john999

If you are able to work full time even with accommdation then I think 30%-50% is the kind of rating you will probably get even if your doctor says you are out of your mind. If you get 50% then that is good place to be if you have to retire on disability one day. It is a shorter jump from there to 70% TDIU than from 30%. I would have asked for a DRO Hearing in my NOD.

If extended release morphine does not turn your colon into concrete I think something with pure opium might. I took it for pain and had to stop because of constipation. It tore me up. What dose did you take? Did you ever try methadone? It is cheap.

I sent them an email and they called me the same day with explanation about Nehmer. It does not really apply to me. I was SC for heart the as secondary to DMII the first time I claimed it.

I believe that issues that are neither denied or approved should be considered denied. I would appeal all the issues to the DRO or BVA. These are 31 separate issues? That is a lot of issues.

Sawgunner I would appeal the denial of a rating for chronic pain disorder. The only way you get anywhere with the VA is to appeal, appeal and appeal.

It is total disability plus 60%, so someone with 70% TDIU and an extra 60% can get "S". Bradley vs Peake.

One thing that gets me is say you have a claim on appeal for five years. You submit more evidence in year number five after getting another denial and ask for reconsideration. Now the VA grants your claim, but gives you the date they received the new evidence. What about the five years it was on appeal? This happened to me.

Pete You may have to appeal, but don't get discouraged if you get turned down the first time. The VA should be helping you more than they are considering your wife's condition and your own disabilites. They should not leave housebound vets to fend for themselves. It is good they check up on you but that is not enough. John

SSA payments come out on the 3rd I think. If those payments are not made you will hear some noise. I think we will get ours this time at least. I just cannot imagine they are going to stiff us if they want to keep their jobs. They will make some deal that possibly screws us in the long term but covers the debt ceiling in the short term. VA compensation is not mandatory spending. I don't think any policitican has the guts to stiff disabled vets and surviving spouses. I can see a picture of an 80 year old surviving spouse telling the camera she is being tossed out of her apartment because the VA did not pay her this month.

Some of these VSO's will not take you if your claim is on appeal. They don't want to poach on each other's chicken coop. If you have been doing all yourself just keep on doing it. You are the one who is going to get the evidence anyway.

Cooter I would get referral from PCP or your pain doctor to mental health. Tell them about your depression symptoms. You sound like me with all the opiates. I took long acting morphine for a while, but it turned my colon into concrete. That is a major problem with opiates. That is depressing.

Get the EED if you can do it since the VA owes it to you and your VSO thinks they owe it to you. It is often best to get a rating and then go back and file a CUE or for EED. Getting the rating is the main thing.

I believe he will have to file an appeal when you get rated if you want an EED. Why was the request for the earliest effective date not included in the claim? What are you basing the request for an EED on in this claim that is about to be rated for a different ED?

I think they could make opinions on if you have chronic pain or not. If you have been on opiates for 5 years and are stable then that would be chronic for sure. The psychiatrist could tie depression to your chronic pain. Chronic pain syndrome is really a psychological reaction to being in continual pain and all the treatments such as opiates which cause depression.

I agree with that Allan. If we can't or won't fight them now we will fight them in the streets later.

You know why the VA does not have outreach? They don't want to pay for A&A.

Pete I think you should apply for it. You need help with every day needs such as bathing and taking care of yourself. Your wife can't help you. You probably need PT as well since you have trouble with your feet and regular exercise. I am not an expert on this but I would try and see what happens. Who prepares food?

Chronic pain disorder is considered an emotional disorder because of interacation between pain and mood. Nobody in chronic pain feels that good. Sleep is often poor and depression is common. I am SC for it.

Your best bet is to hire a VA lawyer. Unless the government decides to cut VA compensation by 50% nobody will protest in front of the VARO. I have talked to local VSO's about this and they were ready to faint. You would think I had asked them to be a suicide bomber. I was just telling them we could just carry signs with information so the public would notice we are not happy with our VARO. No dice! They were scared to death.

The funny thing is that VA does not do medical research on effects of AO. They just use other people's research and IOM. I don't understand this, but it explains why we had to wait 40 years for new conditions to be added to presumptive list.

If the VA has all your records from your heart attacks I might appeal this to the Court of Veteran Appeals. Since you filed original claims back in 1994 and were denied that should have been your effective date. I don't understand a 0% rating for this, but I do advise you to appeal. I was rated for this CAD and got 0%. I appealed and got 60%. If you have solid evidence get a lawyer and take it to the veteran's court since you have already been to the BVA. My 0% rating was based on a truly awful C&P exam. I got more tests at VA expense and got 60%. You had heart attacks and you get 0%???? Something ain't right unless you are in perfect health today, and it still would not make sense.

Was your original claim for PTSD?

Appeal! Do you have current symptoms? That decision does not make sense for effective dates.

I have a feeling that request will get a cool reception from American workers. It is good for a laugh, however. The government will probably reduce our compensation to pay off the debt.

I agree with what Pete says about getting surgery at the VA. You don't get to choose your doctor. I would try and appeal the tricare decision or find another doctor who does an approved type of surgery. You want the best doctor in your area to do this surgery since your sons welfare depends on a good outcome. A bad outcome due to incompetent doctor or bad after care means another surgery down the road and possible complications. I think it is possible to get a good outcome from VA, but you are rolling the dice. You are rolling them anyway, but you want all odds to favor your son. Your doing good to stay on top of the compensation claim for your boy. If you start to feel uneasy about what the VA is doing come here and ask questions. Silence is not golden at the VA. If you have a bad feeling about something you are probably correct.