Getting Old

i am doing alot of research on getting my IMO done and came across your letter. i was just wondering if your doctor attached any exhibits to your IMO? thanks, mark

Although there is a record of treatment in service for pes cavus claimed as right foot condition, no permanent residual or chronic disability subject to service connection is shown by the service medical records or demonstrated by evidence following service. Is this not a contradiction...It makes no sense to me. I have a fallow up on my back and he(chiropractor) is going to give me a IMO and i hope this helps my appeal.Also how do i submit this for my appeal claim without slowing it down. I have no idea being that my VSO quit. Also what exactly does he need to write up in my favor in the IMO. I need details PLEASE. Lets just say its not getting any better and he found a cist and something in my lung and wanted to know why the VA didnt let me know.He is pulling their xray. Thanks Mark

I want to point out one more thing, that is they tried to say i got severance pay when i did not. And what is a c-file and where can i veiw it at? How can I see my c&p exam? And how can i see my paper work, from when I went threw the MED/PEB at Walter Reed? Thank you for your help as I really need it. And im going to type up there decision and let you guys/gals pick though it. Mark

You have been very helpful and this just cleared up a lot of the questions that I have had. When we appealed their decision we stated how I have had the back pain ever since the army, but I just delt with the pain because i didnt have insurance. But as you see when I had a job that offered insurance I made sure I went to the doctor for my back. All the way up to this point. It wasnt worded exactly like that but very close. Thank you

I think your right on this one, I just thought that since i went threw the MEB at walter reed that maybe that would of been my effective date.Thats ok im just happy that i got 30% Thanks for your help Mark

Well guys i just went to the chiropractor today and tomorrow i will find out the results from the xrays. And i will make sure i post them on here for your help. And as for that last two post im comfused on if i have a good claim or not.The day i went to the c&p exam my back didnt feel that bad, I had pain pills. Also i might add the examiner didnt put alot of the things that i was telling her into this report.To me it seems alittle more on her side, but from now on I know to not to take my meds... And as for the reason i didnt get the injections in my back is because my DR pasted away in a fire a few days after my meeting with him. What is the difference between symptoms and treatment? Thanks Mark

I have poof of it happening while i was in the army. And we submitted a claim back in 2010 and they denied my claim. Here in the article. Then we appealed the claim as soon as they denied it.As of today i am about to go for pyshical therapy because its getting to bed where i can sleep at night and/or move around threw out the day.And im only 30. Thanks for your help. Service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease claimed as lower back. Your service treatment records noted an injury to your back in service. X-rays of the spine were taken on October 7, 2002 after you complained of tenderness over the T10 T12 after trauma. The x-ray was normal. Your separation examination noted a “normal” spine and there were not complaints voiced by you at the time concerning your back and/or spine. At the recent VA examination conducted on February 1, 2011 you complained of pain stiffness, weakness, and fatigability. You stated that you had an injury to back in the service when he went to stand in a tank and the tray where ammunition is loaded hit you in your back. You stated that you had mild problems afterwards, but notice more problems when you worked for the prison system from March 2009 to August 2010. You noted that with prolonged standing for a few hours as well as with sitting while driving for a few hours, you would feel low back pain. Lying down will help this. You saw a private provider and was scheduled to get therapy before trying back injections. You have numbness in the right leg to the foot that would occur with the back pain flare ups but currently you denied any numbness. You also start limping during a flare-up. The pain is located across the lumbosacral area and does not radiate. You are able to walk normally without any assistive device. This condition has no effect on your usual occupation. You are able to perform all activities of daily living. Range of motion of the lumbar spine: forward flexion: 0 to 90 degrees without objective evidence of pain; extension: 0- 30 degrees without evidence of pain; right lateral flexion: 0-30 without objective evidence of pain; left lateral rotation: 0-30 degrees without objective evidence of pain. There was no additional limitation of motion following 3 repetitions. The examiner stated that on exam today, there was no objective evidence of painful motion, spasm, weakness, or tenderness. You denied any incapacitating episodes in the past 12 month period. Strength was 5/5 in all muscle groups of the upper and lower extremities. Straight leg raise negative bilaterally,. Sensation to light touch was intact in the upper and lower extremities. DTR’s: 2+ bilaterally, babinski negative. MRI of the lumbar spine dated June 29, 2010 noted mild bulging of the annulus at L4/L5 may abut but does not displace the exiting right L4 nerve root. The diagnosis provided by the examiner is lumbar degenerative disc disease. The examiner opined that this condition is less likely as not caused by or related to veterans service. There was no evidence found of periodic treatment for low back condition continuing from service. No low back condition was noted on exit exam from the service. A disability which began in service or was caused by some event in service must be considered “chronic” before service connection can be granted. Although there is a record of treatment in service for pes cavus claimed as right foot condition, no permanent residual or chronic disability subject to service connection is shown by the service medical records or demonstrated by evidence following service. Therefore, service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease claimed as lower back is denied.

Yes on the DAV. She was doing a great job on my claim as she has already got 30% for SC asthma and we were working on getting SC for my back and i was about to put in a few more claims. Does anyone know of a good service officer that is close to Zanesville,ohio.

I just called in to the office to check on my claim and add more information to it and found out that the officer in charge of my claim quit about a month ago. unfortanetly she was the best in the office. the person that is there now is in training and im not sure if i want someone in training dealing with my claim. so what is my next step? can i do this all on my own? thank you in advance.

It freezes up on me.I have tryed it about five times.

I think you are right, I just dont think I can afford it.

Hoppy, I will call her in the morning and ask what she thinks and read some more into it on this GREAT website.She is very helpful but also very busy. Interested, No I went to the va to file a claim when i first got out and the VA rep told me i didnt have a chance at winning, so i never persued it until july 1, 2010.And was granted SC asthma. Come to find out the guy that told me i didnt have a chance was about to retire and didnt really want to work(I have a family member that works in the office). Thanks Mark

Back in 2002 i went to Walter Reed and was medical boarded out and was told "because i had asthma as a child, i was ineligible"....my question is... i recently in, 2010, got 30% awarded for SC asthma. and they only gave me backpay when i filed the claim, but should it go back when i went in front of the medical board in Walter Reed? thanks for all the info!

Thank you allan for your story I really hope it does take that long. And jbasser and allan, do you think i have a chance at winning this claim from what you have read.See my problem is I dont like going to the doctors so i just deal with the pain but its getting so bad now that i have to go and for the past few years i havent been able to sleep at night because of this. From what i understand is all i need to prove now is that its chronic or am i wrong? Thanks for all your help, Mark