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Tela
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Posts posted by Tela
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Thank You all! I was very surprised it went that way because I had all odds stacked against me with me being 30 yrs old and having a AAS in Network Administration. I thought for sure it was going to be a long and drawn out battle. It even shocked my lawyer. LOL
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First and foremost I want give all Glory, Honor, & Thanks to God for my blessings.
I was awarded 100% by the VA at the beginning of the month and I conquered Soc Sec today! My hearing only lasted about 15-20 with only a handful of questions and the Judge made a bench decision, fully favorable back to 3/16/12! The ALJ gave great weight to my VA docs and used my performance letter from my internship to arrive at his decision. Now with all of this out of the way, I can focus treatment and getting well.
My timeline for Soc Sec:
App Date: 12/31/13
Denied : 2/26/14
Recon: 4/25/14
Denied 6/10/14
Appealed: 6/20/14
Hearing: 10/20/14
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I am surprised you didn't have a commissary letter shown in the "downloadable VA letters" section on Ebenefits.
You could probably just take your actual award letter you received from VA in the BBE and which shows your 100% rating. To be on the safe side, ask the person at the base ID/CAD office when you call to make your appointment.
Sorry, I should have said spouse rather than wife.
Good luck.
Lol No harm done. Lol Thanks for the help.
Also, if there are dependants, make sure to have ORIGINAL birth certificates and social security cards for enrollment.
The clerk that handled my family was adamant that they could not accept copies. It had to have the embossed seal that they could feel for our marriage license and birth certificates.
Good luck and have fun! It was very nostalgic shopping at the commissary again.
Thanks for the help.
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Thanks everyone!
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Go to Ebenefits and download and print a copy of your commissary letter which will show your 100% rating and your entitlement to commissary privileges. Take this letter along with your drivers license, social security card and any other forms of ID you have to the nearest military base (ID/CAC office). If you are married take the same identification items for your wife plus your marriage certificate. If you have children you will need their social security cards. Take original documents. I took a copy of our marriage certificate and I had to go back home and get the original.
The best thing to do is to call the base ID/CAC office and schedule an appointment to get the ID cards. Also, to be on the safe side ask them exactly what you need to bring with you. They usually take the photos, have you sign the cards, laminate them and give them to you a few minutes later.
Congratulations and Good luck.
I don't have the commissary letter on Ebennies. Is there another way to get it.
(P.S. I am a female. No wife here lol)
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This link contains some good info on the bilateral factor:
GOOD FOR YOU ,as you caught their error.Congrats on that award.
"I didn't receive any forms for my ID or anything"
Others will chime in on that... I am curious as to how that works myself.
Thank You! I only caught the mistake because of the research that I've done on this site. ( I hardly ever post but I do lurk a lot. LOL). Only then I knew what to ask them. It was an error made back in 2011 when I won an appeal for my left knee dating back to 2005. It didn't effect me until I was awarded 50% for MDD earlier this year and my rating was 60% rather than 70% because the bilateral factor wasn't include. I doubt they would have caught it had I not...
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I got my letter today and it confirmed the 100% for MDD w/Panic Disorder, 20% right femur and 10% left knee and the 2 deferred contentions.The 100% is not P&T but it didn't give a re-eval date. It also address the bilateral factor mistake they made and I'll receive $$$ for it. I didn't receive any forms for my ID or anything. Will that come later?
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Congrats!!
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Congrats!!
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I got my letter today and it confirmed the 100% for MDD w/Panic Disorder, 20% right femur and 10% left knee and the 2 deferred contentions.The 100% is not P&T but it didn't give a re-eval date. It also address the bilateral factor mistake they made and I'll receive $$$ for it. I didn't receive any forms for my ID or anything. Will that come later?
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They fast tracked me already. That's how I got my hearing date so fast. I do pray that my new rating will help since it's the reason why I applied.
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Congratulations on your big win! Be sure to check with your state/local area for other benefits/perks. If your award letter says you are eligible for Chapter 35 for dependents, then that means you are P&T.
Did you happen to file for SSDI also?
Berta,
I wonder if they are trying to squeeze in everything before the end of the fiscal year...
Yes, I applied for SSDI. I was denied twice, in Feb & June, and have my hearing on Oct. 20th.
I do believe the fiscal year has something to do with them pushing out claims. That and the heat they've been getting lately.
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Congratulations! That is awesome news!
While you are waiting on the BBE, go on Ebenefits under Start a New Claim and go through the application to the Disability Conditions section. There you can already see what percentage each specific issue was rated at, along with the correct effective date.
I checked and I'm 100% for MDD with Panic disorder (effective 4/17/14), 20% for right femur. My 10% rating for left knee is missing though...
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Thank you all! I will update you once I learn more.
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Yeah, I hope so as well. I know they were trying to figure out if I get the bilateral factor because I'm 20% for right femur (labeled as right knee) and 10% for my left knee and 50% for MDD. I get either a yes or no depending on who I talk to. But it's the difference between my current rating being 60% and 70%.
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Yeah, I checked it and nothing has changed yet. I'm praying for a positive outcome!
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Here's my timeline for IU so far:
4/17/14Claim Received4/18/14Under Review6/11/14Prep For Decision7/16/14Under Review(claim no longer considered an FDC. Don't know why since I never sent in anything else after I started the claim)7/23/14Gathering of Evidence9/17/14Prep For Decision9/22/14Pending Decision Approval9/23/14Prep for NotificationIt seems to have hit a snag at Prep for Notification for some reason but at least it's almost complete! Hopefully it will be done by sometime next week. I will keep you all posted. -
Well I filed a claim for IU on 4/17/14 and it jumped straight to PFD on 6/11/14. Then the following month it went back to Under Review (7/16/14) and now it sits at GOE (7/23/14). It says a development letter has been sent but I've yet to receive anything. Guess I'll go bug my VSO in the morning to see what's up....
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Yaayy!! Congrats!!
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Looks like a winner to me! Good luck with your IU and SSDI claim. Keep us posted.
Thanks. Will do!
I think you will get TDIU. I hope you get P&T. If not appeal it. If you are over 40 getting SSD should be easier. In this society if you are over 40 something and been unemployed a few years you really are unemployable, but the VA is not supposed to take age into account. Neither is SSD but they do.
John
Thank you. I'm a little uneasy that my claim jumped to prep for decision so fast with it not being an FDC. My VSO told me they fast tracked it and that I should bee hearing something pretty soon. I just wanted a bit of reassurance I guess. LOL
I'm 30 and SSD have been denied twice already. I have enough work credits and have been unemployed for 2 yrs but SS doesn't think I'm disabled enough despite my med records and both of my docs saying so...I have a lawyer and prepared to fight.
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Sounds good for TDIU. Have you formally applied for TDIU and is this the C & P they did for the TDIU claim?
Have you applied for SSDI as well?
Yes I applied on 4/17/24. This is a DBQ my psychiatrist filled out for me. No C&P.
And Yes, I've applied for SSDI.
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I applied for IU and an increase for MDD (50% awarded on 3/8/14) on 4/17/14. I submitted a DBQ my VA psychiatrist filled out and just want some feedback on it. I'm currently 50% MDD, 20% right femur claimed as right knee and 10% left knee. My claim jumped from "Under Review" to "Prep for Decision" on 6/11/14.
Axis I
Major Depressive Disorder
Panic Disorder, secondary to #1 above
Fibromyalgia + Migraine, secondary to #1. Worsened by her MDD
Axis III
780.57 Sleep Apnea
Axis IV
Minimal current stressors other than symptoms
Axis V
45
Does the Veteran have more than one mental disorder diagnosed?
[X] Yes
Is it possible to differentiate what symptom(s) are attributable to each diagnosis?
[X] No, Anxiety, panic and fibromyalgia are part of MDD
Does Veteran have a diagnosed traumatic brain injury (TBI)?
[X] No
Occupational and Social Impairment
[X] Total occupational and social impairment
For the indicated level of Occupational and Social Impairment, is it possible to differentiate what portion of the occupational and social impairment indicated is caused by each mental disorder?
[X] No, All attributable to her MDD
Symptoms
[X] Depressed Mood
[X] Anxiety
[X] Suspiciousness
[X] Panic attacks more than once a week
[X] Near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively
[X] Chronic sleep impairment
[X] Mild memory loss, such as forgetting names, directions, or recent events
[X] Impairment of short and long term memory
[X] Flattened affect
[X] Difficulty in understanding complex commands
[X] Impaired judgment
[X] Impaired abstract thinking
[X] Disturbances of motivation and mood
[X] Difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships
[X] Difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, including work or a work like setting
[X] Inability to establish and maintain effective relationships
[X] Obsessional rituals which interfere routine activities
[X] Impaired impulse control
[X] Persistent danger of hurting self or others
[X] Intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living, including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene
[X] Disorientation to time or place
Other Symptoms
Chronic physical pains of fibromyalgia secondary to the MDD
Remarks
Vets condition results in Unemployability
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Ok. I'll go to the RO and do just that. But from what my new VSO told me, no bilateral factor was included but it should have. I've gotten so many different answers and I'm just confused about the whole thing. Lol He told me that they will address the issue with my claim. I guess I was just looking for confirmation. I'll just have to be patient and wait.
Claim Closed 60%
in Success Stories
Posted
Congrats!!