indyman

When I saw how long it is taking claims at my RO I was totally frustrated with the VA way of handling claims. You get in line and you wait. Do not depend on your VSO no matter how good he or she may be. And they sometimes get as frustrated as you. I agree with StreetWalker, if you have enough for SSDI go for it too. Nothing tried, nothing gained. Good luck, and thanks for your service.

Pete 53, I have started researching the SSA web. I started regular SSA at 62 and have read I still have time to file for SSDI until 6 months before I reach regular retirement age (66), so I think I will get started. My RO is on a wait time of 1400 days on NODs. The Indy RO has 18,000 with 14000 > 125 days. And the secretary is totally clueless on what is going on.

Location, location and location. You got it right. I just got a letter this month about my C&P exam and my claim was being done in Agusta ME because of backlog in Indianapolis. Sounds like buck passing to me.

My first doctor at the VA who I take credit for improving his knowledge and speaking of the English language would not diagnose my DMII until he had one year of high sugar readings. Then since the PN had already started and I continued to hound him on the AO connection did he finally say I MAY have a problem. EMG's were abnormal and the PN was starting in my hands. One time at a local golf course another couple and my wife and I went to play minuture golf. I lost my balance and did this wonderful dancing act over half the course. My buddy wanted to know what that was all about. Now the PN has me on gabapentin daily X 2, metformin, and the underlying overlay of DPN is in my wrists. I must wear foot and lower leg braces (called afo's) and I need a cane. Now they think I have osteoporosis. I was rated at 10 percent on the PN. I have a claim for IU and I will most likely end up in a wheelchair. It does not get better. To quote my PN doctor at VA. Its only going to get worse. I fully understand the depression link, because I am starting to give in to that. I have zero energy and my legs are burning, tingling, and the pain in my toes and tops of my feet are terrible. When I walk by a piece of furniture or bed I give a wide berth, knowing that if I stumble into that piece of whatever I will be crying for twenty minutes over the pain.

After reading the long delays that my fellow veterans are complaining about, I have just about decided to file SSDI and go for both. One hundred days is far better that 2000 or more.

I got four letters in four months that were computer generated apologizing for the delays. They could have reviewed, rated, and paid in one month. No accountability.

I tried that ebenifits noise and it was a waste of my time. It seldom works, or tells you it can not find any information. I go to the Indy VA and use the ROI a lot and I have had far better success with that. The VBA has a horrible batting average on anything new they try to implement. Too many bean counters, and not enough common sense. If you go in to va.gov anytime soon, you will see the secretary standing behind another VA employee giving a lecture. Well, the secretary has his arms crossed over his chest. I took a lot of body language training when I worked in LE. That gesture is a pretty good indicator that person could care less about what you said. It is a form of denial, and disbelief of what you are saying.

I got fitted for afo's; that is those crazy looking robot legs that I call them. Anyway I was on my second set of them and only because I got to be a friend with my orthotist did he tell me about it. I filed the form in Jan 2013, called twice, just to make sure they received it, and they will not return calls. So, I may start sending a form every month, and keeping copies of them. These afo's I wear can really tear up a pair of pants in a hurry. They sqeak too. I may switch to rollar skates.

Well when I took the C&P on Jan 30, and got my 84 pages from ROI I realized the NP had rated my PN as Moderately Severe from the mild category. I figured this would help. I hope for schedular but I do not think there is enough. I'm thinking they will kick me up to 80 or maybe 90, but who knows. It would seem to me if they kick it up to 80 or 90, then they would also award TDIU. But, I am just guessing here. They may denie the whole think. They also found osteoporis on Feb 12 during a dexa scan. What weight if any will that have on award or denial?

If when having filed an IU claim and C&P exam shows a worsened SC disability is it possible to be denied the IU but get an increase on the existing SC disability that has worsened? How much weight does the NP have on the questionare. Any input greatly appreciated.

I have been following this website and decided to join after viewing a lot of valuable information. So here goes: I have a question that my VSO hesitated to answer and I really am concerned. I am currently rated at 70% for DMII, PN, HTN, Hearing, and ankle, shoulder, and facial scars. My PN is in my lower extremeties. During my C&P exam on Jan 30th the NP gave a very good exam, and used a sentence (as likely as not) attributable to my DM. When I was examined for my PN of the lower extremeties the NP checked the Moderately Severe block on the questionare. This was on both legs and feet. She also noted that my carpal tunnel had worsened due to an overlay of DPN to my upper extremeties which is "an association with diabetics" and rated my loss of feeling, numbing etc at the moderate level. Further, I would be unable to secure and maintain gainful, even selective sedentary employment. So, here is my question: When the RVSR reviews the NP questionare and notes the statements of the NP and the Moderately Severe and Moderate levels of my upper and lower extremeties, but denies my IU claim could I still get an increase based on the exam? My lower extremeties are currently 10% each. The moderately severe level is 40 and 30 in Title 38, and the Moderate is 30 and 20. Also they noted a degeneration on my shoulder injury and osteopenia in my toes which after a dexa scan on Feb 12th revealed full blown osteoporsis. So now, is the medication Im taking for HTN, DMII, Gabapentin (which I was put on by VA for worsening PN, leg cramps and pain) will be a deciding factor in my direction? Sorry, about the long topic, but I am really worried on this one.