Helmand

To those that have had several C&P exams (like 10+), were they consolidated within three or four days, or were they fairly spread out over several weeks?

Seems like second-tier cities tend to be better. I was not expecting Oakland or Chicago to be at the top of the list! Do the bigger cities tend to use QTC doctors more than smaller ones? I have a lot riding on this claim and get the impression that if I can avoid contractor docs, I should.

I am looking to get 15+ C&Ps done in a short time since I live overseas and will be visiting the USA solely for the C&P exams. I can go to any VAMC I choose. I know from reading the Monday Morning Workload Reports (http://www.vba.va.gov/REPORTS/mmwr/index.asp) that not all VAROs are as backlogged as others. That's VAROs---but what about VAMCs? How is yours? Would you recommend it? Any recommendations for VAMCs to seek? Any to avoid? I'd like to get all the C&Ps done in a consolidated schedule with competent people (hopefully no QTCs). Thanks!

I have a pending claim for multiple sclerosis and sinusitis. The claim has a thorough IMO, SMRs, MRI images on DVD, and buddy statements. It is a "fully-developed" claim, with no further evidence to submit. However, no DBQs were sent in with my claim (based on multiple opinions from trusted folks that said they were not going to add any value). Because I am living and working in Afghanistan, attending any C&P exams will be quite difficult for me. Thus, I called my VARO to find out what I could expect with how my claim would be processed. The VA rep I talked to said that the appropriate DBQs will be mailed to me for what I claim, and I would have 60 days to have them completed. I can have any qualified physician (I'll use my IMO doc, of course) complete these to submit back to the VA. Are these recently launched DBQs now being used in place of showing up for C&P exams? That would be great if that were the case. I am guessing the VA is doing this to fray some of the costs and time to process claims? Seem like this is too simple a process...

I have had vertigo that began during the last few months of active duty, but it was never truly diagnosed. I thought it might be Meniere's (6205) or some other peripheral vestibular disorder (6204). I tried SC'ing the Meniere's, and that was denied, as I expected. I didn't know how else to make that claim; there is not a claim for just plain old regular vertigo. I relented, and put up with condition. Fast forward a year now, with the vertigo attacks still occuring regularly. Long story short, two ENTs I saw on my own dime in Dubai think it is not an ENT condition, but rather something called migraine associated vertigo (MAV), which would be the area of expertise of a neurologist. I had never heard of MAV before, and I have done a fair amount of research on vertigo. I felt like I was getting somewhere and now would have a well-grounded claim. So, I saw a neurologist on my own dime in Dubai as well. He did a MRI, and it showed that I have considerable white matter lesions and myelineal deterioration. He says this could be the cause for the vertigo, but still more tests are needed because it could be MS; I am back in Afghanistan now at my job site (yeah, I live here), so that will have to wait until the next R&R to do more tests. I have looked at the DBQ for MS, and it seems that it would better for me to pursue a MAV claim. I told him that I don't have the "classic" migraine headaches with the vertigo that often, only half the time. He said there are people that have MAV without headaches at all; there is probably this common misconception that headaches have to be present with this condition, but not true. So what I need help with is knowing if I have a case with getting SC'd for the MAV with DC 8100. Is this the best way to ground my vertigo claim? Would a IMO from my Dubai doc saying that more likely than not my vertigo is more likely that not migraine associated vertigo that is clinically proven with the MRIs? Or should I get more tests? Finally, I have another post from today about C&P exams being conducted overseas. I don't expect that the VA will schedule a C&P in Dubai, so I am trying to ground my claim as best I can to preclude a C&P exam in CONUS. Thanks!

First post here. This site rocks! My main dilemma is how to work with the VA so they will schedule C&P exams for me that I could reasonably attend. For me, that place would be Dubai. You see, I work in Afghanistan. I can't just hop an a plane any time to the US. I get my R&Rs every three months, but other than that, I am stuck. But Dubai is different; I could take a couple days off to make that happen. For a recent condition I submitted an appeal for, the VA notified me through the mail (my mom gets my mail) with a letter dated the 13th of June to attend a C&P exam on the 20th of June. My mom checks the mail twice a week or so. So by the time I hear about the letter, it is the day of the C&P exam that I had waited 9 months for. Of course, I was quite irate. Bottom line: I could not attend the C&P, and now my claim was denied. I know they have a backlog of claims, but come on. With the number of veterans living in Germany, UK, Italy, Japan, not to mention ones working as contractors in Afghanistan, there MUST be a way to attend C&Ps like this from overseas. I use the VA's Foreign Medical Program. It's great and I can see just about any doctor I want in Dubai for SC'd conditions, and it's paid 100%, but I would like this C&Ps in Dubai too. A one week notice (especially through the mail) is unacceptable to make it back CONUS. How can I get it so that I could have the exam in a place like, say, Dubai? There are many competent medical professionals there. The 800-827-1000 rep I talked today was no help at all.