john999

Whodat You know these C&P doctors and WC doctors have this prejudice they learn from fellow whore doctors. "All vets and injured workers are fakers". We are all out to get something we don't deserve. The doctors all make hundreds of thousands of bucks a year On weekends they go out on their 40 foot boat and spend the day fishing and getting drunk, and yet they would deprive a disabled worker or vet of enough money to survive. They feel holy about screwing some injured guy to the wall.

I was on worker's compensation for a couple of years before I got TDIU. I went to a few WC exams. Some of the doctors were hostile and really tried to "F" me over. If you get hurt and have chronic pain if they can't see a broken bone then it is all in your head and you are faking it was their motto. I was always fighting with these guys to try and get decent treatment. VA is not much better when it comes to making a money claim. The exam doctors have the same sorry attitude.

Bradley V Peake is the decision that granted some TDIU vets "S". I had TDIU plus 60% and the VA did not immediately grant me "S". I had to claim it. Pissed me off!

Heck yeah, In Tampa where I live the inflation rate is just about 10%. The raises I got for SSA, pension and VA were about 6%. I am going in the hole every month. The government CPI and PPI don't include prices for energy and food. That is where the massive inflation is happening. Of course, inflation of housing and rent in my area is just out of sight. Home prices went up 15% in the last year and I think rent went up more than that. Used car prices went up 30% year over year. My brother has a 2004 honda that I sold him. It is worth more now that what he paid for it and he has had it 6 years. The way the government cures inflation is to cause a recession. Interest rates go up so when you buy a car or house you pay more to finance it . If you are rich and can pay cash for a car or house not too bad but most of us cannot do that.

Bronco You are so right about some doctors under prescribing for pain because they are afraid of the DEA. The VA has become scared to death to prescribe pain meds. I am on them and I have to jump through the many hoops to get them.

If you totally focus on when you will get a decision you will drive yourself crazy. If you are currently able to pay your bills then just relax like Bronco says. I shed 20 pounds waiting on money from various sources when I lost my job back in 2001. I felt so bad and useless waiting on money and worrying about what was coming next. It was all just useless because the wheels turn slowly. As soon as some money started coming in I was OK. You have 80% now. Do you have SSDI? Do you have any sort of pension? Do you have an IRA or savings? If you are not destitute then relax. For about six months I had no money coming in and that was bad. If you have money don't worry. These things resolve themselves in time.

I agree with Buck and Mr. Cue. When VA starts messing around with ratings it usually does not benefit the vet. About a year ago I decided that my rating for DMII was too low since I was hospitalized for it and had to go on insulin injections twice a day. Included in my claim for an increase was my ratings for neuropathy which was rated at 10% for each limb. My rating for DMII was not increase from 20% to 40% because of a loophole. However, my ratings for neuropathy was increase from 10% for each limb to 40% for each limb. You cannot ever tell with these claims. If you think you have a really good reason to ask for an increase go for it, but remember what was said about waking up the monster. I have my main rating protected at 20 year level, but other ratings are only protected by 10 year level. I would not claim an increase for MH just to find out what will stick on the wall. After WW11 the VA reduced thousands of vets who had higher ratings but were in the work force. In those days a guy could get a good union job. Vets did have some advantages when getting hired. If they could drag themselves to the factory floor and put in 8 hours that was better than small money for compensation. My father got 10% rating and he got $8 a month in 1946. 100% was probably a few hundred dollars a month. That was low even in those days.

I bet rating increases would fall under the new changes. It might be "bait" to get vets to attempt to raise their mental health rating to Total and then reduce the current rating because when you ask for a raise they evaluate your original rating. I think I should have a 100% rating for my MH condition but if I ask for the increase they might just reduce my 70% rating because I don't use VA for treatment. It took 30 years to go from 10% to 70% TDIU. They might undo that if I were re-evaluated today since I am retired in a pretty stressless life style. I would not hesitate to claim new disabilites. The VA usually does not adjust ratings just for our benefit. Congress hawks are always looking to reduce the budget at the expense of those who depend on the government for their welfare. If they can discard a couple of million vets from compensation rolls under cover without public becoming aware they would do it. How can you trust these bastards after the tricks they have pulled over the years.

My cpap works in the lab but I can't tolerate it in real life. I tried and tried. I eventually had an operation to install the Inspire implant. It works to a moderate degree, but I go through life like a zombie many days.

That adjustment disorder is just a way to weasel out of DX-ing PTSD because PTSD has a more ominous outcome. Contrary to the VA nobody has found a "cure" for PTSD. There are treatments but no magic cures.

When I first filed a claim for a MH condition the VA said I had schizophrenia . They were wrong but that is about as serious as a heart attack. I got a 10% rating. This is the VA in action. Low ball vets with so-called serious MH conditions. I am still at just 70% 50 years later. Of course the have changed the DX ten times since then from Bipolar to PTSD to this and that but the rating remains the same. I got 100% for other stuff so I don't let it bother me, but it did when I was 23 years old and was unable to work.

Mr. Cue Your pain is our gain since you are leading the way on this issue. Glad you share it with us. I fought with the bastards for almost 50 years. To a degree the benefit of doubt does help with the usual and random claims of vets, but anything where vet seeks real justice he will get the shaft.

I had TDIU and when I got an extra 60% the VA did not automatically grant me "S". I filed a claim for it and VA called CUE on themselves and granted it with retro. Usually VA does nothing without making a claim IMO. They tend to drag their feet when it comes to granting anything not actually claimed. I took AO exam. They found three AO conditions, but I would never have gotten anything without an official claim. This really gets me where VA identifies a SC condition and just sits there and waits twenty years for you to claim it.

I would not mind living in Mobile on the Gulf Coast. How are housing prices there? I live in Tampa, Florida and my house would sell for $500,000 and I have the cheapest house on the block. Unless you live in the Everglades no house for 75K. All along the Gulf Coast you have these monster storms. I like the panhandle of Florida but hurricanes have smashed it over and over. I bet you could get a nice place in Mississippi or Alabama but I wonder about medical care and standard of living.

I don't know is these C&P doctors are stupid, incompetent or just whores. I have had docs just like you describe who have said the most outrageous things to me. One said I was faking because I had a degree in psychology.

Steve That's good but don't let that stop you from making a claim. I got a zero rating for my heart. I appealed it and got 60%. I am not sure exactly why but whose complaining. When you make a claim you just can't predict how it will turn out. The worst they can do is deny it and then you appeal and appeal. Those who persist get the golden apple . If you could get a high rating with your retirement you would be set. I got retirement from USPS and with SSA and VA I do all right. I could not make it on just 100% from the VA. That covers my credit card bill since I put everything on it. You know if you can get a disability insurance policy they can be golden. I got one 30 years ago. When I became disabled I made a claim. I have been getting benefits from the insurance for 20 years. You have to plan for these things because you never know.

How about Vioxx? That stuff caused heart attacks and they go sued over it. I think Motrin is potentially really bad stuff. It will kill your gut if you take it long term. If you do your research you may find many connections for high blood to many conditions. I have a long list of secondary conditions for DMII. You get your sugar tested? If your sugar is over 126 when you get blood test the VA says you have DMII. Have you looked into Burn Pit disabilites? VA simply does not give a shit about chemical exposures. You have to stick it up their asses.

Does SSDI not consider sheltered employment as a factor for granting benefits. With your disability I think you could get SSDI pretty easy. How old are you? If you are over 50 it is easier to get SSDI. Maybe if you are still able to work you might want to do so as long as you can because they you get bigger SSA check. I got SSDI when I was 51 for about the same thing you have. It was pretty easy in Florida, but I had a hell of a good private doctor write me an IMO. The IMO is what did it. Man, if you got 100% plus "S" you damn sure should be able to get SSDI when you stop working. However, with SSDI depending on your situation it can take a long time including getting a lawyer etc. Save every penny you can for a wait after you hang up the job. These benefits are unpredictable. When I got fired from my job I applied for worker's compensation on the way out the door. I got those benefits which did tide me over until I got SSDI and TDIU. You must use every avenue you have in our situation. I worked for the post office and they were bastards to me. I got OPM retirement and all the rest and each benefit was different with certain requirements. For me TDIU with the VA was the hardest. The VA took me over the hurdles but I got it.

If you are a Vietnam vet then getting connected for heart problems is very easy due to AO exposure. I got mine secondary to DMII because DMII is AO presumptive. You just don't know what you can get until you claim it. I got 60% for heart and I was pretty shocked. I don't look a gift horse in the mouth. The VA does not look beyond their nose for secondary conditions or connections. You have to claim it. Very good post, VYNC.

Who is going to report you for doing volunteer work? If you get a 1099 or W-2 the VA has access to that. If you have SSA earnings then the VA can get that, whereas nobody reports volunteer work. You better think twice about any job that reports earnings. If they just pay in cash and no report who is to know? The VA is not really watching you like Worker's Compensation does ,but you have taxable earnings or SSA earnings then they can see that. Work for cash and no reports I think is OK.

If you live in Florida and are P&T you get entire exemption for property tax. I got it 20 years ago and it included my wife since she is on the deed as well. If I croak she still gets the exemption. Florida is pretty generous for disabled vets.

If you have high blood you could have stroke or heart attack. Those things are all connected. A lot of guys with high blood also have DMII and heart disease. I have calcification of veins in my legs and DMII and high blood. VA accepted a claim for heart disease due to DMII and gave me 60%, but I had to appeal it . I was first granted just 0% like you. I would not accept 0% for high blood is I was you. You know that can lead to bad stuff. If VA ever connects high blood to agent orange I will be filing a claim, you bet. Never just accept a 0% rating IMO. Just appeal everything. You never know what might evolve. I had 10% for neuropathy in both hands and feet. I filed a claim for an increase and got 40% on each foot and each hand and arm. I was pretty floored because I just wanted 40% for the DMII.

If you believe you have secondary conditions you must claim them and have doctor report saying they are related to you primary SC condition. No matter how obvious the VA wants you to get medical opinion for connection.

I got TDIU P&T 20 years ago. I really worked at it, but to some extent I think I might have been lucky. I did have four IMO's, and I decided I would not be denied. I just think they put vets through hell as does the SSA. They just want you to work or starve until your last gasp. You just have to persist. Maybe because I filed for TDIU before the Iraq War and before Afghanistan got going there was not such a large number of vets getting hurt. I have not secrets as to how vets win their claims besides getting good IMO's and staying in treatment for whatever ails you. Use the VA to document your illness and injury.

I think VA treats SMC claims like they claims for big retro. They just fight it and fight it until the vet dies or gives up in disgust. You just have to keep fighting as long as you think it is worth the effort. I had a CUE claim and they fought me for 6 years until the Court finally stuck it to me and my lawyer quit. when you do win the SMC we will celebrate with you.