ptsd Will the VA try and reduce a veteran's compensation for PTSD if they go to college or difficult training through voc rehab?

[kent101]

I read that Berta said they tried to drop her husband's PTSD rating from 30% to 10% since he took a few classes in college. I've read what happens is a psychologist approves a PTSD vet to go to voc rehab. The voc rehab adviser sends that psychologist report to the VARO and the VARO can reduce the vets rating.

Edited April 11, 2017 by kent101

[Berta]

That is correct but it was more than that.

My husband, prior to moving to NY ,had been a Nuclear Power plant operator,at Jersey Central Power and Light. He was even on call for Three Mile Island disaster and worked as a Nuke for 20 years.Then he became a PHVAC  operator, and also had a boiler operator licence. All of above paid big bucks to him.

He was a qualified Fireman as well.

He applied at the VAMC 20 miles from us for a Full time fireman's position and OPM sent him the qualification statement he needed for a VA interview which he never got.

This VAMC supported nepotism !  Those days there are over now. I found out they had hired another relative of the Fire chief, without even giving my husband an interview. I raised Holy Hell and drove right over to the VA personnel office .The personnel director told me the OPM said he was not qualified,shoving the OPM paper at me. I whipped out the same paper and said You are not qualified- you cannot even read....  the personnel director was removed, and the director of the VA -I went to him next said they would give him the next open job he was qualified for.Since he also had worked for his dad a little  in a food business, they stuck him into Dietetics, a part time job, and said he would be considered for the next Engineer opening there.The director didnt want him to file an EEOC case.

He then started Voc rehab, as well.

The proposed reduction letter said he not only had gained substantial employment with the VA but he also was doing well in college under Voc Rehab.and wanted to drop his 30- % PTSD to 10%.

BS to all of that! I went over the regulations they enclosed and prepared a scathing NOD telling VA this was a crap job to appease him so he would not file EEOC and gave them the director's phone number of the Bath VA, and I testified as a witness because I was there at the meeting with the director.)Dietetics for most of the vets there was only  a part time VA job and the salary in No way compared with what he had prior to moving to NY and applying at the VA.

I also pointed out that One Semester of college under VOC  Rehab( that is all he had finished when he got the reduction letter, and in second semester,)  did not make Any Voc Rehab vet a rocket scientist and I sent them a statement of the accommodations the college had to make for his PTSD.He was not doing as well as the VA indicated, in the VOC Rehab program.

About 8 months later the VA dropped the reduction idea.

My husband, and I as his widow, both experienced some of the most ridiculous and aggregious situations the VA could come up with.My claims problems gave me a lot of expertise for survivors and his claims came to a halt when he died......death by VA., then subsequently AO death due to diabetes and also IHD.

The VA awarded 100% SC for PTSD after he died. He used to say there must be a Billboard across the street from the VARO that said 'F--- Rod Simmons.'

Of course he was kidding---I think--- because they put my name and even our veteran daughter's name on it too....if it really was there...

My long point is that we must Never give up on our claims but we also must be willing to understand the regulations that control our claims. 

I used not only the exact regulations VA enclosed with the reduction letter he got, against them, but also I used basic common sense in that NOD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Buck52]

I agree with  Ms berta and kent101

To Add,

I would think that if a Veteran is receiving treatment for PTSD at the VA  and suddenly stops treatment   the Dr will put it in his Notes that he refused treatment ,  therefore setting up a reduction rating...if the veteran stops treatment   VA Calls this as ''showing improvment''

So PTSD Veteran's should keep receiving treatment until they get a Qualified Dr stating that this veteran  treatment is not working  or something to that effect.

I stay in treatment to get my Medication's.

Edited April 11, 2017 by Buck52

[Berta]

I agree Buck and that goes for almost any SC issue.

If the vet does not get continuous care, either VA care or private care for whatever the SC is, the VA can certainly reduce their comp, as getting no further medical care suggests they dont need further medical treatment and have been cured.

A Vietnam vet was interviewed in his cabin in the boonies years ago on TV. He was 100% SC for PTSD.

The interviewer ( there were 3 Vietnam vets they interviewed) asked him if he felt his PTSD meds from VA were helping him. The vet quickly produced three large boxes filled with VA meds, all in unopened capsules ,some still in VA meds by mail  boxes,and he said 'you don't think I would really take any meds  ,from the VA, do you?'

I hope the VA was not watching that show.

 

Edited April 11, 2017 by Berta

[kent101]

On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 5:37 AM, Berta said:

That is correct but it was more than that.

My husband, prior to moving to NY ,had been a Nuclear Power plant operator,at Jersey Central Power and Light. He was even on call for Three Mile Island disaster and worked as a Nuke for 20 years.Then he became a PHVAC  operator, and also had a boiler operator licence. All of above paid big bucks to him.

He was a qualified Fireman as well.

He applied at the VAMC 20 miles from us for a Full time fireman's position and OPM sent him the qualification statement he needed for a VA interview which he never got.

This VAMC supported nepotism !  Those days there are over now. I found out they had hired another relative of the Fire chief, without even giving my husband an interview. I raised Holy Hell and drove right over to the VA personnel office .The personnel director told me the OPM said he was not qualified,shoving the OPM paper at me. I whipped out the same paper and said You are not qualified- you cannot even read....  the personnel director was removed, and the director of the VA -I went to him next said they would give him the next open job he was qualified for.Since he also had worked for his dad a little  in a food business, they stuck him into Dietetics, a part time job, and said he would be considered for the next Engineer opening there.The director didnt want him to file an EEOC case.

He then started Voc rehab, as well.

The proposed reduction letter said he not only had gained substantial employment with the VA but he also was doing well in college under Voc Rehab.and wanted to drop his 30- % PTSD to 10%.

BS to all of that! I went over the regulations they enclosed and prepared a scathing NOD telling VA this was a crap job to appease him so he would not file EEOC and gave them the director's phone number of the Bath VA, and I testified as a witness because I was there at the meeting with the director.)Dietetics for most of the vets there was only  a part time VA job and the salary in No way compared with what he had prior to moving to NY and applying at the VA.

I also pointed out that One Semester of college under VOC  Rehab( that is all he had finished when he got the reduction letter, and in second semester,)  did not make Any Voc Rehab vet a rocket scientist and I sent them a statement of the accommodations the college had to make for his PTSD.He was not doing as well as the VA indicated, in the VOC Rehab program.

About 8 months later the VA dropped the reduction idea.

My husband, and I as his widow, both experienced some of the most ridiculous and aggregious situations the VA could come up with.My claims problems gave me a lot of expertise for survivors and his claims came to a halt when he died......death by VA., then subsequently AO death due to diabetes and also IHD.

The VA awarded 100% SC for PTSD after he died. He used to say there must be a Billboard across the street from the VARO that said 'F--- Rod Simmons.'

Of course he was kidding---I think--- because they put my name and even our veteran daughter's name on it too....if it really was there...

My long point is that we must Never give up on our claims but we also must be willing to understand the regulations that control our claims. 

I used not only the exact regulations VA enclosed with the reduction letter he got, against them, but also I used basic common sense in that NOD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing your story and for the advice. I believe you. Working with the VA feels like walking on egg shells. I don't want anything to do with the VA. Only reason I applied for my PTSD was because the VA denied my other claim for a rare disease that cost a lot of money to treat. 

 

I went a more holistic path in dealing with my PTSD. I spend 2-3 hrs a day doing stress relief exercises and have been for 7 years. I spent 10 years before then searching for help because the VA denied my claim and I wasn't eligible for VA Healthcare. 

 

Edited April 13, 2017 by kent101

[kent101]

On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 7:16 AM, Buck52 said:

I agree with  Ms berta and kent101

To Add,

I would think that if a Veteran is receiving treatment for PTSD at the VA  and suddenly stops treatment   the Dr will put it in his Notes that he refused treatment ,  therefore setting up a reduction rating...if the veteran stops treatment   VA Calls this as ''showing improvment''

So PTSD Veteran's should keep receiving treatment until they get a Qualified Dr stating that this veteran  treatment is not working  or something to that effect.

I stay in treatment to get my Medication's.

Thanks for the advice. I was enrolled in VA Healthcare recently even though I've almost been out of the military 20 years. I went to a private psychiatrist and saw a LCSW at the vet center. That's all the VA needed to approve my claim in regards to therapy.  I don't think I'll be going to a VAMC. I have a private doctor I use. Hell I think Google has been better than any doctor I've ever seen.

[Berta]

I think the C & P docs sometimes use Google to try to deny some claims.

But Google is great!

This AM, just to add, FOX News (Pete Hegseth -veteran and vet advocate) was in a diner somewhere interviewing the patrons and found a 91 year old Navy vet in very good shape.

Pete asked him how he has maintain his good health for so long or words to that affect and I busted out laughing when the 91 yr old vet said, 

" I stay away from the VA!"