john999

If you have severe back disability you ought to see a psychiatrist and try for a depression rating. Back pain and depression go hand in hand.

I, myself, have never heard of any vet being investigated the way you are talking about in your post. It sounds sinister to me. I know if you are TDIU and earning 50,000 bucks a year you are probably going to have a problem, but nobody comes sneaking around except via your IRS/SSA records.

You know the VA does not move faster just because you have a lawyer. You probably get better representation that any other source. The lawyer has money to win or lose. That is the great American profit motive in action.

I really hope you get your rating because 10% for schizophrenia is absurd. Nobody with schizophrenia is just 10% disabled. Get your money and do what ever you have to do to stay out of trouble so they can't suspend your payments. Don't stop taking your meds even if you feel perfect.

Papa Call Kat&Kat and ask for an update!

What I mean is you may have the same basic symptoms, but if you can work you get 30%-50% for depression. If you can't work you may get 70% or even 100%. I started at 10% then 30% and when I could not work anymore I got 70% TDIU for symptoms I had had for years except I was able to keep working. What separates those with MH issues from getting 30-50% and those who get TDIU or 100% is the ability to work.

Diabetes is presumptive for service connection for anyone with boots on the ground in Vietnam. Did he get an honorable discharge? Sometimes vets are ashamed to show bad paper. I do know that if all the guys who claim to have served in Vietnam actually were there we would have had about 20 million people there.

Yes, there was a mail carrier here who stashed mail he did not want to deliver in his house. He had rooms full of mostly 3rd and 4th class mail nobody would miss.

There are vets who take 30 meds a day. The VA is nervous about giving sleeping meds, valium type drugs and narcotics at the same time. They assume you will OD. I have heard the same story because I take clonazepam. The VA doctors told me that they were afraid to prescribe stonger fentanyl patches due to chances of my OD'ing. I would appeal as Pete suggests and start with patient advocate. If they drag their heels go to medical director. Write them a letter if you have to "certified mail" and discuss malpractice and medical neglect. The VA admits and brags about their obligation to treat pain. The facts is that after 4000 years the only drugs that treat severe pain are narcotics.

Maybe, but if it is at the rating board they probably have enough from your recent surgery to make a decision. However, the VA may want a C&P just to see where you are now. I would think they would want to see how you have or have not recovered. Usually, if it is at the rating board they have all they need to rate it, but who knows with these guys. If you are looking for a date when you claim will be done nobody can tell.

I got SC'ed for three conditions that were secondary to DMII because I read the VBM which had a section on possible secondary conditions of DMII. Nobody at the VAMC told me this. I think a lot of vets don't know about secondary conditions especially depression as secondary to any disability that affects your ability to fully engage in life activities. I mean if you have back pain that is SC and now you can't ride in the car to go see your grandchildren that is depressing.

Phil I was a postal worker and mostly they did get rid of the crooks and theives, and did not want it known to the public. Some of the cases were so awful that it did get out, and some did go to jail. I was working one night when the postal inspectors surrounded the Airport Post Office in Tampa and hauled about 20 people off to jail for using the mail system to distribute illegal drugs. When I worked for the USPS about once every few months somebody got arrested by postal inspectors for stealing. Most were fired and told they had to do restitution or go to jail. The P.I.'s did try and keep it out of the newspapers, so you are right. 95% of postal workers are honest but if they have drug habits then all bets are off. You could get away with a lot but if you get caught stealing that is a hanging offense.

If there is dope involved people will steal it that includes doctors, nurses and everybody who comes into contact with the drugs. I get mine via certified mail. That does not mean it will not get stolen.

Vets should be aware of these secondary conditions and that they need a good medical report to make the connection. You can't expect the VA to usually make it for you. If you believe your current back problems are caused or aggravated by a SC knee condition you have to have medical evidence to make that connection. It is not just common sense which may seem obvious to most of us.

You can't live large on $2200 a month. You can't even live small. I think old guys can live on less since all we do is eat and watch TV, and drive a 25 year old car that our wives would be ashamed to drive. Plus, we have the ability to wear the same shorts and worn jeans for years.

When I worked for USPS people got caught for stealing all the time. They stole money orders, COD's, credit cards, loose money in envelopes and even registered mail. Most were not even prosecuted. They just fired them. One supervisor stole over a hundred thousand bucks.

Berta Are there efforts to get DIC increased. It is a very small amount of money? Is a retired spouse 75 years old supposed to live on 1400 bucks a month and survivor benefit from SSA? What a 100% vet gets with SSA is enough to live on, but a spouse only gets about half of that. In this world if a person does not have a pension, IRA and SSA and/or VA retirement is just a struggle to pay the bills.

I hired Kaz&Kaz for my CUE. They made two trips to Florida from New Jersey for me to do hearings. If you write them or email them they will get back to you. They wrote a 38 page brief for my CUE that landed at the Court. Kaz must believe you claim is winnable. I know they do it for 20% of retro. They won't call you unless there is something happening with your claim. They have called me when their has been a decision, hearing or remand. The POA problem may be the VA's fault. "Restricted POA" probably means only for VA purpose because when you give someone your POA it can get confusing. A real durable POA gives the holder the power to buy or sell all your assets. Unless Kaz&Kaz has really screwed up I would not jump around to this or that VSO or POA. If your claim ends up at the CAVC it would be great if you had continuity of representation all the way. It is your decision. There probably are more experienced VA lawyers out there. Your contract should say that they get paid only on contingency.

Can you file for disability retirement from your job? I would not just quit my job based on what some VSO says. Being TDIU is not that wonderful if you are able to work. You have to get up every day and find something to do that you don't get paid to do. That can get to be a drag after 10 years if you are not already near normal retirement age. I would wait until I was fired or laid off before I filed for TDIU. If you can't work then by all means file for TDIU.

Nothing is impossible with the VA as long as you are willing to fight for it all the way. Pick your fights!

Dental implants are good. I have had two that I paid for since the VA would not do it and I did not trust them anyway. It is a long and painful process. I mean they have to implant a metal root into your jawbone. That has to heal and then they implant more stuff so you can eventually get a crown. All this has to heal before you get the crown, but if you can hang a bridge off the implant that is great. Getting 15 implants would be an ordeal.

But you can't get 2 stacked "K" awards for loss of use. I know you can get it for reasons other than losing the creative organ.

It is possible to get IU based on stinking feet. I read that in the VBM. If your feet give off a bad odor that is a handicap to employment.

You can't get two K awards. If you get your "junk" blown away you might be able to get some other type of award including K. You might be able to get residuals for the prostate cancer. That would be like getting two awards for HB due to two separate reasons.

I think it depends on the clinic. My dental clinic would not do implants for me. They even refused to do a crown on a big filling. I don't go there anymore. I believe that they are more concerned with cost than my dental health.