john999

By all means stay in school. My college degree did not really help me in employment, but it did a lot for my self confidence. I thought if I can get a degree then I can handle the VA. That was partially true, but I did not know how corrupt the government was at the time. At least if you pass English you can write a decent letter.

That money might pay for a state school tuition. It is not going to pay for room and board plus tuition I don't think. Still that is some money.

But you never actually get to 100%. It has to be rounded up. I got 100% when I had 90% like you. I had an extra 80% but I never got to actual 100% because it is impossible the way VA math goes. You can get 100% rounded up like you and me, but the VA keeps dividing the amount between 90% and 100% until the numbers become infinite. This is how figure it. Not that it matters but it is strange how they do it. I was TDIU for about twenty years before I got the 100%. Now I could work but not able and being 72 years old who cares? You get to a certain percentage and it does not pay to try and rehab yourself. It is a trap that hurts the disabled.

I am probably filing some claims for SMC due to my feet pretty soon. I am pretty sure I will be having to file appeals. Filing the claim is the first step in the process leading to appeals. I got lucky once in 40 years when I got what I was asking for in the initial claim. I see you are 90%. Are you going for 100% schedular. I was 90% for ten years and finally got the 100% but not actual. Mine was rounded up to 100%. I don't think it is possible to get actual 100% unless you have 100% for a single condition. Good luck with your claim.

Good luck with that. You can sometimes get a better result from a contract exam than a VA exam. Maybe you can do something, but do not refuse an exam. No matter what some might tell you that is suicide for a claim. The VA may not just be looking for evidence to deny SC. They may have some crazy but legitimate reason for the exams.

Just go to the exams! If you don't you lose.

W......you got to watch these VA NP's. I got one for a heart condition exam . She had no idea what she was doing. She was training another idiot during my exam. You might get a good one or an idiot. Just be ready to appeal. I think they get points for lowballing vets.

Yes, Pacman is so right. If you close your current account the bank will send your check back to the VA. They did it to me once when I changed accounts. It took me a month or two to get it straight.

Shellback If your son can get inside the system even if he just sweeps the floor then he can possible move up. If you are not inside then you are way outside. The top dogs in government service pad their nests for all their friends and relatives. At USPS you have fathers supervising their children. Husbands supervising spouses and hosts of relatives working in the same location. When opening come up even if you are the most qualified by a mile you will never get the job unless you area on the inside. VA is the same way. You have to go along to get along. Nothing to do with merit or being deserving. I worked at the VA for about a year and found that job openings were already filed from inside long before they were advertised. I got the usual letter "Qualified but not selected" about 20 times. At USPS I just trudged along as a lowly clerk until I became totally disabled and then the USPS fired me. I got a lawyer and sued and got my pension and then worker's compensation. I was a 30% vet at the time and they still &&&^% me. There were workers there who did not even speak English and they were promoted over me. I was one of the few that had a college education but it did not matter.

It will be a great loss when James and Bronco stop posting because Hadit dies. We have had such great posters over the years.

Bronco I took a four hour exam for federal jobs back in the 1970's. I was a disabled vet with a college education. I got exactly zero job offers. I know I passed the test. I did use vet preference to get a job at the post office. The USPS told me "We have to hire you, but we don't have to keep you." That is exactly what they did over the years trying to get rid of me. They did get rid of me, but I filed for worker's compensation on the way out the door and they had to pay me until I got TDIU from the VA. They threw me into the briar patch. I got an OPM pension also after I dropped WC on account of TDIU. If you want to experience nepotism work for the USPS or the VA. Half the people are related to each other and merit means nada.

I have 40% SC for each foot due to PN, but I don't have foot drop as defined here. My balance is not too good and my feet hurt like crazy at times. I am afraid of falling in the shower or tripping because I do tend to drag my feet a little bit and shuffle when my legs are tired. I would like to get an electric cart because when I go to the VAMC it is an ordeal for me. By the time I head for the remote parking lot my feet are just hurting so bad I swear I will never go back to that place. VA has all sorts of programs but if you are really disabled it is hard to gain access. The VA is there but I can't get there and get around and they know it.

Sad day, indeed, when Hadit shuts down!

I have had good luck with QTC. I had real bad luck with VA doctors. You just have to complain and roll the dice. I have had many inadequate exams at the VA. I got to where I would just appeal the decision and get new evidence.

I get you C. I think until you have symptoms you will only get a minor rating if you win your claim. If CLL is presumptive for Gulf War you will get a rating. I would make the claim and see where you go with it. I am a Vietnam ve,t so I know little about Gulf War presumptives. Where would you look for list of presumptives for CLL and Gulf War. I will look myself.

My brother has CLL. There are some very effective treatments for CLL. My brother's CLL was getting worse and he was losing weight. His private cancer doctor proscribed him a new drug and it has lowered his white blood count significantly. There are different strains of CLL and some are dangerous and some not so much, but there is treatment. I would get myself to a cancer hospital and get some a second opinion. I can talk to my brother and get the name of the drug he takes. It is expensive so that is why the VA is probably not using it on you. You can message me.

When I first filed for an Agent Orange claim I had trouble because the VA was saying to my congressman that I was not a Vietnam Vet. This really pissed me off since it was right there in my records and on my DD214. I have about 30 years of medical notes in my file at the VAMC. If you read them you would think I was in an Iron Lung. I am bad off but not that bad. However, if VA wants to grant me increase in compensation based on those notes it is fine with me.

I think you must have complete loss of use to get the grant. You must be specific as to actual loss of use. That means things like foot drop etc.

If you are totally disabled and married to the same woman for at least ten years your spouse would be entitled to DIC even if you don't die from a SC condition. I am in the same boat as Inthewind. I have been TDIU and then 100% schedular for 20 years. I expect my widow to get DIC from either SC condition the ten years rule.

Go to the exam. What usually happens if you skip the exam is that your claim is denied.

To me one of the main things about getting any sort of rating for HBP is that if you were to have a stroke it would be pretty easy to make a claim, whereas if no HBP rating it might be harder to say the least. That is why I am pursuing the HBP claim even if I get a zero rating.

How long it takes the VA to rate your claim is the question. I would think it would be soon since you have your C&P exam, but who knows.

No truer words have been said to think about needs and wants. Wants are unlimited while needs are finite. You don't have to be smart to be a good investor. Just some simple rules to follow: Invest in what you know is a good one.

I have been P&T for 20 years and VA never tried to reduce me. I must have filed 8 new claims during that time. VA has their hands full with new claims rather than try and reduce existing claims.

Blah You can still invest the money. I took a beating on my stocks but, the stock market will come back. I have been investing for 35 years. Do dollar cost averaging into an index fund. I did that for years and I was well rewarded. How many years you got until you can really retire? You are about one year older than me. Do you buy and sell antiques? That is a fun thing to do.