FormerMember

Hi asknod, this is the information that I sent to Berta yesterday. I am new to this forum and not quite sure what the sop is here. Thanks in advance!

Hi Berta and thank you for your response to my question! I received a 10% SC rating for hypertension in 1988. That was my first rated condition. Then in November of 2008, I was diagnosed with popliteal aneurysms, bilaterally, (they are a large artery aneurysm behind the knee) after having an MRI for a painful right knee. Then in December of 2008, I had a CT scan which revealed my aortic aneurysm at 3.5cm. I had popliteal bypass surgery in 2009. The first one in February and the second six months later in August, 2009. I had the American Legion representing me at that time, and they filed a claim on my behalf in 2009  for peripheral vascular disease. At that time I had no idea how any of this worked or any knowledge of the schedule of ratings. I now believe that they made a big mistake in filing for peripheral vascular disease when it was clear that I had two "large artery aneurysms", which were not in the aorta! That filing would have awarded me 100% disability for one year (six months for each surgery). Then a final rating would have taken place after that period of time. Instead I was awarded 0% SC for peripheral vascular disease. I went to work for the VA Medical Center in Detroit Michigan in 2012, as a temporary hire - Engineering Technician. They liked my work ethic and finally made me a permanent VA employee. I really enjoyed working there till I resigned in 2017. During the five years working there is when I gained the knowledge of the schedule 38 ratings and by no means did I become an expert at it. I signed up the VFW there at the hospital and they filed a claim for me for painful popliteal surgical scars, I think in 2014. I was awarded 20% SC for the painful surgical scars. Then in 2016, a routine CT scan revealed that my aortic aneurysm had enlarged to 5.2cm. The VFW filed a claim for my larger than 5cm aortic aneurysm and I then received 100% P & T for my aortic aneurysm, secondary to hypertension. In 2017, I had the VFW file a claim for an increase in the peripheral vascular disease rating from 2009. They filed a claim for an increase rating for hypertension and for peripheral vascular disease, both of which were denied. While waiting for this decision, the husband of my service officer at the VAMC in Detroit, called me and was trying to convince me to drop my claim. He said that I was already 100% and could not receive anything more. I believed this to be an outright lie and I never trusted the VFW after that, or any other service official. So I filed my NOD myself after I was denied and got nowhere, very slowly! In 2018 I suffered a cerebral accident (stroke) and I filed a claim and received 30% for loss of peripheral right side vision. It was determined at my C & P examination that it was related to my aortic aneurysm. Then in 2019 I filed a claim for popliteal large artery aneurysm which the VA just grouped together with my SC aortic aneurysm and called them one in the same, which they are not. I had a HLR which the HLR officer called me and agreed with me and said that I would have a favorable outcome. But the VA stuck with there original decision, overriding the HLR decision. So then I filed a NOD and my claim for popliteal aneurysms is at the BVA since March 17, 2020. No decision from them yet! In 2020 I filed a claim for hearing loss and tinnitus and received a 0% SC for hearing loss bilaterally, and a 10% SC for tinnitus. So there is so much more in between the lines information that I simply can't recall, but this is really my journey so far with the VBA. Thanks once again for your help Berta!