kris

My SO just told me today they just got memo's saying that they are to check Soldiers SMRS 45 days before getting out of the military and decide if there is any thing that they can be service connected for. He also said at this rate that my claims probley would not even be looked at for 3 o 4 years. Has anybody heard anything like this. And he was very serious. He also said that this memo went out to all the service orgs. Kris

Betrayed; I know a little about you from this forum. I am sorry for the problems you are having. About a week ago my better half sat me down and had a talked with me about how much the VA has affected our lives in the last 2 1/2 years. What was said to me is that I have changed for the worse. I am more depressed then I have ever been. When I went to the VA I was on 2 different pills, I'm now on 12 different meds. My weight has dropped to wear I am skin and bones. I get sick on the medication everyday. I am a hyper person anyway and have had trouble sleeping since the military and my pills make me even more hyper. Just the medication alone has changed me. My doctor told me to go file for SSD, did not write it in my charts. You'll like this. My Doc says she never says this to vets, but she wanted me to go up on my service connection for PTSD. But she wrote " I told vet to apply for increase for PSTD, she needs the money". Now that should really help my case, NOT. Even though I have been through 2 rounds of PSTD classes and have been seeing a Social Worker and Pysch's every week for actually over 2 1/2 yrs for PTSD. The 15 min CP exam Doc put me down for SC for Panic Attacks and major depression. My Doc's at the VA added another pill when they read the report. My VA docs, I do believe mean well and I like my doctors but they are too busy to hear me and what the medications do to me. So I started to wean myself off their medications. I am starting to feel the differences already. I am already starting to come down from being so hyper. My relationship suffered because all I have been able to do is talk about the VA. All my attention went to them, I hear them, I taste them, I smell them constantly and I was never ever like this before. My doctors, God Bless them, I do not think they read my charts from the last time I saw them. My pills and program changes every month. This is been my problem with the VA and myself and this alone was starting to kill me. Another thing while I am venting is in the 2 1/2 years I have been going to the VA I have never been past a NP for my 3 failed back surgs. I have been to the pain clinic every 3 months but now its every 5 months and my NP had to take over my medication because the wait is to long for the pain clinic for refills. Bottom line can the VA screw you up? You bet they can. Another reason I am taking myself off most my meds is they are watching my Kidneys now because of all the medication they have me on. Whats up with that? I have no choice but to step back from the VA. I have lost, lost and lost somemore since I have been in this system and the only way I know how to fix me is to take control over my own body and the meds that help me which have been the same two medications I started out with before I even went to the VA. Thank you for listening God Bless you Betrayed

Sorry all Just found the answer on the internet and that would be a NO Thank you anyway

Hi all; My Service Rep said that the army did not do a out processing medical exam on me. Is this required by military law for all enlisted to get a medical exam when getting out of the military. And would this help your case if no exam was done on you. thank you much as always Kris

Does a SSDI claim go faster if you have a lawyer. Just filed yesterday. Thank you for you help

Thanks to the advise from you on this board the other day, I did what you said and dumped my DAV Rep. Some veterans told me to go to PVA and get a rep there, I did. I could not believe the difference. The guy whats to see all my SMR'S. I had only brought the SMR's on my neck and back and he filed claims on both. My question is the form he used was statement in support of claim, VA form 21-4138 and he wrote I wish to reopen my claim for service connetion of my lower back and neck that was injured in service. I did not read it until this morning and he is out of the office today. I have never filed claim on these so how can I reopen these claims or is this just special wording the Reps use. Thank you Kris

John m; thank you, can't believe I waited all that time for that guy in the cold weather.

jbasser Thank you for your time. I have had 3 back surgerys since problems in the army. I now have one herniated disc and 2 bulging for the last 4 years, they keep coming back in different spots. The first 3 surgs were on the same L5 S1 disc, herniated 3 times. So should the DAV rep of filed a claim for me or do I need to get my NP to look at my file and SC first. Also Cervical herniation and some bulging but feel funny filing a claim on that. In service I did have a accident and a cervical strain, but really haven't had problems in 30 years until now.

Here I am again asking for your help. I have several questions When I saw my DAV Rep over 2 years ago he told me I could only file one claim at a time. So I filed for PTSD. Ok did not get PTSD but got panic attacks and major depression 50%. My first question is my psych doc's I see once a week for almost 2years plus PTSD classes second time around. My Doc's say I have PTSD but the C&P Doc I only saw for 20 min says different. Does it even matter what mental condition you have? 2nd Question I stood in line out in the cold from 6:00 in the morning to 7:30 and then waited another 4 hours inside my DAV's office just to have him tell me I could not file a claim for my back until I got a Doctor to say I was SC. I told him I only had a NP as my primary and a pain Doc that I am lucky to see every 3 months for meds for about 5 minutes. I have tried to show both the NP and the pain Doc my service records and they are just to busy to take the time to look at them. It is very clear in my records that I had back problems in service. My DAV Rep also told me that a NP is not quailifed to give a SC and I would have to get a new Doctor. Is this true? And would my pain Doc be quailfied. Also how do you get a VA person to look at your records if they are too busy. Sorry for going on but the DAV Rep wouldn't even take the time to look at my smrs. There is only one DAV rep in my town that sees 20 veterans a day thats what he told me and he thought maybe there might be a second one soon. I hope some of this makes sence. thank you Kris

Sixthscents or any other back experts; These are 2 sites I have found pretaining to Disqualification codes for Juvenile epiphysitis. I am not sure if my xray report would fall under these codes. Site 1 is DODMERB (This is the military medical examination review board) Look for code DD227.50 Site 2 is Joing the military- Military.com F. Juvenile Epiphysitis I see what happens on this board. You cannot help but start researching. Thank you for all the tips

Terry, I have already been out of work for 2 months. How do I file for SSD? Do I just go down to the office and bring a Doctor excuse. The VA just told me yesterday they are scheduling me with a nuero surg Doc. And the VA all though the care is good they are very slow. It took two months to get an MRI. I can not use my arms for anything right now. Thank you Kris

Sixthscents and Rickb54 thank you again Sixthscents that was alot of info I am going to have to read a few times. Thank you

Thank you for talking to me. I do have copies of my SMR and I have been seeing a Doctor at the VA for 2 years but I have never showed him my records or even talked about it. All he knows is that I have had 3 back surgs. And I am sure thats just by my scars I have never even showed him those records. He gives me pain meds. That is how I have made it through the last 2 years on my jobs. Thank you again, I will get a copy of all my surgs and any other records, and OK I will make copies. Thank you again

First of all thank you to this board. I ask some questions before and I feel they were probley pretty stupid questions by some of my responses. I will try to listen better. First of all I am at 50% for Depression and Panic attacks. When I was in the military I was seen quite abit for lower back pain. I had never had back pain before the military. After about a year and a half of military service the Doctors finally took Xrays not a MRI and here is the xray report. LUMBAR SPINE: The superior endplates of L1 2 and 3 have depressions consistent with Schmorl's nodes. This is the result of old juvenile epiphysitis. In the frontal view there is a slight scoliosis toward the right. L1 2 and 3 appear to be slight diminished on their left side and again I wonder as to the relationship of the previous juvenile epiphysititis. This does not appear to be acute. The remaining vertebral bodies are of normal heights as are the intervertebral spaces. CONCLUSION: Chronic abnormalities of L1 2 and 3 have been described probably on the basis of juvenile epiphysitis. And crossed out with a line is except schmorl's nodes upper lumbar area. I have had 3 back surg since I have been out of the military and not in one MRI report does it say I had Juvenile epiphysitis. I do not see in my SMRs where I ever went ito the doctors for a injury, I just kept going to see the doctors for LBP when I was in the service. And sometimes was put on light duty or no duty for 3 or 4 days here and there. Also I hurt my neck and head while in service with a pretty good fall. I am unable to obtain employment because of my neck right now because it is affecting both my arms, neck and shoulders. I am devastated (sp) to say the least with no income except my SC income. I am not sure if I am able to file a claim for either one of these conditions. I hope I explained myself right. Thank you for your help and advise. Kris

Larry; Remember I am new to this board as I am sure many other Vets are. Prehaps my saying who do I talk to was the wrong thing to say. You see my friend I have been to my congressman office, they can not even get my 201 files, so they sent what they do have off to the pentagon along with other people I served with who have the same things on there DD214's and also have more then one DD214. I am on this forum to learn. And I thank you for that. I know that I have been told to get my C-file and I will, thanks to this forum. I had never even heard of a C-file until I started reading your posts here. Please do not find this question ignorant but are your complete 201 files in your C-file. Hope your Bi-Polar is on the light side today. PEACE

Thank you all for your input. The 3 different copies of my records came from the NARA. I had called them the first time after recieving my first copies of my records to see how to get my complete file. The gentleman a the records center told me it was common to only get 13 to 20 pages the first time and to write them requesting completed records the second time around. I did, and recieved just a few more pages then I got the 1st time and a 3rd DD214. I called them again and asked them how do I get my complete records. This time they told me to write a letter with the freedom of information act in it. I did. This guy at the records center called me at work and told me I should never of put the freedom of information act in my letter. I told him he was the one who told me to write that, he disagreed and ask me exactly what I wanted. I told him I want my complete 201 file. Did I get it, NO I got a few more pages I didn't have before, for the 3rd time. I must be going about getting my records all wrong. Who do I talk to. Thank you for your help Kris

Wait, I think I might be mixed up, I have a DAV guy I go see, is he different then a SO? Sorry!!!!

I have a SO, all he said is that I must of really made someone mad to have them change my service number and to put what they did on my DD214's. I have 3 different DD214's all together. My orginal that I got out of the service with and 2 different ones in my 201 file. One of them is not even signed. I am just worried that these problems are going to mess my claim up more. Just trying to find out how I can get my full 201 file, as I said I know there is more in my file, I have sent for it 3 different times and only get a few more pages each time. How is it that they will not send me what is in my file, it does belong to me right? And why just a few more pages each time I send in a request.

When I recieved my 201 files the first time, I recieved 13 pages. My social security number had been hand changed by one number on all my pages but 2. Where a 8 had been typed it had been hand changed to a 6. I have sent for my 201 files 3 times, and each time I only get a few more pages. I do not understand why they can't just send me everything they have instead of a few more pages each time. My SSN on the new pages have been hand changed to from and 8 to a 6 also. In other words I am missing almost all my 201 files. I have requested that the personnel center go into the other persons files and see if my records are in his file, but they have told me that they can not do that. And on my DD214 that I recieved from the personnel center which was different then the orginal one I got out with has under Authority and Reason: Para 5-14 AR 635-200 SPD JBM which means that that I concealed an Arrest record before joining the military which is impossible never happened. However on my orders that released me from the military had LBK under authority and Reason. I did serve my full time and got out with an honorable. What I am worried about is if I have the wrong SSN number and my records can't be found, I do not know how I am ever going to prove what I am trying to tell the VA. The major reason for my first denial was because they could not find certain things in my medical records and in my personal files. The reason for lack of records is the wrong SSN. How can I fix this. I did send in the paper work for to change my SSN and they did change it, but big deal thats now not then. Also I know they have more records on me because like I said the 3 times I have sent for my 201 files, I have gotten just a few more pages each time. What gives

Berta, I wrote the VA as you suggested and asked the status of my claim, this is the email that was sent back to me. Your appeal is awaiting the last two steps in the process. Your claim folder is in the post determination team. This team updates the data base in our system, writes to the claimant to include the rating decision and if applicable, also notifies the treasury department if monies are due. It takes approximately 45 days for this part of the process. You will be notified in writing with the results. Again my CP exam was early June, can you tell me what any of this means.

Thank you Berta for your kind reply

Hi all, thank you for all your replies. Ofcourse now I am really confused. Had my CP exam in early june. Recieved the letter from the DAV a few weeks later saying I would be rated at 50%. I do understand by what all of you are saying this really means nothing. The VA has stopped billing me for my doctor visits. And are only billing me for a precription here and there since that letter. I wonder if I am going to owe them money now, being I never recieved any type of letter from the VA on the rating the DAV said I should have. When I talk to my DAV officer last week and told him what the guy at the 1-800 said, my DAV guy did not know what he was talking about as far as being past the suspense date meant. So should I be trying to contact someone and find out exactly where my case stands. If my DAV guy can't help me who can. I am hoping it is you men and women of this board as you seem the most imformed. Thank you again for your time

Thank you Rocky, now that I think about it you are right, it was suspense date. I filed my claim Jan 2005, so I just sit and wait. I am getting used to that with the VA. Thanks again

I had my C&P exam 2 months ago with a favorable response from the outside Doctor the VA sent me to. When I called the 1-800 number all the gentleman could tell me is that I was past the suspenion period on my case and that he could see nothing else on the computer and than added a good luck to me. I am not sure what he meant by being past the suspenion period. Would any of you know what that means. Thank you

I wish I new about this site 2 years ago. I have been very much on my own trying to gather records, etc, without any guidence. I apealed a decision about 4 months ago and finally got a CP exam. I recieved a letter from the DAV, National Service Office stating: This letter is not intended to serve as your official notification from the Department of Veterans Affairs(VA). You will receive an official decision from the VA upon completion of neccessary administrative procedures. etc etc. Further down the letter it states, The Disabled American Veterans(DAV) has reviewed the most recent VA decision concerning you claim for benefits. We are pleased to inform you that a combined evaluation of __% has been assigned as a result of the followin action. Service connection for panic attacks and major depression(claimed as post traumatic stress disorder) is granted with an evaluation of __% effective on such and such date. Then they sent me paper work to fill out. Where I am confused is my Dav officer said I would recieve a letter in about a week, it has been almost 4 weeks. He also said that the DAV letter really does not mean anything because the VA still has to go through a process and rate me. My first question is why did the DAV even bother sending me the letter if it really does not mean anything. My second question is It looks like I was turned down for PTSD. So I guess what I am asking is what is the next step, my DAV officer said the VA could turn me down on my claim again. Could someone please explain how all of this works. Thank you for any information and GOD BLESS you for all of your hard work and helping Vets like me.