john999

When I was a child in the 50's and 60's my mother got some kind of cash benefit from the VA for us kids after my father died. He was a disabled WWII vet, but not 100%, nor did he die from an SC condition. What happened with that benefit? We were poor so maybe that had something to do with it, but we were not on welfare and my mother did not get a war widow pension. She got my father's SSA. To the question if you are 30% and you don't die from the SC condition your spouse gets nothing at this time. Oh, sorry, she might get an American flag.

With the NOD ask specifically for a DRO Hearing. Keep it simple. I have had a few of these hearings and if you have good evidence you have a good chance of winning. If you are asking for 30 years of retro like I did forget about it.

The easiest way to do this is to get an IMO and get it in before your decision to rebutt anything negative the c&p said and to press you claim for maximum benefits. You don't want to file an appeal unless you have to do it. You don't want to fool around with another half-ass c&p exam that could be worse than the one you got already. I filed an appeal because I got a terrible C&P exam. I got another exam and it was worse than the first one. The doctors knew each other and thought they would put the screws to me.

Hollis When you send documents to the VA I suggest getting a date stamped copy. This way they can never say they did not get the appeal or nod on time. If you live hundreds of miles from your VARO you can use certified/return receipt mail, but the date stamped copy is still best. If you have copies already don't worry about it. My VARO has lost my stuff about 10 times over the years. They even claimed they lost my DD214. It was sitting in the C-File but they were too lazy to look. You are dealing with people who flunked second grade twice. You cannot believe anything they say until you have it in writing. John

If you are not happy with your rating I suggest getting an IMO and appealing this thing until you are happy. Are you able to work? Are you just trying to get the highest rating possible or are you trying to get TDIU or 100%? If you are working 40 hours it is harder to get 70% for PTSD, but it could be done. It is a fine line between 50% and 70% and most vets who are 70% for PTSD or any other mental condition are not working because they can't. The higher percentage you rack up now the easier to get TDIU or 100% if and when you get worse. Buying an IMO is a good investment. Do you get mental health therapy at the VA?

Get a medical opinion that you can't work and appeal this decision. You could also apply for vocational rehabilitation and if they find that you can't be rehabilitated that would help with TDIU. You should apply for SSDI anyway if you can't work, but don't wait for SSDI to file an appeal on the TDIU. You can do more than one thing at a time. If you get an IMO you could ask for reconsideration of your TDIU denial. You need evidence that you can't work. Medical evidence is best.

Try and get an appointment for the middle of the day to avoid long lines onto the MacDill AFB. I live pretty close. I got my ID there. What will shock you is how young the airmen look. That is because we are old, heh, heh.

Send it to your VARO where your C-File is at. Good luck. At your age you should probably been rated P&T when you got 100%. I would drop number (5). If you are 100% schedular you should have been considered for HB when you were rated.

A rating of 30% does not jive with a description of Severe, Chronic PTSD. That sounds like 100% to me. Who said you had severe and chronic PTSD? Was that your c&p or your VA doctor that DX'ed you. Also, have you had surgery on your back? If you work or don't work your back will probably hurt. I don't have an answer for the chronic pain thing because if I did I would be using it. I took vicodin at work for my pain until it drove me crazy. I would not look to the VA for treatment of my back pain. I imagine they just give you shots and narcotics. The world is divided into those with back pain and those without and those without think they know just what to do to fix your back including all the doctors. All surgery does most of the time is correct ROM or fix numb leg. It does not fix pain with any predictability.

Go to your family doctor and get a referral to a heart doctor before you drop dead. You won't be collecting compensation if you die from a heart attack. If you have SSDI then you have medicare. Use it. Don't wait to have a heart attack before you get treatment for this.

In the first few years after Vietnam the VA often DX'ed those with severe PTSD as having schizophrenia because they did not have a clue. Just about everyone with DDD in the spine has depression because they can't do what they used to.

Your depression and PTSD will be lumped together, but you could ask for an increase due to co-morbidity making your overall condition worse. Physical and mental disorders tend to make each other worse. If you are in a lot of pain you may not be able to get out and do things to help your mental isolation. I know about this.

There are people who are completely disabled by their OCD. Many people have a little OCD, but some have very bad cases where they cannot get out of the house in the morning due to rituals they must do. Some OCD symptoms seem almost like a psychosis but the people with this severe OCD are not crazy.

Remember that you can get an IMO if your C&P does not come out right. If I depended on C&P exams for ratings I would be still getting just 30%. I have never had a really decent C&P exam. The last one I had was done by a PA and was a joke. Don't be defeated just because your C&P is not good. The VA piles their evidence on one side and you pile yours on the other side of the scale. You have to really pile it on so you don't need the C&P.

You have enough for TDIU right now. What you need is medical proof that you cannot work. Does your company have a disability retirement pension? I would do as Berta has said and make sure I file the official form for TDIU. If you really feel over your head you could get a VA lawyer. All you really need is a letter from a psychiatrist saying you can't work any more due to your depression and chronic pain. You are not starting from Zero. You are already rated.

Moody I think they can rate your claim any time they want to rate it. Imagine the VARO rating office.....piles of claims, slow moving clerks and raters sipping their coffee. Our individual claims are just not a priority for these people. If you write your claim in a way that a 2nd grader can understand that is your best bet. The best thing is to just get on with your life if you can while checking every month to see if there is anything missing from your claim. Sometimes the VA will stop your claim while they wait for something you could provide yourself. I call them and ask them if they are waiting on anything or if there is something missing like a DD214.

Find someone who can help you with treatment for the PTSD. I assume you are a young guy. You don't want this PTSD to control your whole life for the next 60 years. It may not be curable but the symptoms can be controlled and at some point you may be able to get on with your life. In the meantime getting TDIU is good. You can always get vocational rehabilitation when you have enough money to live on.

None in Florida. If you are living with someone for more than a year or two, or have kids by them it is wise to get married if you care about them and if it is possible.

I would like a new computer. Mine is a relic. My last visit with ILP was pretty bad. I am officially HB so getting me a computer should be an obvious get. I don't know if I want to put up with months of BS, but if I could get the train rolling I might be able to get other stuff I need.

Errors are almost always on behalf of the VA and benefit the VA's bottom line. They are not random errors.

Papa I would keep my lawyer in the loop as to anything I do regarding my claim. Most lawyers don't want the Vet speaking to the VA about their claim. They are afraid something you say will be used against you.

He needs the IMO!

The VA called me a few years back about a SMC claim I had filed. First they asked if I had any other information. Then a few weeks later they called and told me my claim was approved. I could not believe it either. They had deferred the claim for a year and I was getting angry sending them letters and I even sent in a NOD saying there was no reason to defer it.

If you want to get off narcotic meds I don't think it will hurt your rating. You tell them you want to withdraw from the narcotics medically. They need to help you to withdraw by either putting you in the hospital to kick it, or give you withdrawl schedule to follow. Tell them you want off the narcotics but you need to be medically supervised as you kick it. If it was me I would probably just continue to get the meds and take them if I need them. Throw away the excess safely. As long as you obey the rules it does show that you have big problem since you are not taking just tylenol. I don't like to close doors behind me. I like to keep all doors open. The VA is always going to be in your business if you get money from them. They can call you in for a c&p exam next week.

John Basser That's right. The VA wants to know if you are using your narcotic meds or selling them. I was going to private clinic in Florida and I had to take piss test as well. If your refill date falls near a VA holiday watch out buddy. I wrote the director about my not getting drugs on time. Things went well for a few months then most of the doctors in pain clinic rotated to other hospitals and it was back to usual routine. If my refill date is Jan 5, I might get drugs by certified mail on the 7th to the 14th. Of course, I take counter measures to be sure I don't run out. I don't abuse any drugs or alcohol so if they want to test that is OK. I make damn sure the drugs are in my system every time I go to the VA. The VA just assumes we are all substance abusers. Tmoe I have been told that fentanyl and oxycontin can only be used for cancer patients. That is just a damn lie. These drugs are more expensive that is all it is about. They can justify giving you methadone or morphine because it is cheap. Methadone is one of the most dangerous drugs and they dispense it all the time. I was told by pain management that I could not get cymbalta because of cost. Damn lie! I got it via my VA psychiatrist.