The Real Diagnosis- My C&P Exam Contractor Experience

[rootbeer22]

Folks:

Recently, the first part of my FDC  claim was resolved in my favor 80% overall, and on the second part, almost all of the deferred contentions were denied summarily except for 1 Cardiac that was lowballed with missing information. Anyway, I was involved in a well documented & traumatic explosion in my Army career  (the VA's words) and have suffered with right ear pain and infections for years. Both ear drums were confirmed blown out, a concussion and occasionally my right ear still bleeds. Fortunately, part of my claim is that I was service connected for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, in part validating the effects of the same explosion. Frankly, I was an Army Tanker so I was exposed to a lot of noise. Anyway, 30 days after my first FDC claim was decided this year, I was sent in for another  CP exam for hearing and a right ear examination for residuals of the explosion. So, when I went to the Dr. Office, there were 12 others vets squeezed into  a small office with no receptionist--because the Dr. is also the receptionist. There were medical files scattered  all over and piled up everywhere and with very little real organization? Anyway, I still felt confident going into the CP Exam because my service medical records prove the explosion as well as my  ongoing symptoms. So, when she finally saw me after almost 2 hours of waiting, she said, "I'm not really sure why you are here anyway? She said, Oh,  Well, I guess I'll just do another hearing test? I said, "no, I just had one a couple of month;s ago." and have had 2 others recently--so what is the point? I said, "my claim is for right  "ear damage and residuals of the Tank  explosion". But, she still made me do the hearing test  that just reconfirmed all of the other hearing tests outcomes?  So, I then handed her the pre-examination sheet  that showed what I go thru with 4-6 ear inflections a year and the ear medications that I take on a regular basis. We'll, she put me on the table, peeked and then touched my right ear drum and I almost launched off of the table to the ceiling due to the pain? She said, "besides, your significant ear pain, it looks good to me and  no problems here, " which took a total of 5 minutes after almost a 2 hour wait?  I said "Dr, I would not be here unless there was a problem, pain and infections and that's why I made this claim in the first place". Anyway, later, my service connection was denied which really surprised me for all of the ear pain suffering that I had been thru over the years and especially with my solid medical records, evidence and the symptoms?

Anyway, it's been months and I did some research and found one of the best rated  civilian ENT doctors in the Seattle Area to give me a second opinion. I did not tell the 2nd doctor about the first exam because I wanted it unbiased.  So, I went in today and the 2nd Dr. and his staff did a very thorough professional examination for almost an hour total (nurse 15 minutes & ENT  Dr.  just about 45) (versus 5 minutes for the contractor). Anyway, immediately he said, "your right ear -- has significant scarring, pressure problems, inner ear damage and 2  other issues that are easily visible"? He also said, I don't want to upset you but you may loose most of the hearing in your right ear eventually from what I am seeing now? Well, I was "floored" by this because this is  exactly what is happening to Veterans as we go out and get these "so called Contractor C&P Exams" that are not done, professionally, accurately or properly? This was amazing to me again as I had a very similar experience for my Contractor  CP Cardiac Exam recently that I got lowballed on.  The QTC cardiac CP exam results said that "I" denied chest pain, angina, fatigue and weakness. We'll, all of that was on the Cardiac pre-exam sheet anyway-- so that just the opposite of what really happened and is now contained within my C-File. Of course, now these are part of my NOD and the IME/IMO Exams  that I'm working on, but I wanted to share what is becoming a huge disappointment across the country for me and many of us Vets.

Frankly, in the end, I'll probably get most of this sorted out anyway after a lot of money, time and effort but it's a real shame that we cannot rely on something as important as a CP exam that should be done correctly, accurately and professionally.....Rootbeer22  

 

 

[Chuck75]

Falsifying evidence to suit the VA's preferences should be considered fraud! First, I'm sure that the government has a legal responsibility that is breached. Second, the VA is knowingly participating in the fraudulent behavior by encouraging and accepting results that are in conflict with medical evidence.

The VA would say, and like to think that clauses in title 38 prevent them from having any responsibility, and severely limit recourse by veterans.  Tell me it ain't so!

Edited September 24, 2015 by Chuck75

[pwrslm]

Private MD.  Malpractice, failure to diagnose. 

Take the name of the MD, pull up the license info from the state.  ID the states the MD practices in, and make full complaints to every single one of them.  If you want, sue the MD.  Force them to settle fast to keep it quiet, which is what they like to do.

Now, you have this MD's report in your medical history.  HIPPA laws allow you to demand that the VA correct them.  Do it.  Force the VA to follow the reg's, put in the request at the ROI/Privacy office, and make them fix this. Ignore it and it stays for life.

 

Ya, I know, its a pain, you can go on and live your life and never be any worse off for it.  You can walk away from it, but its a lot more fun shoving it down their throats.  Falsification of medical records is a crime.

[Carl the Engineer]

Hey, I here you can get free hearing aids from the VA....

Just kidding.

After my hearing C%P in 2009 the examiner stated that I had hearing loss and tinitus in both ears.

On the way out he said to remember him when I decided to get hearing aids.

I think he was getting a kick back from the hearing aid company.

Slimy.

Anyway, good luck and stick it to'em

Hamslice

[rootbeer22]

Folks:

Thanks for your comments an allowing me to vent. I failed to mention that I was contacted by an investigator last week about a complaint I filed almost 2 years about a bad CP Exam that I was given by a nurse. In the end, she affected several of my final ratings that were denied a service connection. But the worst two exams  I got to take over again and did well. I read the VA CP Exam Manual before I went in for the exams and she did not follow even the basic procedures, showed bias, and guesstimated many of the ROM measurements on the low side?  Also, it was clear that she did not review all of my records. Worst of all, she said that Veteran's like me were putting a new burden on the VA System now by seeking my benefits - long after retiring? I said, I applied at the end of my retirement and my paperwork was lost and they never scheduled the CP exams? The most recent War in Iraq had  just kicked off as I was retiring. We'll, she did not believe me and then 2 weeks later I brought in the actual paper that I signed in 2004 confirming what I had said..and she scoffed at it. I'm not going into all of the details again. But, she in effect became a defacto gate keeper for VA Health Care access and numerous Vets were hurt by this. So with her, no proper diagnosis by her, no care even when the records showed it clearly in the smrs? Anyway, maybe these Vets will get justice--but i doubt it...most will have to go thru the lengthy appeals process that will take years and years to get any kind of justice,,,,,Rootbeer22