Doctor complete the DBQ in its entirity or at least what he can complete. Submit it with a VA FM 21-4138. State on the 4138 that this is a notice of disagreement (NOD) and that you are requesting a decision review officer (DRO) to review your claim. The DBQ you are talking about is the longest DBQ on record as of now. He also needs to explain why he disagree's with the decision of the VA C/P examiner. However, when any Doc does this, they also have to provide information on how they came to the conclusion that they did. These forms are the best thing VA has come up with in assisting the veteran with their claim. I have submitted just over 400 of these with NOD claims. Each claim that was brought back to me was overturned in the veterans favor. Good luck!!

Edited December 28, 2012 by meghp0405

[Veldrina]

Thank you Veldrina. I hope the majority of Rating Officers share you attitude.

David

Honestly, we do. :)