john999

I have had good luck with the LHI exams. I think I just got lucky because of a fairly incompetent exam doctor. The incompetence fell on my side this time. I had horrendous results from VA C&P doctors in the past. Most were idiots or VA chose to use the opinions of the most unqualified doctors over the most qualified doctors. I had VA overrule a VA neurologist on behalf of a primary care doctor regarding nerve damage I have from PN. Now I hit the jackpot with recent C&P LHI exam. You spends your money and you takes your chances with these clowns.

Pacman I applied on behalf of my wife for her to be my caretaker. I submitted the app. online and now I wait. If she is approved she can get Covid vaccine at the VA. I think she also gets some kind of stipend. I am way over 100% now since my last C&P exam. I am pretty F**ked up since my DMMI got worse with the PN . Maybe she can get help as my caretaker. I need a zoo keeper.

Bronco is right on this topic. In Florida you also sign a paper saying you are able and willing to work. You don't want to be accused of fraud by the state or the VA. I was getting worker's compensation and TDIU and I had some unpleasant conversations with the worker's compensation people. I was ignorant of the law, but old WC tried to screw me anyway.

I don't know why VA busts some vet's asses over TDIU VS 100% . I had a hell of a time getting 70% so I thought I was lucky to get TDIU. However, if you have the evidence for 100% go for it. Yeah, I know about Sy on the Duck Dynasty show. What a riot. If you have a good IMO all is achievable.

DSIG Are you working at present. It is hard to get 100% for PTSD or any mental health issue if you are working 40 hours a week. Part of the evaluation for PTSD is your ability to work. Since you have 70% now you could probably get TDIU if you are not working which pays at the 100% rate. I had TDIU for almost 20 years before I got lucky and got 100%. It is no big deal since it pays the same. You can get "S" with TDIU as well. If you read requirements for 100% for PTSD I wonder how anyone gets it. I know those who get 100% for a mental condition richly deserve it. I got 70% for mental health issue. I should have gotten 100% schedular. If you are not working TDIU is the easiest way to get 100% money. TDIU does restrict you from every working again, but if you can't work then you probably want SSD anyway. You combine SSD and TDIU/100% and you probably have enough to live on without eating cat food. I was working for the feds and I got their version of a disability pension plus SSD and TDIU. This does pay my bills which is fortunate considering millions work like dogs and can't even put a roof over their heads. I did work like a dog but now every dog has his day.

You should learn all there is about the symptoms of PTSD. When you get your exam the doctor will probably be seeking to see by your testimony if you match up to PTSD symptomology. Make sure the doctor knows about your symptoms that match PTSD. If you are hyperalert make sure he knows. If you have insomnia and often relive the traumatic events that caused PTSD make sure he knows. The VA C&P doctor is going to make the PTSD diagnosis so you have to convince him/her you have PTSD. Every question the doctor asks you will be evaluated for him to make a decision about your ptsk.

I would get the IMO/IME. As a matter of fact, I might get two IME's/IMO's. Just bury them with evidence. When I got P&T I had three doctors do reports for me. Getting an incompetent C&P is so normal for the VA in my experience that it is normal. I went to a C&P for a heart condition. The so-called doctor was a nurse. She had no idea what she was doing. My exam with her was a 0% disability. I got my IMO and got 60% because the C&P doctor's exam was so incompetent. It is amazing what an IMO can do for you. So many vets just accept a VA C&P without filing an appeal and getting new medical evidence. I filed many claims for increases over the years, but did not start winning until I got IMO's. If you get 10% that gets your foot in the door. You can expand on that with new evidence and get 100% if you persist.

I read in VFW magazine or DAV mag. that it along with bladder cancer had been added. Maybe not officially yet, I don't know.

I would think you might be able to file a "depression" claim due to misery of tinnitus. Many people with physical disabilities suffer depression. I think a tinnitus claim is worth about 10%. It is different from hearing loss. You have to be deaf as a post to get major disability for hearing loss.

Buck.....I do have "S". I had TDIU and then got another 60% for a separate condition. I have had "S" for years. Bronco helped me get it via Bradley V Peak decision. I have been TDIU P&T for 20 years. I was not really shooting for 100% when I claimed an increase for my DMII, but I got the big increases for the PN. No more money for me, so it is a fluke that I finally got to 100% when I did not need it.

Marine...... I have pretty severe PN. I have 40% for each leg and 40% and 30% for upper extremities. I have not been tested for foot drop. I do tend to drag my feet a little bit due to pain. I also seem to be having trouble grasping things without dropping those things. Buck...I will follow your advice about getting more evidence on my DMII. I got a 20% rating for DMII and I believe I should have gotten 40% except a 40% rating requires "limitation on activities" in the C&P report. I am , in fact, quite limited already due to the PN. Now that I have 100% I am wondering how to get any money I have possibly left on the table.

I asked for an increase for my DMII and was denied because the doctor did not specify that I needed to limit activities. The thing is I was awarded for severe to moderate neuropathy in both hands and feet. I am already limited in activities due to the PN. Do you think I have a shot at an appeal when I make that argument? I can't even walk around in the grocery store due to pain in my feet and I drop things all the time due to nerve damage in my hands and arms. The neuropathy is by far the worse disability I have and it is a result of DMII. I want them to reconsider their logic. I know that is asking a lot from these guys at VA central.

I just got a call from my VA PCP. She wants me to do appointments via skype or via smart phone. The VA just does not want us in the building. I will have had both Vaccine shots soon. Why can't I see my doctor in person? I see my private doctors in person. I have appointments with a DMII specialist and a cardiologist in person. I have had high blood and DMII for years and I have never been able to see a specialist. I have suffered from chronic back and neck pain for years and no pain management. The VA is either grossly understaffed or they just want to save money. Any MD outside the VA would refer me to specialist for these conditions.

My lawyer's wife was a former VA psychiatrist. I went to see her for my appeal some years ago. She wrote an IME that just knocked it out of the park. The VA just rolled over and granted my appeal. For mental health claim get the iMO/IME doctor. Mental health is subjective. A hostile C&P doctor can just kill your claim. There are VA C&P doctors that believe that vets are all fakers and frauds.

Buck Keep an eye on your blood sugar and blood pressure . VA really dropped the ball in my case. I am not in so good shape myself. Your blood sugar can explode and land you in the ICU. High blood works to cause strokes and enlarged heart. I had DMII but it was basically under control. I had not seen a doctor in almost a year because I had not been to the VA in person for bloodwork. I am overweight myself. Sometimes I get out of breath from just going to the grocery store and hauling bags and bags of stuff from the car to the house. At our age things can go wrong in a hurry. Now I am seeing a DMII specialist outside the VA. I am seeing a cardiologist as well due to high blood. I think most of us should have a private doctor besides VA PCP. My impression is that VA doctors just don't want in person contact with patients because they are scared.

Getting a mental health IMO is a great idea. It can make all the difference between a 10% rating and a 70%-100% rating. Mental health ratings from the VA are all over the place. Depending on who you see for your C&P exam anything can happen.

Yes, I already got S. Maybe I did that what you say about hitting the submit button because I was looking at my ratings a few months ago. The VA did withdraw the PTSD claim increase at my insistence. I was connected for PTSD but it was combined with 3 other conditions. I had 70% and that was about all I think I could get. I had TDIU P&T and a combined rating of 90%. My DMII got worse and I was already connected for PN. The LHI doctor must have wrote a hell of a exam for the PN because VA increased it by about 80%. They added two new conditions of 20% apiece. They left my DM11 rating at 20% because they said the doc did not say I had restricted activity. This is weird because the PN in all four limbs is pretty bad and I drop things all the time. Walking for exercise is out of the question for me nowdays. My activities are already restricted. I was thinking about appealing the DMII award but I do have 100% combined rating now. Buck, it was incredibly hard to go from 90% to 100%. I wish I could have held out for a 100% schedular rating back 20 years ago. I was so glad to get TDIU I just latched onto it. I was out of work and needed that money. I was way too old and too f'ed up at the time to go for another job. So that is my story and the mystery claim.

You know I use ST. Pete Regional Office. I have filed many claims and appeals. They are so ignorant. I have gotten numerous awards that were in my favor that I could not understand. I don't gripe about claims in my favor even when they make no sense. Of course, the best claim I ever filed was denied time and time again. If your claim involves a lot of backpay you can expect to be denied. I am not entirely sure if malice or ignorance is behind St. Pete Office screw ups. When I claimed S-1 I had to file a CUE because I was not awarded S-1 immediately when I got an extra 60% after being P&T for years. They are just incompetent. I don't think they are evil (I could be wrong) just dumb as hell.

Berta, you are such an allstar VA expert.

Since I had been in the ICU for my DMII I was just wanting to have my rating increased. VA increased my rating for neuropathy for all four limbs. They did not increase the basic rating for DMII. When you file a claim you just never know exactly what will come of it. I was already getting TDIU so I did not expect my compensation to increase and it did not. I guess I will have to go blind, have an amputation or need a kidney transplant for that to happen. I am not worried about it. I have enough cash every month to be comfortable in retirement. I am good with that.

So true, Buck. My VAMC is giving covid shots to old farts with other medical conditions like DMII. Florida in general is horrible as for availability of vaccines. I live in Tampa. We have two VAMC's here in the Tampa Bay region. Neither has enough parking or space to do what is necessary.

I got my new rating but not for PTSD. It was for complications of DMII. The new ratings put me over the 100% rating. It is really hard to go from 90% that I had to 100% schedular. I must have had an extra combined 80% that put me over the 97% rate rounded up to 100%. So long TDIU and hell-o 100%. It only took 20 years.

Dee It is bullshit that you can't get a shot. My wife can't get one here in Tampa. I know the VA has their reasons but it is still BS.

My wife was not able to get the shot. Yeah, I am pretty shocked at how well the VA is doing with the shots. My arm hurt as well for the day. Better to have some pain than to die from covid. Here in Tampa the vaccine is unavailable. So I get the shot and my wife can't? What kind of BS is that? We live together. If I get it she gets it and vice versa.

I got my vaccine at the VA last week. I live in Tampa, Florida. I would agree that even if you get the vaccine not to go maskless to bars and places where you will have close contact with many people.