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A Little Advice

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Zippeay

Question

I got my rating today and I'm not really happy with it for a couple reasons. It's a pretty long story but I'll condense it so it isn't too long. Basically I had elbow surgery to repair a ligament and the Doctor "civilian doctor" cut or damaged my ulnar nerve severly. My pinky and ring finger are numb from the tips of my fingers to the middle of my forearm and I've lost almost all the strength and cordination in my hand/wrist. I also can not straighten my pinky and ring finger they are "clawed". Anyway to make a long story short the Air Force medically retired me and gave me a 50% rating for my hand/arm.

Here is where I screwed up. I have a friend that went through something similar me about a year before. So he had done all the exams etc. While talking to him he suggested that I tell them I am left handed because that is my injured hand. I told him I couldn't do that but he told me if I didn't they would probably rate me at a 0? I was in shock and kept asking him if he was sure and he assured me he was right. To make a long story short I did what he suggested. On my rating it specifically say's that I am not left handed and they gave me 10% rating. I'm suspecting they gave me a low rating for lying to them. I can't really blame them for that.

I know I totally screwed up and what I did was morally and ethically wrong. I couldn't sleep at all last night because I feel like such an idiot. I also know that the 10% rating is probably extreemly low expecially since the Air Force rated me at 50% and they are supposed to use the same rating scale. I know they can differ depending on who is looking at the case but I was pretty shocked to see such a low rating for the type of injury I have.

I don't expect any simpathy for being stupid but I would like some advice on what I should do now. Should I just take what they gave me and be happy I didn't get in trouble for it or should I put in an appeal and hope they give me a better rating and not make a big deal out of this. I honestly hardly ever lie and I would never have done it if I wasn't told to do so by my friend. I know some of you will say I got what I deserve and I probably did but if anyone has some constructive advice I would really appreciate any help you could provide. Thank you -

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Zippeay,

Your profile shows you are SC'd at 30 %.

What disability/s is this for and how is it broken down ?

Do you know which Diagnostic Codes you are rated under ?

You posted,

"Basically I had elbow surgery to repair a ligament and the Doctor "civilian doctor" cut or damaged my ulnar nerve severly."

Were you active duty when the "civilian doctor" did this surgery ?

carlie

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I recieved 10% for my elbow, 10% for tinitus, 10% shoulder, 10% for my back. All together they come out to 30%. Yes I was in the military when the Doctor damaged my nerve. I honestly think my elbow should be two seperate ratings because I had a full reconstruction done on my elbow but during that surgery the Doc damaged the nerve that happens to control the motor function in my hand. The are actually two totally different injuries... But anyway that is only how I see it they may vue it differently.

Pete53 I stated in my post that two wrongs don't make a right. I would never think that. I just think it's pretty messed up he lied too. I mean how many other people has he done that to? I'm making no excuses. What I did was completely wrong and if it does effect my rating I have no one to blame but myself. It will really suck but I did what I did and now I have to deal with it.

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