john999

Terry and Josephine are two vets who overcame the greatest odds due to illness and time. I don't think I could have done it. Berta is all time leader for "We shall overcome" against the VA. True Grit!

It is just generic. The VA does not want you getting meds from different providers and not telling them because of possible problems and because if you get pain meds from more than one provider the VA will go insane.

Many claims are SC'ed as secondary depression due to a SC condition. Anyone with chronic severe pain usually takes meds that can cause depression and being disabled, itself, is a cause of depression. Chronic pain and depression go hand in hand. You doctor has to spell it out and make the connection between the SC condition and secondary conditions.

Dean I am not screwing anyone. The VA and congress of the USA are screwing all vets because they do not have the staff to do their jobs. Get me a statement from VA Secretary saying all work on claims other than Nehmer claims has stopped. One thing is that AO claims are easy. You either were in Vietnam, or not and you have AO presumptive or not. The only other question is percentage. We are only talking about claims under Nehmer. You are taking the Maine office of the VA's statement as true when, in fact, it may be just an excuse and untrue also. I did not submit Nehmer claim since I did not think it would help me, but now maybe I will since I am entitled to do so. Nehmer only helps those who filed and were denied. I filed and was rated 0%. Maybe I can get money under Nehmer. You are blaiming me so I might as well get blamed for something real. I was supposed to be on Nehmer list but was not included. It only helps me in that I might get extra SMC retro. I wasn't greedy but when I get accused of screwing other vets I may get greedy. You may be waiting for me for a few extra months.

Yes, if you are 100% for IHD since 1994 it is grace of God that you lived long enough to collect the retro.

In my CUE my lawyer cited claims where the VA had fraudulently altered a veteran's file or medical records and it was a CUE. What is the difference between destroying and altering if it is on purpose and the vet can prove it? The destruction of records has happened so often it is probably SOP. I lost 6 months of psychiatric records which are referred to in my discharge but nowhere to be found.

File an appeal. Chronic pain disorder is a psychological and physical condition that results from the experience of chronic pain. It is usually accompanied by depression, insomnia, effects of pain medications and other problems. You can only be rated on one mental disorder and chronic pain syndrome is considered a psychological disorder. I am SC'ed for it. Do you use the VA pain clinic? Do you see a psychiatrist at the VA?

deanbrt Your claim was in appeals for five years before the IHD claims. Whose fault is that? That is the VA's fault for letting your appeals sit for years gathering dust. If you have to wait 3 more months that is just a fraction of the time you have already waited. Blame the VA for their horrible treatment of AO vets over the last 45 years. Do you know how many have died waiting for help? Do you know how many will die before their conditions are every recognized? Most AO vets will probably die from an AO disease. You want to join the club. I know waiting is hard.

Deanbrt You belive everything someone at the VA tells you? I don't think your claim has been pushed aside to allow some vet under Nehmer with IHD who is 65 years old to get a fast track. I think that is what the VA told you just to get you to blame other vets for their incompetence. If you claim has been in appeals for all those years blame the VA. I have been from the RO,BVA to Court of in five years. Nehmer did not slow it down. It is just slow because the VA is slow. They told you that cock and bull story to get you off their back.

Phil If I win I will take you guys out to Golden Corral. It is 30 years of retro. However, I am not counting the money yet. I still see the psychologist who wrote the original report the VA excluded. I am buying him a nice lunch if I win. My lawyer just sumbitted the brief, so I have no idea how long before the VA files their brief and it goes to the judges. Maybe I will buy a little place in Vermont when it gets too hot in Tampa. I like it up there but not below zero.

I have decided to limit contact with the VA as much as possible. If there is another way I will choose it. It is a battle to get anything. Of course, learning these details can save you some big money.

My lawyer finally submitted the entire brief on my CUE to the court of vet appeals. In so far as the references used are good then it reads well. So it has been about 7 months sitting at the court. He has about 5 arguments all based on the fact that the VA excluded evidence that was favorable to me in my original rating. There is no dispute that the VA did exclude the evidence. There is no dispute about the DX. The dispute is about "reasonable minds" and the word "undebatable" and about the appropriate rating percentage according to the symptoms and the rating schedule.

Are you able to work? If not file for TDIU now.

I have a CUE claim going back almost 40 years. No one is rushing it through the system. It was first filed in 2006. It is now 2011 and it is at the court of veteran appeals. I was low balled for 30 years. The AO claims for IHD etc that also fall under Nehmer don't have time to wait 30 years. They will probably all be dead. These are people with very serious problems many of whom have probably died while waiting. All claims should be worked as fast as possible. Blame congress for the delays. They provide the money for the VA. If they had cared about vet issues there would not be this backlog. It is politicians who are letting you hang and slowly twist in the wind. Don't let anyone divide us vets because if they can turn older against younger then they can cut benefits.

Capt. My mail man got worker's compensation from walking through peoples lawns all day taking short cuts due to exposure to the chemicals on the lawns. He was sick for a long time but got better when he got another job not carrying mail. I guess you need strong medical opinions with very strong nexus and research. You have nothing to lose. You just don't get PN for no reason. Really, the military does not give a damn about its members. Even when they know something is dangerous they use it anyway and throw away the injured. They knew AO was dangerous.

That would be really funny if 100% vet spouses could get each others ChampVA. Somehow I doubt it. It seems like double dipping. Hey, but you can try. You may have a breakthrough here for some.

Does your doctor wash his/her hands? That is how they spread staff infections.

In my state you have to be P&T for all this kind of stuff. I have a Florida State ID card that says I am 100% P&T. I used it to get an almost free driving license.

I just hope that budget hawks don't decide to try and cut back on ChampVA. This is something we all need to keep watch on and vote right. If hawks are going after medicare then they will be going after TriCare and ChampVA. VA, medicare, medicade, SSA, SSD are all considered entitlements and these programs are in the gun sights of some in congress.

Capt. What kind of chemical exposure disability are you trying for? I know that PN can be caused by chemical exposure, but even for AO vets it is almost impossible to prove on its own without having DMII. You should see the AO rules for proving presumptive disability from AO not secondary to DmII or some spine injury.

The thing I don't know is if you would get over 30% and military retirement pension or just medical discharge with pay. Either way you will probably get more from the VA when and if you get 100%. You have 2 conditions the military says are the reasons you can't stay in the AF. That is all they consider and rate you on for military retirement. I don't know the AF criteria for those disabilites. Somebody here does.

I don't see what is wrong with that buddy letter and I don't see how the VA ignored it. Maybe it did not mention enough detail as to exact dates and details of a mission.

Cool Some doctors use a florescope (spelling?) and the injection into the neck is guided by this type of xray. You can go back to work the next day if you have pretty easy job. Some doctors knock you out for the procedure using IV drug to put you in dream state so you don't move around. It does not hurt. I got it for my lower back. It might help. These degenerative conditions are things the doctors manage, but don't cure. Since the nerves in my upper back and arm are being pinched it hurts like hell.

SP4 OK, so you have some serious PN in your legs and feet. Are your feet pretty numb? Now you biggest problem is to take care of your feet. If you injure your feet the healing process will be slow. I healed from a staff infection in my foot. It was bad and the clinic I went to every day for a month was full of people with DMII and open wounds on their feet. I knew this guy at my old job who ignored a blister on his heal. He had DMII. He lost his leg. You need to go to the doctor even if you have a minor injury to your big toe. You just explain to them you have DMII. If I had let the infection in my foot go another few days I would have probably lost it. A year later and my foot still hurts and the healing is not complete after surgery. This is as important as your rating. We have a guy here named Terry Sturgis who has serious PN. Maybe he will post. He is 40% in each leg I think. I am not preaching to you (yes I am) so I don't want to offend you but even an ingrown toe nail can be severe for a diabetic.

Pete992 Yes, big retro makes the DRO go blind. It blinds the BVA also if the retro is big enough and involves even a tiny bit of guts.