john999

I agree with Navy Wife that if you want 100% or TDIU you should retire on OPM disability and file for SSDI. I was under FERS. That is what I did when I had just 30%. You have 90% plus your job is dangerous in your condition. If you get jumped by inmates how will you defend yourself? You could file for OPM and use any leave while you are out of work? Do you have Thrift Savings? You might have to use some of that while you wait for TDIU. I filed for worker's compensation myself since my job did aggravate my SC disabilites. I worked for USPS. They were bastards and fired me anyway. Are you on light or limited duty?

I got a call from a dentist who takes VA fee base and only two miles from my house. I am in shock. Of course, I already had most expensive work done by private dentist because VA would not do dental implants. I was told partial would be just as good as real teeth. However, I am willing to see this private dentist for cleanings etc. Now I just need decent vision care, psychiatric, and all other specialist care since I don't want to go back to the VA. I will if I have to just to get pills and keep my problem list alive. I think few specialist will work for VA Fees. John

No doubt weight gain can trigger OSA. If DMII causes weight gain then maybe you can attack it from that angel. Also anti-depressants cause weight gain. If you are depressed and have DMII maybe result in OSA or vice vera, Ha.

No, I don't think so. Why would you be reduced? Are you over 55? Have you been P&T for more than five years? I would get to the bottom of this via IRIS.

While waiting for DIC what happens to ChampVA status and other benefits that spouse is getting as result of being married to P&T vet? Example: P&T vet dies. Compensation stops upon death. Widow must apply for DIC. In the meantime do all benefits spouse was getting stop? Spouse is left naked until DIC approved? Just an aside.

With Chapter 35 if you get denied I would appeal that because it will take them a year at least to review your appeal. Then the VA has a year of records to look back on to see if there is improvement. This is what I did, and it took me about a year from the time I got TDIU to when I got P&T. I also threw in another IME to say again that I was permanently disabled. My doctors had already said it when I got TDIU. If you have SSD that is solid indication you are disabled for at least a year. Few who get SSDI ever go back to work and the VA knows this (but would they admit it?). John

I live in Tampa and have not found a dentist who will take Fee Base. Besides these guys are way the hell out in the county. If you could find one and make private deal to pay the dentist the shortage that VA creates by underpayment.

If the Exam is not that great I think I might just wait until I get the decision and then get an IMO. I never waited myself. I started getting IMO's right away to try and minimize wait times and max my rating. Like you say once you get decision and file NOD the lawyers can come onboard. Wouldn't it be nice to get the max on your first decision. You would do this with an IMO/IME if you have money and time. Decisions come pretty fast after C&P.

A 100% PTSD vet should not be able to work according to the criteria for 100%. I know that if you were unable to work due to an emotional condition the VA used to rate the vet 100%. Now you have to be out of work and almost, or actually psychotic to get 100%. If you read what 100% is for mental it reads like someone in an institution who is being fed via a tube. Almost nobody really meets that criteria unless they are out of their minds as in "insane". I am not being critical of anyone here with 100% but the rating is just too hard to actually meet for almost all PTSD vets now days. 70% with TDIU is more like it if you can't work. John

I would pay the deductible rather than have some clown do a poor job on my teeth. VA did that for me and I ended up losing that tooth. Now I am paying for two crowns and an implant with VA saying dental implant is "elective" and "you don't need that tooth anyway". It is just not worth saving a buck to have someone treat you that you hate and have no confidence in. My opinion. I got the VA to pay some towards dental work once. It took six months and they called me and my dentist liars. John

As long as you are working you probably won't get 100% for PTSD. I would not quit my job just to try and get 100%. It could take years. If you become unable to work that's different. Then file for SSDI and TDIU if you want a faster result.

If you have doctor and voc rehab person say you can't work due solely to SC conditions that is good for it.

You need statement from a doctor saying you are totally disabled for at least one year. This is what SSA wants to hear. Like VA they do not connect the dots. I got SSDI in three months due to two statements from my doctors to the effect as I state above.

Are you seeing a psychiatrist at VA. Deafness often leads to depression. This can be service connected. If you can't work apply for TDIU is my advice. Why wait while you go broke? Apply for SSDI as well if you have been out of work more than six months. The VA can always look at your claim to reduce. Once you get TDIU it is much harder. They must prove you can work. If VA rates you 50% for hearin loss you must be almost deaf. Do you read lips. Do you know sign language? I would learn it and bring signer who can hear for your C&P. Make it known you can't hear C&P doctor.

The reason I started getting meds from the VA was to save a few bucks. Tbird's situation where they cut off her anti-depressants is malpractice. As a person starts to slowly descend into depression without medication this can lead to a disaster. Every psychiatrist knows this. If VA pharmacy overrules their own doctors this is a scandal. What is cost of puttin severely depressed person in-patient? What is cost to family and society of a suicide? Depressed people do commit suicide. This is total failure of VA healthcare system.

Getting opiates, or even things like clonzepam are getting more difficult. I am going to wean myself off all this junk. There is no VA treatment for chronic pain disorder that does not do more harm than good. This is my experience after ten years of using VA pain clinics, and having PCP helping me. Every other service at the VA frowns on my use of VA prescribed opiates and clonzepam. Of course, these are the things I most use the VA for anyway. I asked for something to treat my narcolepsy and they refused. I turned to private sector. If you have good private insurance and use mail order pharmacy you can get expensive drugs cheap as in CareMark.

Get second opinion!

I think you must have gotten your increase for your neck. Have you filed for TDIU? Your claim for increase should be effective on the date you filed so if that is 11/2013 that makes sense. When you say "benefits start 11/01/14" that must mean your increase is to start on that month's day one. You should get retro to 11/2013 if I am understanding.

I got mine a few weeks ago I think. It just says what I already know. Actually, it is all a sad joke. I have limited access to the VA. I am not driving 40 miles round trip for a flu shot. John

You should be getting the A&A from 2010 so this will be a nice retro payment perhaps. John

SSDI wants to see a statement that you are totally disabled from all work for at least a year. They don't care about SC. They just care about your record of SSA payments and your being totally disabled.

This would be a NOD and either DRO or Traditional Appeal. He can win this.

I think I would consult with a VA lawyer. Your rep is not up to this sort of thing. If you are trying to get money from 1975 you must show some sort of error was made or documents that should have been available at the time (SMR's) were not available. Are you saying he was discharged from military with medical discharge, but no pension? In 1975 VA and military did not work together at all. John

The opiates are the problem. If I ever told VA I wanted to get off them I am sure I would never be able to get them again. I have chronic pain. I don't know when it will flare up. An oxycodone pill goes for $10 on the street from what I am told. This is because oxy and hydrocodone are now Level Two narcotics just like morphine. I think Tramadol is now in the same category. I think even drugs for ADD are level two these days. Just because a small minority abuse them they make them taboo. Alcohol is abused by a small and dangerous minority, and you can buy it at 7/11 with an ID card. This does not make sense, and is just based on ignorance and prejudice. Opiates were legal and widely used in USA until 20th Century. Abuse was a problem but addicted people did not face years in prison. This fuels the cartels and all the chaos in Mexico and Latin America. These crazy DEA/FDA laws have created a naro/terrorisit state on our southern border. If I was terminal with major pain I would be looking for assisted suicide, or I would assist myself. Chronic severe pain leads to severe depression and I don't want to live like that. I am not at that stage but I think and hope that I avoid it. Why does VA brand us all potential drug dealers just because we get script for Percoset. I am almost 65 years old. I sure don't need to deal drugs at my age. I am waiting now for my next shipment of pain meds. I will run out of pain patches and I have no idea when I am to get new ones. My delivery dates are so mixed up due to VA. I did paperwork for new script weeks ago, but UPS shipes them whenever. John

Did you file for SSDI when you retired from your job? If the VA knew this then they should have considered you for TDIU if your retired solely for SC reasons. Usually, the date you file for benefits is your effective date, regardless of what happened before that date.