Stephanie

Hello All! I'm currently rated 100% combined serviced connected disabled: 70% PTSD 60% bullous skin condition 30% Irritable Bowel Syndrome 20% Right ankle arthritis 20% Left ankle arthritis I stopped working in March of 2006 mainly due to PTSD. In June of 2006 I applied for SSDi. I was filing for all my disabilities, but mainly the PTSD. I filed online and completed all (and it was a lot) of the paperwork they sent me. I was scheduled to see an SS doctor yesterday 12/27/06. I went to the appointment (he was also a general practitioner) and the doctor only asked what caused the PTSD and nothing about my PTSD symptoms, all he was concerned with was if I had a back injury and could I lift things. Where did that come from!!???!!! I never claimed a back problem!!!! I've learned a lot about dealing with the government when I filed my VA paperwork, so I know that SS uses the "Blue Book" when determining disabilities, but how can they determine anything if the doctor doesn't ask about it. When I mentioned to him about my PTSD, all he said was "sounds like you just need to get your meds straightened out". I don't know what to do next. Should I call the Disability Determination office, and inform them of the substandard medical appointment? Has anyone else had this kind of experience? Any guidance you can give will be appreciated. Thanks! Stephanie

Thanks for all the information. My condition involves large puss filled boils to occur on over 40% of my body, and currently there is no cure, so I wouldn't be entitled to any special allowances. I was thinking my grant of the 60% rating might be considered a difference of opinion since my condition has gone unchanged since my original claim date in October 2001. I will go to my doctor and see if I can get another report that states I had this condition since that date. Again, thanks for the help!!

I'm in the process of an appeal for an earlier effective date on a recent increase in disabilty compensation, and I'd like to get an opinion on how they apply the dates for my specific situation. I filed a claim for a skin disability in October of 2001. The VA granted the service connection and assigned a rating of 10% in Feburary of 2003. In March of 2003 I filed an NOD stating that I felt the condition warranted a 60% rating. They came back and stated my condition increased to 30% and they made it effective to October 2001 (date of original claim). I filed another NOD within the one year time frame and they denied the claim with a Statement of the Case in June of 2004. I filed a notice that I would like to appeal. While awaiting the appeal I had my VA primary care physician write a report that the condition warranted a 60% rating. Finally in January of 2006 the VA granted me the 60% rating, however the effective date only went back to August of 2005 (the date my doctor wrote the report). Which leads me to where I am today. If you file an original claim and it is on continuous appeal for 5 years and never finalized, shouldn't the effective date be the date of the original claim? I find it funny that they retroacted every rating increase to the date of original claim, until it the increase changed my monthly disability payment. Anyone ever had this problem, and if so, how was it resolved?