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jachay
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Posts posted by jachay
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Congratulations, Chu, and thank you for your service to our country.
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I don't remember the VA ever addressing the meaning of chronic CHF but my husband's private cardiologist defined it as being chronic if you are treated for it daily with medication. He does have chronic CHF and received 100% rating.
Hope this helps you....good luck.
I hope you someone out there can help me. I am looking for a firm definition of "Chronic" Congestive Heart Failure as used by VA. I can find no where how VA defines Congestive Heart Failure as being "Chronic". I've been rated 60% for CAD/IHD A.O. but my cardiologist has said I have "Chronic" CHF which would warrant a 100% rating. Can you tell where I can find the answer. I have asked VA several times but always get the run-around. They state in their rating schedule that Chronic CHF would warrant 100% but do not state what they define as being "Chronic". Tks.
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Congratulations on your award. It shows those still waiting that they must not give up. Relax now and make life worth living.
Thank you for your service to our country.
It's taken me about two years to get 100% TDIU [PTSD & major depression is the med diagnosis on the award], but last week it came. I started the process not knowing much about VA disability. Unfortunately I had two poor VSO's representing me; one was just too new at the game but a decent guy, the other was just an oxygen thief. I also learned that VSOs from another organization won't speak to you if you take a different organization VSO.
I decided to do the whole app for VA disability myself without a VSO. I paid a pretty steep price emotionally and psychologically but after reading some of the experiences here I probably would have as well even with a good VSO I suppose.
My psy-doc and counselor at the MHC in Seattle were amazingly supportive [with them for four years]. They wouldn't write a recommendation--I think they're gun-shy probably an admin thing--but each put their opinions on my ability to gain employment in the medical notes. I used those medical notes containing the clear statements on their professional opinions of my employability as part of the evidence for the TDIU app.
I also utilized my family in contacting congressmen which was a dead end. Both a dem and repub representative's staff seemed helpful but not hopeful, this wasn't their first rodeo with the VBA process. I used Iris as well. After waiting 12 months I would check in once a month and let them know exactly how many days I'd been waiting ("It's been 345--or whatever the number was that email--days since I sent my initial packet and request for TDIU in..."). I sent in a note to the regional office every month with a reminder of how long I'd been waiting, always nicely phrased with a 'thank you for your efforts on this' included (even when I was fuming).
I'm not sure what Iris did if anything but I knew something was up when I'd requested a contact from the office handling my claim--just someone tell me what's going on--and they responded by telling me the office had not yet responded to their request but to wait, which was a first.) I got a call from the regional VBA office telling me of my award two weeks later. Greatest phone call in the last few years.
Maybe some of my stuff worked, maybe it would've taken that long anyway.
I finally got it last week, back dated to Sept 9, 2009 with a nice chunk of back pay as well. I can't tell you how relieved I am, the stress of finances and of living off of family charity is over and I can maybe even give back now. Frankly I'd have been living under a bridge if it weren't for my family, the VBA process takes so long.
In the long run the process does work and doing it myself with no guidance but a lot of research (I lurked here for a couple of years) taught me a few things. Exhausted but vindicated and happy.
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I'm always interested in skin problems that other vets have because my husband lost every bit of the pigment in his skin in 15 years after he returned from VN. He had two small white patches under his dogtags, which he wore in his bootlaces, when he left the Army.....he didn't see a need to mention it at the time. Years later, after his bypass surgery, his new doctor said it was caused by herbicide exposure. We had never heard of that before as two other doctors had said it was vitiligo. Vitiligo is spots of pigment loss. My husband lost ALL of his coloring!! He never persued this but we have always believed there was a connection.
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Broncovet,
I have so many examples of the RO ignoring statements from veterans and even witnesses statements who are not an interested party that it makes me sick. The BVA cases that are searchable are ;loaded with decisions overturning RO denials when the BVA gives weight to credible testimony from the veteran or witnesses.
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Such heart-warming news! It is like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders....he can move forward now. Thanks for sharing, evandc.
Great news! It's always good to read that a vet has received what he deserves. Best wishes to him and his family.
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We called the AL, our POA, and was given all the information over the phone. They had an online program that went to the RO. Good luck!!
I called the 1-800 number and for once heard decent news I hope! I was told my case had a decision made and that it had already ben checked for accuracy and that I will be expecting the notification of the descion by mail soon! Any idea of what the wait will be like now??
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Great news! I'm happy for you and yours.
Thank you for your service to our country too.
Just got the big envelope today with a total rating of 90% and moved up to TDIU and P&T. I wanted to thank HADIT for all the help from so many member (jbasser etc...). It feels so good to have done it all myself and come back with this rating. I sent mostly the same info to social security and was approved at age 41 in less then 3 months. THANK YOU TO HADIT!!! I could not have done the application etc... properly without the members on this site. 100% P&T baby!!!!!!!!
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As I understand it, there were Nehmer centers chosen to help out the regional VA offices. Nehmer cases have to have a special rating review too, I think. Nothing to worry about. You will be hearing something soon, I'm sure.
Good luck.
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I have always had my file and reviews handled at the Oakland VA Regional office. I just received a letter from the VA San Diego Regional office that they will be providing a special review in accordance with Nehmer VA.
Any idea what they would move my file from my main Regional office? Just curious.
Thanks
RDT
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Be sure to check out the "no taxes on your home deal" in Florida too. And congratulations....you should call your VSO or POA.....they should have all the award results already. Ours did....a week before we got our letter from St. Petersburg.
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N4XV, Go to the Veterans Benefits State & Federal in the Forum for most of this information under Florida. Good Luck
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Call your POA....they should have the updated information.
Congratulations!! Glad your wait is over.
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Great news, Woody! I'll do a happy dance with you.
I woke up this morning and checked my bank account, a nice deposit was there from va and to be honest it scared me.
This afternoon my mail came and in the white envelope and it states; Entitlement to Individual unemployability is granted effected December 17, 2008, the date your claim was received.
NO EXAMINATION WILL BE SCHEDULED IN THE FUTURE.
Hard to move around but me a my wife has been doing the HAPPY DANCE all day.
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Call your POA....they helped us the same day our claim closed.
Good luck!!
WOW, all that in 2 hours on Ebenefits. The letter generator on Ebenefits shows me to be combined 100%. I just don't know much more. I have no idea what the 100% benefits are yet. I don't even know if its P&T or what. Considering I've never been 100% I'm clueless.
Thanks for all the help. I learned everything from reading these forums. I submitted my claim myself and WON!
Filed 9/16/2010
Effective Date Oct 1, 2011
Combined 100%
Closed 3/7/2011
Atlanta RO
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That is great news! I am so happy for you.
Hey I just wanted to say thank you to hadit for all the information I learned about the va/claims. I started and finished my claim in 4 months due to hardship(homeless) so the va does work for you from time to time. Shout out to the denver varo/va hospital for the good work. I received 70% for PTSD, 10% for hearing loss/tinnitus, and 40% for TBI. I was awarded 80% using I guess what they call fuzzy math. thanks everybody on hadit for all the good info
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Papaw,
Yes, it feels like you won the lottery, doesn't it? I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Thank you so much guys. It actually feels like winning the lottery.
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They wouldn't give us details on the phone either so we called our POA, the American Legion. They gave us the news, down to the penny, and were very helpful. I suggest you contact yours.....couldn't hurt.
Good luck.
My letter should be forthcoming but was advised that even though my appeal decision may be available to phone rep, they can't inform me of decision as I have to receive letter first.
Since when did this come to be? they've informed me on previous outcomes!
Us vets wait months and years on end for answers simply due to backlogs...then they make us wait days on end for the mail when they could simply tell us and end the frustration/worry!
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Thank you for your suggestion. My husband is satisfied that his night terrors, PA, and strange behavior was caused by PTSD and is ok with it now. He had a difficult time before he knew what was wrong. I doubt that he will consider filing a claim again.
No, jachay is a combination of my first and middle names.....thus, no capital letter....
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jachay
Not knowing your husband's militery background is their a possibility he can resubmit his PTSD? Anything at all he could relate it to in service. etc, combat, accident, witnessing somebody else getting hurt or killed, maybe a family member dying. PTSD is some heavy crap to deal with. You may have to wait some years to get it approved/disaproved, but you'll never gain anywhere if you stop trying. jmo. Oh by the way, do you pronounce your name as jackie? I never seen it written that way is why I am asking.
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He takes Xanax too......lose dosage, and does fine. (He was diagnosed with PTSD by the VA in 2007 but denied SC.) With medication and counseling, plus knowledge of the effects of traumatic stress, he handles it well. He had a tough 15 years though.
Good luck with your endeavors with the VA.
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I'm happy to hear your husband has it under control! What meds is he taking for it? My Dr has me on xanax but they make me sleepy all the time. I had a bad parachute jump about a month before I got out of the army and been having them since. So, since it's not on my SMR it's going to be tough getting it SC.
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Welcome. You will find lots of help here....very knowledgeable folks around.
Hello all.
I have been reading posts on Hadit now for a few months. I spent 4 years USMC infantry 0311. Just started the battle for PTSD claim and claims for almost every joint in my body. Just here to get help and perhaps pass on to others in the future.
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My husband had panic attacks for years and thought it was another heart attack coming. We spent alot of time in ER's and even ICU....then a doctor at the hunting camp told him he was having a panic attack and his PC physician concurred and started medication.
He prevents the PAs with the meds x3 and is so much better now. It was rough on him for a long time.
If you think your anxiety is SC, you should file a claim.
He rarely has PAs now but takes meds 3Xs a day to prevent them.
I need some feedback folks! First of all I have a long history of anxiety/panic attacks. Can't really tell the differances in the two because, for one thing, they both have the same symptoms in many way's. In the other, when your body submits to these attack's you don't give a sh*t which one it is! ha. I ended up at the emergancy room 2 weeks ago thinking I was having a heart attack. Went thru EKG, Xrays, blood test, etc. They kept me there overnight to check my enzines every 6 hours. Everything turned out negative and sent home. My wife suggested I might of had a severe panic attack. All the attacks I've had in the past wasn't nearly as bad as this one. If it wasn't for the wicked pain in the left side of chest and down the entire left arm I would'nt have gone. My first question is; Can a panic attack cause your heart to have angina episodes? Secondly, when I was at the VA hosp. 2 years ago talking to a councelor about a pre-op, I started to have some sort of an attack coming on and ended up in the emergency room there. The Dr. wrote down it was possibly a reaction to a new med I was on (blood pressure booster). I've always wondered if it was another attack. Would that help as extra evidence for a claim?
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It isn't long now, Papa! Hang in there!
I'm posting Tongue in Cheek
. My EBenefits has remained the same status "Developmental" since Jan 2010. But, the other day there was something new 
. They added were I requested the report from my latest C&P exam. Not much, but at least something was added .Papa
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Great news! I'm glad your wait is over. Take care of yourself and enjoy the rest of your life.
It's official, I got the VA letter on Friday.....I just want to say thanks for everyone here and all the great advice on this site.....I did this without the help of the DAV..I took a lot of what I had learned here and filed under the FULLY DEVELPOED CLAIM program and in less than 3 months I am rated at 70%....Once again , THANK YOU..............................Grid
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Such good news!! Glad your waiting is over. Now, go out and enjoy the rest of your life!!
The Eagle roosted on my mailbox today. Just long enough to deposit a six figure retro check.
Paperwork was supposedly generated at the VARO last week, and has yet to catch up.
The post office must have fired the pigeons, because it's less than one hundred miles as the "crow flies" to the VARO.
In the past, I've had VA letters from the RO that were dated up to five days before the postage machine stamp on the envelope.
Without the details - -
They may or may not have used the correct rate (married)
The effective date may be off a bit.
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Sorry, I've NEVER known anyone who had acute CHF.....
Chronic congestive heart failure will get you 100%. Acute CHF gets you 60%, I believe, but I've known anyone that had CHF called "acute". You either have it or you don't.
Good luck!
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Chronic congestive heart failure will get you 100%. Acute CHF gets you 60%, I believe, but I've known anyone that had CHF called "acute". You either have it or you don't.
Good luck!
Thank you so much for taking so much time on me. I will lead you to where we are not. In 06 I suffered CHF. Went to VA in Sept. 06. In 07, I received 20% for DM11. i went downhill quickly and at the end of 08, i was increased to 100% P&T (but nothing to do with the Nehmer claim. So in March, 2010, we filed for IHD under the new presumptive rules. We just found out they gave me 30% from 07; 70% from march 2010. smc from march 2010 and A&A from march 2010. So I am thoroughly confused, have no clue what to even think about what I may receive. I have not been able to work for a year and a half, so I would be so grateful for help. But I must say, the VA has always been wonderful to me. Thanks for any help
. My EBenefits has remained the same status "Developmental" since Jan 2010. But, the other day there was something new 
. They added were I requested the report from my latest C&P exam. Not much, but at least something was added
Ihd Ratings
in VA Disability Claims Research
Posted
Allan,
My husband's claim was worked from the St. Pete office. It took a little over 7 months. He received a 100% P&T rating. His case was much like yours except he filed a claim in 2004 and was denied.
His private cardiologist filled out the form provided by the VA and he checked that he has chronic Congestive Heart Disease. The C&P doctor confirmed it. He had had one episode in about 3 years but has taken medication for it for years. Are you taking medication for Congestive Heart Disease?
In CFR 38.4., the "OR" is the key. If you have Congestive Heart Disease, no mets or LVEF is needed....at least, it wasn't in his case. You either have Congestive Heart Disease or you don't. The VA should have all that information since they have been treating you.
The key, IMO, is the mark in the YES box asking if you have Congestive Heart Disease. Ask for clarification from your VA doctor if that is the only doctor you see.
We compared his C&P to the CFR 38, 4-104, (7005) CHD, Coronary Heart Disease. The "OR" confirmed to us that a 100% rating was coming although many here said 60% because of mets/LVEF.
Hope this helps. Good luck.