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Va Meeting Last Wednesday

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Deltawife

Question

Went with my husband to the VA again on Wednesday. He has a new rep who did not treat him well the first time he met her.

She gave him her email address so we could email any questions or concerns. We emailed back and forth a bit. I told her we appreciate what she does for our Veterans, etc.

I asked her if she would please review his file so she could familiarize herself with Gary's file before we got there.

We arrived on time, walked in, she never looked up at us. Kept looking at a piece of paper and said "What do you want?" Still NO eye contact. She had told us to get a letter from Gary's primary care physician stating that he has a current chronic medical condition so she could apply for TDIU. In the email I asked her if it should be from his psychiatrist.....she said NO, his primary care Dr. We had made an appt with him and went to the appointment next. The Doctor had NO IDEA what she was talking about and said that it should come from his Psych Dr. He did type up a letter that said something like "I am writing this letter as requested by Gary Marino (per his rep) that he is unable to work at this time." We could tell he was Mad at her! When we took the letter back to the rep, she said "perfect, this is all I need!"......wth? She also said Gary cannot get 100% PTSD because he has to attend group or 1 on 1 counseling. Gary is NOT a "Group" type of person, but we are scheduling him a 1 on 1 appt soon. Is this true?

Also, as we went to have "that" letter put in his records, Gary was chatting with the guy in records. He told the guy (I wish I got his name, he helped us a lot) in records about the run around he's been getting on his wound evaluations. (i.e. He had a nerve conduction test done on his arms where he has pain, and loses his grip, etc) The doctor told him it was neuropathy caused by smoking and drinking! Gary drinks about 2 glasses of wine a WEEK! Anyway as the records guy listened he asked Gary if his records were "Classified" which some of them are!

Shouldn't everything still show what all he did in his file at the VARO. Why shouldn't "Classified" information be included for his claim?

Now I understand why my husband is so frustrated. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so very much!

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Deltawife,

Claimants do not write or submit SOC's - VBA write's SOC's.

An SOC is a reply to a claimant.

Hello everyone, Our phones and computer have been down since last night. A friend of my brought her wireless 'thingy" over here so I could get online to see your replies.

What I submitted was called a Statement in Support of Claim....They wanted statements from Other people to support Gary's claim..so perhaps I used the wrong acronym.

We have a few people over for the Super Bowl at this moment. I just wanted to let you know that I'm not ignoring you and we BOTH sincerely appreciate all of your support and input. My husband is the BEST husband in the world. He really does appreciate all of your input as much as I do.

When the SB Game is over, I will be back to read and reply to your help and or questions.

YES! It is Ludicrous! What the VA has done to him over these years should not be allowed to happen to anyone......regardless of purple hearts, or anything!

Since the claim is submitted, I feel we have no other choice than to wait. We/I are still doing some investigating.......

Thank you so very much!

I will be back as soon as company leaves.

Thank You and God Bless

Deltawife, Patti and Gary.

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You stated:

"Think I'll mosey over to the SSDI forum. I've helped a lot of NON Vets get their claims. Maybe I can help someone there, like you have help us. "

What is the status of your husband's SSDI claim?

If SSDI awards solely for SC conditions- then this is prime facie evidence of TDIU.

"They wanted statements from Other people to support Gary's claim.."

Did they expand on that in the VA letter? I don't understand why they need statements from other people- did this regard his PTSD?

Have they received the form back yet from his past employers for the TDIU claim?

"Also, there is absolutely NOTHING in the criteria for 100 % PTSD

that even remotely refers to "he has to attend group or 1 on 1 counseling."

That is purely ludicrous !"

It is not ridiculous to consider that VA has to justify every award they make.

I have seen claims denied because the veteran did not maintain any treatment for their disability and this is also a way the VA can even propose a reduction in what they have as comp.

The logic is -if the veteran does not get treatment for the disability-then it might not be as bad as the vet claims it is.

I worked in a vet center in the 1980s- soon after the VA recognized PTSD as a compensable disability.The closest VAMC was quite a ways from the vet center and most vets in the PTSD Combat group could not drive (mainly due to their meds). Most of them were 100% SC PTSD and the vet center records showed they were actively participating with the Vet Center PTSD treatment program.

Treatment records of only 4 times a year might not be enough to garner a higher rating.

I assume he does get meds for his PTSD and that will help his claim in that respect, particularly if the VA has had to increase his PTSD meds or change them to something stronger since his last rating.

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Sorry-

I checked your past posts so please disregard the SSDI question.:

"Gary turned 62 in December of last year and has started his Social Security retirement. Not SSDI."

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You stated:

"Think I'll mosey over to the SSDI forum. I've helped a lot of NON Vets get their claims. Maybe I can help someone there, like you have help us. "

What is the status of your husband's SSDI claim?

If SSDI awards solely for SC conditions- then this is prime facie evidence of TDIU.

"They wanted statements from Other people to support Gary's claim.."

Did they expand on that in the VA letter? I don't understand why they need statements from other people- did this regard his PTSD?

Have they received the form back yet from his past employers for the TDIU claim?

"They wanted statements from Other people to support Gary's claim.."

Did they expand on that in the VA letter? I don't understand why they need statements from other people- did this regard his PTSD?

Have they received the form back yet from his past employers for the TDIU claim?

It was on form 21-4138. I typed 2 full pages.

See what I mean? He was with a VSO for 9 years that never told him that HE had to initial a claim, he's gone, now we have one that treats us/him like crap and won't even look us in the eye! (Would you want to work with a rep that won't look you in they eye or even in the general face area? Sheesh!) We aren't mean people, yet, but that could change, LOL!

He has worked for himself as a part time handy man for the las 30 years or more. We live below the poverty line, in a small town. NOT on Welfare or anything. I have received inheritance's etc.

The TDIU claim was going in last week AFTER his Primary Care AND the gentlemen in records sent and email to Gary's Psych.....To get a more detailed letter of his PTSD problems. When he goes, we have the form to turn in for Me to be able to talk on his behalf AND we are sending in the form to request a copy of his file in the mean time.

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You stated:

"Think I'll mosey over to the SSDI forum. I've helped a lot of NON Vets get their claims. Maybe I can help someone there, like you have help us. "

What is the status of your husband's SSDI claim?

If SSDI awards solely for SC conditions- then this is prime facie evidence of TDIU.

"They wanted statements from Other people to support Gary's claim.."

Did they expand on that in the VA letter? I don't understand why they need statements from other people- did this regard his PTSD?

Have they received the form back yet from his past employers for the TDIU claim?

"Also, there is absolutely NOTHING in the criteria for 100 % PTSD

that even remotely refers to "he has to attend group or 1 on 1 counseling."

That is purely ludicrous !"

It is not ridiculous to consider that VA has to justify every award they make.

I have seen claims denied because the veteran did not maintain any treatment for their disability and this is also a way the VA can even propose a reduction in what they have as comp.

The logic is -if the veteran does not get treatment for the disability-then it might not be as bad as the vet claims it is.

I worked in a vet center in the 1980s- soon after the VA recognized PTSD as a compensable disability.The closest VAMC was quite a ways from the vet center and most vets in the PTSD Combat group could not drive (mainly due to their meds). Most of them were 100% SC PTSD and the vet center records showed they were actively participating with the Vet Center PTSD treatment program.

Treatment records of only 4 times a year might not be enough to garner a higher rating.

I assume he does get meds for his PTSD and that will help his claim in that respect, particularly if the VA has had to increase his PTSD meds or change them to something stronger since his last rating.

Yes! His medications have been increased over the years. He takes, Xanax .50 mg, Temazepam for sleep and Zoloft. All, but the Temazepam has been increased over the years. I often asked him why he didn't break down with his psych, like he did with the outside psych. He said he has at times, but the questions are "How ya doin"? and they have never gotten in to the bad details. The outside Psych (which C % P sent him to).....asked him how many people he killed, What did that make him feel like?, What his childhood was like, (BTW he was an Orphan, raised in Parochial schools, foster homes, halfway houses, etc. When he was close to aging out of the foster system, he joined to Army. (Had no place else to go) He really wanted to retire but just couldn't make it with the years in the Army, after Vietnam. The politics wore him down.

There is soooooo darn much more that he has been through with his PTSD and such. Am seriously thinking about writing a book, but afraid it might end up like an expose'. LOL J/K

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