glider222

ADodge,
i am keeping you in my prayers!  I pray your cancer goes into remission permanently!
what have you heard regarding your appeal for an earlier eed for asthma?
 
 
 

I had a friend with 4th stage ovarian cancer that was reversed using cannabis oil.  Yup, pot might actually have a medical use after all...some Dr in Canada cured 5k people with the stuff...now they want to toss him into the pokey instead of fund his work.  Go figure...
 
BUT, the VA will be sidestepping this for some time to come.  The deal with cancer, you need to put in a request to expedite your appeal.  Just do it. I dont think it would hurt anything.  If you get lucky, oh well, if not, you dont lose anything because you are going to be in line no matter what. Don't worry about any letters from any doctors, just write a nice, brief factual letter about your condition requesting that your case gets expedited, collect any non VA health records on your cancer if there are any, and upload it on EBenefits site.,Then, call up Peggy and ask her to file the form requesting that your case gets expedited.  Then let it go.  No stress needed!  Just do something that brings joy into your life, you are better off happy than not. and this isn't worth the stress.

File a form VA  21-526EZ to Janesville, Wisconsin and claim you are entitled to SMC (s) because of 38 CFR § 3.350(i)(1).You are rated TDIU (100%)P&T for your Bipolar disorder solely.
You have additional disabilities that add up to 60% or more that are separated and independent of the TDIU mental disorder ( 50%+20%+10%=64% <=60%).
Your effective date for SMC S is the date the VA awarded sleep apnea that raised your entitlement to 60% or greater above the 100% P&T---or 11/15/2001.
 

Congratulations!!!! Secretary Hickey really came through on my dads 40 year fight for compensation claim that he was just awarded today!!! Yay!! Justice is sweet!!! 
She was a god scent and we will forever be grateful!!!! Hate that she is gone too. They got her out of there because she was helping people like us. SMH!!! But I So want to thank her!!! 
But yes so happy to hear stories like yours!!! Congrats again and TY for your service!!!
 

There is a great one, the James Ursano scholarship.  My daughter received 2900 last year and this year.  All you have to do is follow instructions on their website.  Just put Jame Ursano Scholarship in search

I did not get help from Allison even tho I emailed her.  She forwarded my email to the VARO director who pretty much gave me the brush off.
 

I have cervical DDD which has worsened after rupturing a disc a few years ago.  I had an injection c7-t1 two years ago and I feel great (or as good as can be expected).  I also bought an inversion table.  The table helps me a lot and not just in my Cspine.    I was warned not to go near a chiropractor again.

Understand your thoughts about VA doing what VA wants to do. But when you get into the SMC-s, you're talking about a mandate for the money. If you have no use for the back pay and $300.00+ monthly increase, you can send it to me....LOL

We are not stupid VETS, unless you ask VA about us. Forums like this one helps us in keeping VA in place. Bottomline,
Just Do IT

I kinda feel the same way as glidder222, we all know how the healthcare is at the VA.

Some of us are lucky to have a good understand VA Dr. some of us are not so lucky.

as for as her not trusting the VA on opening up old claims if she files for the SMC,'s I Would question this also, the VA can do anything they want even when we have a protected rating.

I been TDIU P&T for almost 14 consecutive years and recently diagnosed with PTSD meeting 3 of the 4 parts of the criteria, and Severe Mild Depression and an Unspecific depressive disorder, however I don't want them to take my TDIU P&T away.

if I get a Rating with PTSD, IF they would look at the PTSD and just rate me for it and if that rating meets the criteria for SMC's then sure I'd file for the SMS's add the rating to my 90%combiend present rating additional rating would need to be 60% TO 70%PTSD Rating..

but with TDIU P&T that's supposed to be a 100% rating but knowing the VA will they consider that?


.............Buck

John,

I realize a lot of vets go to the VA for care and most of you get good care. I cannot go. I have major distrust issues
And it triggers me. I have mountains of evidence in my private med records. If and when the VA needs to see
Them I will provide them, but until then I am steering clear of the VA healthcare system. It also frees up a spot for
Another Veteran.

John,

I realize a lot of vets go to the VA for care and most of you get good care. I cannot go. I have major distrust issues
And it triggers me. I have mountains of evidence in my private med records. If and when the VA needs to see
Them I will provide them, but until then I am steering clear of the VA healthcare system. It also frees up a spot for
Another Veteran.

Thanks georgiapapa and Phil,

Will they except copies? I posted last week that a VA rep who is looking into my 21-4140 (because I made 325.00 in 2014) called me to see if I might have copies of my STR's because he could not get them from anyone. He mentioned that the VA does not like to except records directly from the vet as they could be altered or weeded out.... Imagine someone doing something less than honorable coming from a claims examiner....

Julie in an email from my VARO, she referred to me contacting Ms. Hickey as a congressional inquiry.....

Hey all just wanted to say hi and introduce myself. I am 100% P&T for major depressive dissorder. I was 70% with 100% TDIU prior to my last review. I am also SSDI awarded. If i can help anyone else in my shoes i hope i can. Thanks for reading.

Thans Buck

Thank you everyone for your help and advice. I need to find my award letter to make sure my IU was granted for bipolar 70%. I did find the letter I wrote requesting P&T, they granted IU to me based on my letter. In the letter the only disability I referred to was bipolar.

Thanks again to all of you. I have another question. I noticed that in ebenefits the VA lists my representative as DAV, VARO. Can I request to remove them as I feel more confident to handle my claims without the middle man. It is thanks to all of you seasoned vets on this board helping out vets like me that gives me the confidence.

Thank you Tbird

Here is all the treatment that I will ever need for what ails me. That's my boy (young man) doing the Patrick Swayze thing with his girl friend Sonora. It is her 15th birthday celebration called a quinceañera. So guys and gals, I did spend some of that retro on "wine, women, and song" after all! What a wonderful night!

I can't believe what just happened. My husband submitted a claim through ebenefits in January 2015 after beginning treatment for PTSD at the VA in the fall of 2014. In early May 2015 he got a call to schedule his C&P exam. He had the exam on the Friday before the long Memorial Day weekend. Checked ebenefits on Tuesday morning and the case had been closed already. He was given 100% for PTSD with an extra year of retroactive pay back to January 2014. This was accomplished in one business day! I almost fell off my chair when I logged on to ebenefits.

Just over 4 months start to finish and a 100% rating. Still waiting on the BBE but the ebenefits letters and payment info are available and I have faith that it will come soon.

The VA outdid itself on this one. I have no idea how or why but thank God. We were really struggling and this is an incredible blessing.

I agree Buck.


But I hope no one says we cant post Praise the Lord when we win, as many here do,from time to time.


Still, this is an educational web site...... and we all need to keep that in mind.

"My question is this - I understand that one has to have had many more jobs than I have to qualify for (I think it is called) TDIU. Will the VA, when I have my PTSD appointment, ask about my employment history? Is a TDIU claim even possible in my situation?"

First of all you need a PTSD diagnosis from a VA MH provider.
Then you need to have a verifiable stressor (since you are not an OIF OEF veteran)
It doesnt matter how many jobs you have had in the past.
If the examiner diagnoses you with PTSD, they will make an employment statement in the C & P exam.

The fastest TDIU claim I ever saw was for a vet, like you , I helped long ago , with no SC at all.

But he had years of extensive private PTSD medical records. And SSDI solely for PTSD. NADA SC to TDIU.

And that was many years before the new PTSD regulations came out ( available here under a hadit search) which will be applied to your claim.

If that same vet applied for the first time today, the VA would still have to diagnose him with PTSD themselves,due to the new PTSD regs here in our PTSD forum. And probably have to prove his stressor..I forget what combat awards he might have had on his DD 214.



I only have one comment on your worldview

'Christian' organizations and churches have their own specific standards , directives, and by laws..

Someone I know was proselytizing everywhere locally, identifying my church as holding his membership.He did not do this under the direction of the Pastor
and he was illiterate, so how does one speak the word of God if they cannot read it..
Our church did all they could to help him learn how to read but to no avail.He didnt want to learn how to read.He memorized a few bible passages to try to get people to repent.would carry a Bible with him everywhere and often pass out Bible Tracs. It just doesn't work that way.

I am on my second reading of the complete NASB Bible,in a Bible study program. I also have a mentor and study considerable commentaries to understand what I am reading.
I sure dont try to get anyone to repent. I find it very difficult to even get people I know to go to church...any church at all....let alone actually read the Bible.

And I pray for the VA as well as all disabled vets, ADs, retirees ,and others.....because God got me through many tragedies in my life, not to mention dealing with the VA.since 1988..

Source:
38 U.S.C. 114 (K)

check out No. previsions (3) & (4)

Authority: 38 U.S.C. 1114(p))

(3) Additional independent 50 percent disabilities. In addition to the statutory rates payable under 38 U.S.C. 1114 (l) through (n) and the intermediate or next higher rate provisions outlined above, additional single permanent disability or combinations of permanent disabilities independently ratable at 50 percent or more will afford entitlement to the next higher intermediate rate or if already entitled to an intermediate rate to the next higher statutory rate under 38 U.S.C. 1114, but not above the (o) rate. In the application of this subparagraph the disability or disabilities independently ratable at 50 percent or more must be separate and distinct and involve different anatomical segments or bodily systems from the conditions establishing entitlement under 38 U.S.C. 1114 (l) through (n) or the intermediate rate provisions outlined above. The graduated ratings for arrested tuberculosis will not be utilized in this connection, but the permanent residuals of tuberculosis may be utilized.

(4) Additional independent 100 percent ratings. In addition to the statutory rates payable under 38 U.S.C. 1114 (l) through (n) and the intermediate or next higher rate provisions outlined above additional single permanent disability independently ratable at 100 percent apart from any consideration of individual unemployability will afford entitlement to the next higher statutory rate under 38 U.S.C. 1114 or if already entitled to an intermediate rate to the next higher intermediate rate, but in no event higher than the rate for (o). In the application of this subparagraph the single permanent disability independently ratable at 100 percent must be separate and distinct and involve different anatomical segments or bodily systems from the conditions establishing entitlement under 38 U.S.C. 1114 (l) through (n) or the intermediate rate provisions outlined above.


I would not think a veteran has to be rated P&T to qualify for SMC's just 100%plus rating to 60% rating of 100& plus 60%



...............Buck

I requested mine on 5/18/2015, ebenefits shows it closed on 6/11/2015. I received it yesterday in cd format.

Today I went to Pending Decision Approval!

My BF can no longer see his disability % either. Been that way for some time but I can see mine on the letter. I think Ebennies is a bit mixed up and as the poster above stated it was down all day yesterday. I am sure it is just a glitch.....