john999

I wonder how you know if the VA did apply the bilateral factor correctly? I have PN in all four limbs. I don't know if they applied the bilateral factor. Just with what I have I am at about 93% rounded down to 90%. How can I check to see if bilateral factor was applied. I got 70%, 60% and five 10% ratings which amounts to 90%. I am so close to 100% I can see bilateral factor pushing me over the top if not applied already. I wonder if I did an IRIS and asked about bilateral factor if they would tell me or just bs me. No where in my decision on the PN is bilateral factor noted. It gets complicated when you are applying for SMR based on IU and then also looking at a possible 100% schedular due to misapplication of bilateral factor.

I am getting an orthosis which is going to be some kind of brace that fits over my knee down to my toes. It is because of the damn operation on my foot that left a painful scar on the bottom of my foot. I got fitted for it. They take a cast of your leg. When I wear this out to the VA I will look like one of the guys from WWII. Now when I say my leg hurts they will believe me.

The one year rule for OPM is in stone.

Chr49 You have a lot of decisions to make. Just keep in mind your time deadlines. One year for a NOD. That is in stone. Don't cut it close. There are always lots of ways to go. DRO vs BVA; reconsideration vs NOD, VSO v lawyer or doing it all yourself. Just as long as you choose in time it is ok.

The canes must be required for a SC condition. However, you might be able to file 1151 claim. Ask Berta.

Bill Why didn't you file for disability retirement? That would have established the date of your disability. I got IU back to the last day I worked. I got SSA back to that date as well. You have a year to file for disability retirement after you get the Form 50. You could still do it. Get your application in pronto. It is easy.

I think the all volunteer force is dangerous to the United States. We have a professional military more loyal to their military leaders than to the citizens. This is not good. At some point they will run out of guys dumb enough to sign up to be sent into the combat zone for five tours until they disintegrate.

If I was rated for arterioscelorotic heart disease could I also get a rating for IHD due to AO? I got 60% for arterio secondary to DMII. Now I could file for IHD also I believe as directly presumptive for AO, but would I want to for any reason? Are the two diseases the same thing?

Bill Represent me to the BCMR. I have lost twice.

These vets are going to be left slowly twisting in the wind when these wars wind down and that will be soon I think. Nobody cares about Iraq and Afghanistan now. They just care about their own job and bills. When the war is forgotten the warrior is forgotten.

PR NO, a board looking nurse gave me the shot.

I got a flu shot today in a bus at the VAMC in Tampa. In a bus and boy does my arm hurt.

Allan The BCMR are arrogant guys. If you want serious correction you probably need a lawyer. I tried twice with them. They just disregarded my evidence. If I win my CUE I will try again with a lawyer maybe if it is worth it.

I got a email for lawyers at the NLVSP and they say Bradley is settled law. There was an attempt by the VA to upset it in 2009, but it failed so if you are IU plus 60% go for it.

I think you have to show that you use canes for service connected condition. Therefore, the canes have caused a secondary condition of CTS. The doctor has to say something like that and relate it directly to a SC condition. There have to be links in the chain from SC condition to secondary condition. There is no guesswork allowed.

I think 2.7 million served and that means 2/3 are dead if my math is up to it. I was at the VAMC today and everyone looked pretty sick. It seems every vet has a cane, walker or is in a wheelchair or scooter. I see very few young vets.

There is one called Viper by Sunbelt Software co. It is out of Clearwater Florida. You can google it to get the web address. The anti-virus program melds with windows firewall so you don't have that problem. Get rid of your old anti-virus program or firewall first.

When you file a NOD you are supposed to get a statement of the case. If you filed in August that is not too long a wait. Have you checked to make sure the VA got the NOD?

Yes, a draft for rich and poor, so not just High School Grads from Slippery Rock, USA are the only ones having the honor of dying for their country. Most would see this as an honor they could do without like a PH. Of course as long as their is 10-20% unemployment the military looks good to young people. They don't see that multiple deployments will destroy their families if they have them. What is a poor kid supposed to do when and if he graduates from HS if he has no money for college? There are few jobs that have a future for a HS grad without much training.

As I see it if you actually wait until you get fired you will have months of waiting in order to get IU. How will your survive? If the extra schedular can bump you up to 100% that would be good. Then you could work as long as you were able. If getting IU were automatic when you finally were fired or had to retire it would be one thing, but IU is not automatic. It could take a year to get it.

The thing is if you have a new claim like SMC while you have an appeal going you need to send in the SMC claim to establish and effective date. If you wait until an appeal is resolved for some other claim it could cost you many thousands of bucks. The VA may not do anything with the new claim but you at least establish your EED.

Stillhere How many RVN vets are left alive these days? I heard it was less than a million. That is a hell of a death rate. The VA should not worry about AO since most of us will be dead soon anyway if numbers are to be believed.

If you have very HBP that should support DX of secondary Athero. Does not HBP lead to hardening of arteries? I am not a doctor, but I sure as heck would get outside opinion on this and appeal. How are your kidneys?

If you are 100 miles from the VA can't you get fee base? I have heard that fee base is not that great, but I am not driving 200 miles round trip to go to the VA. That is an awful burden to put on any disabled vet.

There are voices who want to deny that debt to veterans and don't even want to pay for veteran care. We know who they are.