john999

Berta The VA did award me 0% for CAD before I got 60%. Maybe that means something. I already claimed SMC "S" since I am total plus over 60%. I want to see if my VARO even recognizes Bradley v Peake.

Sapper To see if you are incompetent to handle your affairs. I think you are looking at 100% schedular.

Well, you really could do the claim yourself. Regarding evidence submissions you need to be sure your VSO sticks to time limits and deadlines. If your VSO stops communicating with you fire them. If your VSO does not follow through on your claim it is you that is up the creek. You are responsible for your claim. You must be damn sure your VSO submits all your evidence in a timely manner. Is VVA doing your claim? I hear they are pretty good. I think DAV is horrible. If your VSO does not return phone calls fire them. That is first sign they are not going to work for you. Don't let them have originals of any documents. They should copy them but you keep originals. A good VSO is great help and a bad one or lazy one is a disaster. Keep in touch with Hadit as you go. Someone here always knows something that can help because they have been through the same experience. I have never heard of cycling ptsd unless you get it while riding a bike. Cycling ptsd sound a bit like bipolar disorder.

My VSO did exactly this type of bargaining. The DRO was true to his word after going through the ritual of investigating the claim which was already fixed. It was no big deal since it did not affect my rate of compensation.

Berta I got the same email you got from NVSLP. I am service connected for heart condition secondary to AO DMII. I don't know where this leaves me. I always get to do things the hard way. I was SC'ed back in 2008, but I wanted to add my name to the case. I don't know what the heck the difference might be except I would have free standing primary claim for AO IHD I suppose. I made the original claim back in 2007 but had to appeal a 0% rating to get to 60%.

That sounds good for IU to me. Total social and occupational impairment actually equals 100% schedular.

I got an email from the Lawyers group about IHD and that they were on my case today. It is the standard email we all got on this issue who have claims in for IHD or CAD due to AO. Since I am already SC'ed for it via secondary to DMII I don't know what happens next. I wanted to get my name on the board.

The VA does not want to admit you to the psychiatric ward. It is expensive. Unless you say you are getting ready to kill yourself they won't do a thing. You can have suicideal thoughts but as long as you don't say you have a plan you are ok.

Random There have been a number of vets here that have been denied on MST/PTSD claims because they did not want to talk about their symptoms or the events that led to their PTSD. Going to a C&P and thinking you can get away with "Yes" or "No" answers without details just won't work. The shrink is probably going to ask you "What happened" and then look at you waiting for response. I have been to many exams for emotional disorders. I don't like it. If you don't go and discuss your symptoms and events you lose. The rating officer may decide your condition is permanent and total and you will never have to go to another C&P exam. Take someone with you to the exam. They can't go in there with you but they can drive you home afterwards. The VA just does not give away money without evidence. They use the C&P exam to get evidence. Perhaps you could do some kind or role playing with a private counselor to help you cope. I can tell you that if and when you break down the shrink will probably back off and end the interview. If you have the evidence of the attack the examiner will see by your reaction how bad off you are. They are not sadist but are hard boiled because they hear a lot of stuff that is pretty awful.

They need a letter from a doctor saying you are totally disabled for at least one year.

R/O GAD means rule out general anxiety disorder. You want to show that your depression is a direct result of chronic pain due to SC injuries or illness. GAD could be for other reasons.

You do need a lawyer. You should also have a health care power of attorney, living will and durable POA for your wife. I would contact an Elder Care lawyer and let them advise you. If your wife has to go to a nursing home there are things you need to know. Everyone says they will never end up in a nursing home, but in the end they do unless they just drop dead. Money you spend now will save your estate big time. If you are not there and your kids work how can they continue to care for your wife? The answer is they can't. Getting a nurse round the clock is too expensive. What happens eventually is assets are used up and then medicade takes over to pay nursing home. I have been through this with three relatives. You want the lawyer to spell everything out in detail about your wishes and your wife's wishes. If you die first you need to spell out who will make all decisions for your wife in advance. You need to get your kids involved so they know who is going to do what. Anything you do now in advance will save pain later.

I think they will let it go but beware next presumptive AO disease like HBP or some other organ failure. IHD is law, but the committee makes it clear we are loafers and greedy vets who should just die quietly. They are much more concerned with the money than with us, and we vote for these jerks!

I was being sarcastic. I don't know where Saint got his information. Maybe witchcraft? I was not being political. I don't even believe in elective politics. Just a sham to protect interests of capitalist ruing class.

Saintx Did you speak to Deep Throat? You are passing on a hoax or gossip. Do you think the DAV, VFW and American Legion would not be taking credit for this if it was going to happen? I listened to Agent Orange hearing yesterday and the senate was crying about giving agent orange vets money for DMII and IHD.

You want to get treatment for the drinking problem. For one reason it will kill you. Secondly, the VA may not prescribe meds you need if you come up positive on alcohol screen. You won't get pain meds. They may not give you anxiety meds if you continue to drink. They are scared to death you will OD and they will be blamed. Drinking and drug abuse is a symptom of PTSD and many other emotional disorders. I used drugs 40 years ago and the VA continues to bring up these matters in recent claim. Now since I get pain meds they give me interogation every month and drug screen for alcohol and any other drugs. Get detoxed as soon as you can. I know this is easy to say and hard to do.

You notice the word "expensive" is in the first sentence of the associated press article. So in the mind of the press cost is primary in agent orange compensation. The press reflects the public mind and mind of the congress. Cost is prime mover for disabled vets. This makes a sham of Prez Lincoln's words about aiding those who have borne the burden of war. Aide them as long as it does not cost too much as compared to bailing out banks and Goldman Sachs.

Never happen! You telling me the VA is going to practically double my compensation. That is good for a laugh. Where did you get this information? Did your local tea party give you this? We would have heard about this already. You should not publish such bullshit. It is cruel and a hoax. John999, Keep the political mess out of here !

There is a lot of money involved so I would go in person to the VARO and do as Carlie says. I would not trust the mail on this one. Overkill in getting the VA go give you a hearing this won't hurt. Mail, fax and in person visit is what I would do. From now on file your income tax even if you don't earn money. Maybe they think your spouse and you are working together somehow. Does your spouse have a business? Does anyone in your household work?

You need to ask for a hearing within 30 days to fight this. I have never heard of losing IU because of not paying tax. It does not make sense.

Texas Are you a Vietnam vet?

Stillhere I felt insulted as well. I saw part of the hearing on C-span 3. The cost of IHD and DMII was what they cared about regardless of what smug statements they spouted. If you wait 40 plus years to address some of these things like DMII and IHD there will be complicating factors of lifestyle. Since the Army at least did encourage smoking and drinking those factors are at their door. Those senators with they high and mighty judgemental opinions on 19 year old kids who learned bad habits in the combat zone really make me sick. Bottom line if they could cut VA budget now they would do it. It is public outrage that stops them now. Beware after the end of the current conflicts.

He sounded a lot better than those senators except for Sen. Sanders the socialist from Vermont. Sanders is head and shoulders above those time servers. Akaka is senile. Webb is a traitor, and the rest are hacks. They asked the secretary if any studies had been done on Vietnamese civilians. Either he is stupid or a liar.

I agree that it is time to hire a lawyer. If the lawyer reviews your claim and thinks it is a CUE then go for it. The thing with CUE claims is that failure to assist is not grounds for a CUE. I brought that up in my CUE where the VA did not give me my appeal rights back in 1973. I did not move and they knew right where I was. I don't see how you could have gotten due process. Remember that according to the VA no matter how unfair a decision is that is not a CUE. Yes, that is hard to believe but I have it in black and white. You could have a lawyer just review your claim for EED to see if you have any traction. I have had other claims denied for not going to a C&P exam. However, the decisons were appealed on that basis. Once the decision becomes final then you are held to the incredibly high standards of a CUE. According to the VA if the VA sends your decision to the wrong address and it gets returned to sender that is still not grounds for a CUE. A piece of advice is never to move during the claims process. The VA is bound to screw it up even when you put in change of address with the USPS and with the VA. To this day I get phone calls from the VA for other vets. Yes, I think you got screwed, but is it a CUE I am not sure.

You know they exclude the price of food and energy from the CPI. They do factor in the price of cell phones, computers, cars and houses. I don't need a cell phone but I need to eat and food prices are going up. I don't think we will get a cola. This really hurts those on SSA, VA, SSI and government pensions.