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Convalescent pay

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shieldsy71

Question

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. 

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" I haven't been able to work since June and I'm on the edge of homelessness. "

Did your attorney apply for TDIU as well?  Did any of your SCs impact your ability to work before June?

The temp convalescence regulations are here:

http://www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/claims-special-convalescence.asp

It is almost impossible to even take a guess on how long the decisions will take.

You have to hang in there.

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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. 

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  • HadIt.com Elder

shieldsy71

Apply for Voc-Rehab

The counselor will test you and see what type ( if any ) work you can do.

Since your trained in finance and you were trained for that Job  and since your S.C. Disability's keep you from doing what you were trained to do  and the counselor can't find you anything you can do to make a substantial amount of income  or an income ABOVE the poverty threshold, he can write you a letter stating that'' this veteran is not feasible to retrain at this time because of his S.C. Disability's.''

and use it as evidence for IU fast letter applying for  TDIU W/P&T  or use it in your NOD.

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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. 

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